Gone in a ‘Flash’

Most people know that as women age, they experience what are commonly referred to as “hot flashes” – a side effect of menopause where, as the name suggests, women experience momentary sensations of heat due to their changing hormonal levels (others say they have to do with changes in the levels of blood circulation). But what people may not know is that these hot flashes are particularly prevalent among women who’ve survived breast cancer and are receiving treatment.

Several reports are out there regarding what women can do to lessen the prevalence of hot flashes, ranging from acupuncture to taking antidepressants to anesthetic injections. But the latest finding on how to minimize hot flashes is particularly convincing, given the percentage of positive results.

Baylor University researchers assessed 60 women, all of whom were diagnosed with breast cancer and experienced a significant number of hot flashes since undergoing treatment, assigning half of them to hypnosis therapy, the other 30 receiving no treatment at all. The women in the hypnosis group were taught some of the basic tools of self-hypnosis, including disassociation, positive imagery and techniques on how to calm and self-soothe. The study lasted five weeks total.

By the study’s conclusion, the researchers found that women reported a near 70 percent decrease in the number of hot flashes they were used to experiencing! But other positive developments also came about. For example, the women who reported favorably on the hypnosis treatments also experienced better nights’ sleep, found that they were more productive throughout the day, were less anxious and less depressed. Talk about a great treatment!

Despite these improvements, though, the researchers aren’t entirely convinced that hypnosis is the panacea for hot flashes, primarily because of the placebo effect – where a treatment that portends to make one feel better does, simply because the recipient of the treatment believes it will based on the suggestion that it will. Thus, this does not necessarily reflect the effectiveness of the treatment itself (I’ll talk about this more in a moment). However, the researchers say that because of the wide range of improvements in the women’s lives – outside of those that were specifically targeted in the hypnosis treatment itself – they don’t believe it was entirely due to the placebo effect (if it was at all).

Others in the medical world are similarly reluctant to say hypnosis is the fix for hot flashes, but do say the findings are “promising.”

The point of all this is to remember that the prevalence of hot flashes was reduced by 70 percent among the women who underwent hypnosis and their lives improved in other areas as well. Whether the women only believe it worked and that’s what’s caused their improved condition, or whether it’s the true effectiveness of the hypnosis therapy and that’s what’s improved their condition is therefore ultimately irrelevant because their condition improved – the point of any treatment!