Needled by menopause

ACUPUNCTURE could provide a drug- free way to ease menopause symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats.

A trial discovered that women who received the traditional Chinese needle therapy had their discomfort reduce by a third on average, and felt the benefits for six months afterwards.

However the American researchers behind the study said the results could be down to the extra care received by t he patients and t heir expectations of the treatment.

They concluded that further research was needed.