The traditional practice of acupuncture has been around for thousands of years, and many alternative medicine experts swear by its pain-relieving effects. Now, a study has determined that acupuncture treatment may be able to reduce the perceived severity of hot flashes in women going through menopause.

The report, published in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine, found that two and a half months of twice-weekly acupuncture reduced the psychological and somatic effects of menopause.

In particular, women who received the alternative treatment reported feeling less discomfort while experiencing hot flashes.

Researchers also measured levels of estrogen and follicular stimulating hormone in all participants, finding that these hardly varied from those of women not receiving acupuncture.

The study's authors theorized that the use of acupuncture needles may have stimulated the production of endorphins, which are hormones that register pain, excitement and feeling of well-being. These could have given the sense of enhanced thermal regulation.

For menopausal women who have limited access to acupuncture, taking a daily herbal supplement may be their best bet for staying healthy and minimizing hot flashes.