Menopause is not always an easy milestone to get through.
Menopause is a significant event in the lives of most women, as it is associated with many physical and emotional changes.
Menopause can be associated, in 80 to 85% of women, with vasomotor, psychological, urogenital and sexual symptoms, which can have a negative impact on the quality of life of a significant number of women.
Good news for menopausal women, a randomized and controlled clinical study affirms that a massage oil with 3% Essential Oils is effective in reducing the symptoms of menopause.
Some explanations on the protocol followed and its encouraging results...
Brief reminder of the medical supervision of menopause:
Over the past three decades, hormones have been heavily prescribed to prevent menopausal symptoms in women. In 2004, however, the famous "Women's Health Initiative" study (conducted on 26,000 women in the United States) highlighted a risk, arguing that the most popular formulas based on estrogen-progestin and estrogen alone (often prescribed to women around the age of menopause) increased the risk of stroke, venous thrombosis, dementia and incontinence. Worse, according to the study, combined estrogen therapy also increased the risk of breast cancer.
Since then, these health concerns have allowed the development of a wide range of complementary therapies to relieve the symptoms of menopause in the short term, including aromatherapy which involves the use of essential oils and/or vegetable oils. in the treatment of patient comfort.
An Iranian study
To properly massage the abdomen, a relaxed position is mandatory.
Prove the clinical effectiveness of essential oils on menopausal symptoms?
This was the objective of the recent research (2012) by Fatemeh Darsareh et al - approved by the ethics committee of ' Tehran University of Medical Sciences' and registered in the ' Iranian Clinical Trials Registry ' and in the ' Registers primary of the World Health Organization '.
The study Effect of aromatherapy massage on menopausal symptoms. A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial by Fatemeh Darsareh, Simin Taavoni, Soodabeh Joolaee, and Hamid Haghani and published in " Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society". Flight. 19, No. 9, 2012. pp. 995/999) wanted to prove clinically (randomized, placebo-controlled study) the effectiveness of a massage oil with 3% essential oils to reduce the symptoms of menopause.
Experimentation :
90 naturally menopausal women, who met the inclusion criteria, were recruited by ' the menopause clinic of Tehran Gynecology Hospital' and subdivided into 3 groups... - An 'aromatherapy' massage group (n = 30): treated with a mixture of lavender, rose geranium, rose and rosemary oils at 4:2:1:1, diluted to 3% in sweet almond oil (87%) and 'Evening primrose (10%). A 'placebo' massage group (n = 30): treated with a liquid solution of petroleum jelly. A control group (n = 30): received no treatment. Treatments consisted of 30 minutes/session of massage of the abdomen, femur and arm by a certified midwife, twice a week for 4 weeks (8 sessions in total). Participants were in a lying position with a cushion placed under the knees to keep the abdomen relaxed.
Results (translated extracts from the publication):
We note after the 8 massage sessions that the symptoms of menopause have decreased, according to a menopause evaluation scale ' Menopause Rating Scale score' from 21.86 to 13.11 points in the ' aromatherapy ' group and from 21.72 to 19.07 points in the ' placebo ' group (Table). These results are statistically significant for the ' aromatherapy ' and ' placebo ' groups (Pandlt;0.001) on the other hand in the 'control' group the statistics do not differ (P=1) (Table). The results of this study show that menopausal symptoms were reduced by 8.75 points in the ' aromatherapy ' group while in the ' placebo ' group, the reduction did not exceed 2.65 points .
Here is the comparison table of the impact of 'aromatherapy' and 'placebo' massages on menopause symptoms according to 'Menopause Rating Scale score'. Based on paired-samples t test. Data are presented as mean ± SD:
Study conclusions:
No more hot flashes with essential oils? The authors of this study conclude that the results of the study demonstrate that massages with these EOs are effective in reducing the symptoms of menopause. However, further randomized studies, using more objective measures, larger sample size are needed for definitive confirmation.
Our practical advice:
If you also wish to benefit from the effects of an abdominal massage as part of a comfort treatment in the event of difficult menopause, it is entirely possible for you to make an "imitating" massage oil yourself. the formula tested in the study. To do this, we offer you a more precise formula than that of the study in order to produce approximately 50 ml of massage oil. In an amber glass bottle, pour successively:
- HECT Lavandula angustifolia: 13 drops
- HECT pelargonium asperum: 10 drops
- HECT rosmarinus officinalis CT camphor: 10 drops
- HECT rosa damascena: 5 drops
- HV sweet almond: 43 ml
- HV evening primrose: 5 ml
This oil is massaged twice a week for a total of 30 minutes on the abdomen, left arm and hips. Ideally ask someone close to you to massage you if possible.
Evening primrose oil capsules can be found in pharmacies and organic stores Do you think you are suffering from hot flashes ?
Then reread Dominique Baudoux’s reputedly effective formula. This was dosed with a little more than 10% EO and is very different from that presented in the study.
Do you have other more intimate concerns? Remember to consult your doctor first. It is he alone who can treat you in the event of health problems linked to menopause. For your intimate comfort, also consider taking evening primrose oil capsules as food supplements. They are appreciated for their ability to regulate mood, fight against inflammatory phenomena, vaginal dryness and facilitate the transition to menopause.
