Complementary Therapy in Overcoming Complaints During Menopause: A Literature Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53770/amhj.v4i4.461Keywords:
Complementary, MenopauseAbstract
Hormonal changes during menopause—particularly the decline in estrogen levels—often trigger a range of physical and psychological symptoms, including hot flashes, sleep disturbances, joint pain, mood swings, anxiety, and depression. This study aims to analyze complementary therapies that have been scientifically proven to alleviate menopausal symptoms. The research method employed is a literature review. Data were collected from peer-reviewed scientific articles published between 2018 and 2024, accessed through electronic databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. Selected articles met the criteria of full-text availability and focused on complementary therapies for menopausal women. The findings indicate that therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, reflexology, aromatherapy, music therapy, and the use of herbal remedies (phytoestrogens) have demonstrated effectiveness in improving the quality of life for menopausal women. The conclusion is that complementary therapies offer significant potential in managing the physical and psychological symptoms associated with menopause. Their integration into holistic care approaches can enhance well-being and life quality in menopausal women. Future longitudinal studies are recommended to explore the sustained effects of complementary therapies on hormonal regulation, psychological health, and the risk of chronic diseases in menopausal populations. Additionally, clinical guidelines should be developed to standardize the use of these therapies in menopausal care.
References
Aiello, E. J., Yasui, Y., Tworoger, S. S., Ulrich, C. M., Irwin, M. L., Bowen, D., ... & McTiernan, A. (2004). Effect of a yearlong, moderate-intensity exercise intervention on the occurrence and severity of menopause symptoms in postmenopausal women. Menopause, 11(4), 382-388. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.GME.0000113932.56832.27
Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J. P., & Rothstein, H. R. (2021). Introduction to meta-analysis. John wiley & sons.
Chattha, R., Raghuram, N., Venkatram, P., & Hongasandra, N. R. (2008). Treating the climacteric symptoms in Indian women with an integrated approach to yoga therapy: a randomized control study. Menopause, 15(5), 862-870. https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e318167b902
Chen, M. N., Lin, C. C., & Liu, C. F. (2015). Efficacy of phytoestrogens for menopausal symptoms: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Climacteric, 18(2), 260-269. https://doi.org/10.3109/13697137.2014.966241
Chiu, H. Y., Pan, C. H., Shyu, Y. K., Han, B. C., & Tsai, P. S. (2015). Effects of acupuncture on menopause-related symptoms and quality of life in women in natural menopause: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Menopause, 22(2), 234-244. https://doi..org/10.1097/GME.0000000000000260
Cramer, H., Peng, W., & Lauche, R. (2018). Yoga for menopausal symptoms—A systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas, 109, 13-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.12.005
Danhauer, S. C., Mihalko, S. L., Russell, G. B., Campbell, C. R., Felder, L., Daley, K., & Levine, E. A. (2009). Restorative yoga for women with breast cancer: findings from a randomized pilot study. Psycho-oncology, 18(4), 360–368. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.1503
Daley, A., Stokes‐Lampard, H., Thomas, A., & MacArthur, C. (2014). Exercise for vasomotor menopausal symptoms. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 11, CD006108. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD006108.pub4
Dossey, B. M., Keegan, L., & Guzzetta, C. E. (2005). Pocket guide for holistic nursing. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Ee, C., Xue, C., Chondros, P., Myers, S. P., French, S. D., Teede, H., & Pirotta, M. (2016). Acupuncture for menopausal hot flashes: a randomized trial. Annals of internal medicine, 164(3), 146-154. https://doi.org/10.7326/M15-1380
Elavsky, S., & McAuley, E. (2007). Physical activity and mental health outcomes during menopause: a randomized controlled trial. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 33(2), 132-142. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02879894
Guna, I. W. A. W., Andayani, N. L. N., Ayu, I. G., & Putra, I. P. Y. P. (2024). The Relationship between Physical Activity Levels and Quality of Life in Menopausal Women. FISIO MU: Physiotherapy Evidences, 5(2), 162-168. https://doi.org/10.23917/fisiomu.v5i2.4862
