The Effect of Acupressure on Menopausal Symptoms

The Effect of Acupressure on Menopausal Symptoms: A Randomized, Sham Controlled Study

This is a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled and single-blind study planned to determine the effect of acupressure application on menopausal symptoms.

The hypothesis of the study is that acupressure reduces women's menopausal symptoms.

Menopause is a physiological process during which most women have difficulties and face many problems. Acupressure can be taught and used safely as an effective method to manage the symptoms that women experience during menopause.

This study aims to determine the effect of acupressure on menopausal symptoms. The study has a prospective, randomized, sham-controlled, single-blind design. The research was conducted with 81 women (acupressure n=40, sham acupressure n=41) attending the "Menopause School" in a public hospital in Türkiye between July 05, 2021 and August 02, 2021. Both groups received acupressure application thrice a week for four weeks, 12 sessions in total. The data was obtained using a personal information form and a Menopause Rating Scale.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Able to speak and understand Turkish
• No psychiatric illness
• Natural menopause
• Not on hormone replacement therapy
• Women who volunteered to participate in the study and did not receive any integrated therapy were included.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Those who have undergone menopause with the surgical method
• For lower extremity vascular disease, fracture, sprain or injury, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, thyroid disease, etc. with a diagnosis
• Women who received any integrative therapy were not included in the study.