Inclusion criteria |
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45–60 years old |
Perimenopausal women (menstrual irregularity or amenorrhea of 3 – 11 months) |
Postmenopausal women: |
- 12 months of spontaneous amenorrhea |
- 6 months of spontaneous amenorrhea with serum FSH levels > 40 mIU/ml |
- 6 weeks postsurgical bilateral oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy |
- hysterectomy with at least one intact ovary |
Average daily hot flash scores > 10 for one week prior to screening visit |
Exclusion criteria |
Poorly controlled hypertension |
Diabetes mellitus needed to be controlled by insulin injection |
History of past or current malignant tumor |
Any type of thyroid dysfunction |
Severe dyslipidemia |
Other infectious diseases or systemic diseases inadequate for acupuncture treatment |
Other serious medical conditions |
Use of HRT, antidepressants, gabapentin, SSRI's, sedatives |
Use of unidentified herb prescriptions or herbs the investigator considers to affect hot flushes |
Over-the-counter drugs which contain black cohosh or human placenta. |
Working at night |