Hanafi, M., & Utamayasa, I. G. D. (2021). Efek Senam Yoga terhadap Tingkat Kecemasan Wanita Pramenopause di Sanggar Dolphin Lovina Singaraja. Jurnal Pendidikan Kesehatan Rekreasi, 7(2), 354-360. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4922371
Harira, H., Irmawati, Y., & Muriana, E. A. (2023). Efektivitas senam Aerobik Low Impact terhadap penurunan kecemasan pada wanita menopause di Puskesmas Soropia Kota Kendari. Journal of Nursing Practice and Education, 3(2), 205-212. https://doi.org/10.34305/jnpe.v3i2.749
Hur, M. H., Yang, Y. S., & Lee, M. S. (2008). Aromatherapy massage affects menopausal symptoms in korean climacteric women: a pilot-controlled clinical trial. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 5(3), 325–328. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nem027
Johnson, A., Roberts, L., & Elkins, G. (2019). Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Menopause. Journal of evidence-based integrative medicine, 24, 2515690X19829380. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515690X19829380
Kaban, V., Kurniarti, V., & Sutrisno, S. (2021). Efektivitas Pijat Refleksi Relaksasi untuk Mengatasi Masalah Insomnia (Shi Mian) pada Wanita Postmenopause. Dhammavicaya: Jurnal Pengkajian Dhamma, 5(1), 12-20. https://doi.org/10.47861/dv.v5i1.41
Kim, D. I., Jeong, J. C., Kim, K. H., Rho, J. J., Choi, M. S., Yoon, S. H., ... & Lee, M. S. (2011). Acupuncture for hot flushes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women: a randomised, sham-controlled trial. Acupuncture in Medicine, 29(4), 249-256. https://doi.org/10.1136/aim.2011.004085
Lakhan, S. E., Sheafer, H., & Tepper, D. (2016). The effectiveness of aromatherapy in reducing pain: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Pain research and treatment, 2016(1), 8158693. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/8158693
Lee, H. W., Ang, L., Choi, J., & Lee, M. S. (2021). Aromatherapy for managing menopausal symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 27(10), 813-823. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2020.0315
Lethaby, A., Marjoribanks, J., Kronenberg, F., Roberts, H., Eden, J., & Brown, J. (2013). Phytoestrogens for menopausal vasomotor symptoms. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 12, CD001395. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001395.pub4
Manson, J. E., Chlebowski, R. T., Stefanick, M. L., Aragaki, A. K., Rossouw, J. E., Prentice, R. L., ... & Wallace, R. B. (2013). Menopausal hormone therapy and health outcomes during the intervention and extended poststopping phases of the Women’s Health Initiative randomized trials. Jama, 310(13), 1353-1368. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.278040
Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. (2022). National Health Survey Report: Use of Herbal Therapy in Indonesia. Jakarta: Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2021). Complementary, Alternative, or Integrative Health: What's In a Name. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved from: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/complementary-alternative-or-integrative-health-whats-in-a-name
Neugarten, B. L. (1976). Adaptation and the life cycle. The counseling psychologist, 6(1), 16-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/001100007600600104
Rosenthal, R. (1979). The file drawer problem and tolerance for null results. Psychological bulletin, 86(3), 638-641. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.86.3.638
Rowe, I. J., & Baber, R. J. (2021). The effects of phytoestrogens on postmenopausal health. Climacteric, 24(1), 57-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/13697137.2020.1863356
Sternfeld, B., Wang, H., Quesenberry, C. P., Jr, Abrams, B., Everson-Rose, S. A., Greendale, G. A., Matthews, K. A., Torrens, J. I., & Sowers, M. (2004). Physical activity and changes in weight and waist circumference in midlife women: findings from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. American journal of epidemiology, 160(9), 912–922. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwh299
Tarigan, I., & Sembiring, M. B. (2020). The Effectiveness Of Yoga In Decreasing Menopausal Syndrome Complaints To Improve Quality Life For Menopausal Women At Medan Johor Public Health Center 2020. In Mitra Husada Health Internasional Conference (MIHHICo), 1, 107-112. Retrieved from: https://prosidingmhm.mitrahusada.ac.id/index.php/mihhico/article/view/53
World Health Organization. (2024). Menopause. World Health Organization. Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/menopause
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ahmar Metastasis Health Journal

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.