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Although hormone therapy (HT) is the most commonly recommended treatment for menopausal symptoms, research is underway to look for alternatives, particularly non-pharmacological options. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has already been proposed as a low-risk treatment for hot flashes, but a new study suggests that it can also effectively manage other symptoms of menopause. The results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
Today's women have more options than ever before for treating common menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, depression, sleep disorders, and badual function. Because of its proven effectiveness, HT is still leading a long list of available treatment options. However, controversies regarding the adverse effects of HT have led some women to look for other options. Alternative treatments such as antidepressants have proven effective in treating menopausal depression and, to a lesser extent, hot flashes. But these options can also have adverse effects.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a type of psychotherapy that teaches patients how to modify dysfunctional emotions, behaviors and thoughts and how to develop personal coping strategies. It has been shown to be effective in many studies in the treatment of various mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Previous studies of menopausal symptoms, however, have focused solely on its ability to manage hot flushes. This new study is the first of its kind to treat a wide range of common symptoms of physical and psychological menopause.
The study demonstrated that cognitive-behavioral therapy significantly improved hot flashes, depression, sleep disturbances and badual concerns, although little anxiety was observed. In addition, the improvements were maintained for at least 3 months after treatment. Although this is a small study, it lays the groundwork for future research on how various psychological treatments can help millions of women with menopausal symptoms.
The findings were published in the article "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Menopausal Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial".
This small study is in line with other studies of postmenopausal women showing a benefit of cognitive-behavioral therapy in the improvement of hot flashes. He has also shown improvement in depression, sleep and badual function. Larger trials comparing cognitive-behavioral therapy with other active treatments will help us better understand the effectiveness of this therapy in highly symptomatic women. "
Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, Executive Director of NAMS
Source:
North American Menopause Society (NAMS)
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