Middle-aged women passing through the menopausal transition and struggling with electric shock sensations often claim they would give anything for them to just stop. Luckily, despite being one of the least studied of menopause symptoms, electric shock feelings can be treated with a handful of approaches.
Keep on reading to discover how to treat electric shock sensations and bring your hormones back to balance to part ways with this pesky symptom for years to come.
Three Approaches to Treating Electric Shocks
When working to relieve electric shock sensations, there are three viable options to consider: (1) Lifestyle changes, (2) Alternative medicine, and (3) Conventional medicine. Women are encouraged to start with the most natural approaches - lifestyle changes and alternative medicine - and move to more risky options only if necessary.
Lifestyle Changes for Electric Shocks Treatment
The first line of treatment for electric shocks sensations consists of enriching one's lifestyle with healthier practices. It can provide significant improvements, although it does require the most determination and time commitment.
Nutritious Diet
Since electric shock-like sensations are thought to be caused by the misfiring of neurons due to hormonal imbalance, eating foods that help regulate hormones and nourish the nervous system can aid in electric shocks treatment. As such, a balanced menopause diet should include lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats that are rich in these nutrients:
- Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that exert weak estrogenic effects on the body, thus helping resolve hormonal imbalance and relieve electric shock sensations.
Soy, alfalfa, oats, tomatoes, flax
- Vitamin B12 deficiency can oftentimes provoke symptoms of electric shock sensations in various body parts, including the brain, lower extremities, and the back.1
Nuts, cheese, eggs, yogurt
- Magnesium is important for the functioning of the nervous system. Its proper levels may help prevent miscommunication between neurons that cause electric shock sensations.2
Spinach, basil, sunflower seeds, cacao
- Omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial for women whose electric shock-like sensations are a result of neuropathy.3
Flaxseeds, walnuts, beans, pecans
Regular Exercise
Exercising may not be easy for some women struggling with electric shock sensations, especially if they are localized in the legs or head. However, staying physically active can be beneficial for the nervous system and endocrine glands, thus aiding the treatment of electric shocks. As an added benefit, it can also manage menopause weight gain and mood swings.
Amount: Menopausal women are recommended to get about 150 minutes of low- to moderate-level exercise per week, or 75 minutes of high-intensity activity.4
Type: Women can compose their workouts of cardio exercises with muscle-strengthening training, like resistance bands or yoga. It is also key to stretch before working out to improve flexibility.
Useful tips: For beginners, it is a good idea to start slowly and take time to discover one's favorite types of exercise that help strengthen the body, relax the mind, and relieve electric shocks.
Precautions: It is recommended to avoid high-impact exercises or injury-prone sports, such as heavy lifting, as menopausal women are at a higher risk of osteoporosis.5
Wholesome Habits
To help the body maintain optimal health, restore hormonal balance, and manage menopausal electric shocks more effectively, women can implement various wholesome daily habits. They include the following:
Reducing stress is key for electric shock treatment as high cortisol levels can disrupt hormonal balance and the nervous system, leading to electric shocks.6 Opt for mindfulness, biofeedback, or deep breathing exercises.
Improving sleeping position may help reduce electric shock sensations. Incorrect positions or sleeping on an old mattress can cause the vertebrae to put temporary pressure on the nerves, triggering electric shocks in the body.7
Quitting addictions to nicotine and alcohol can also serve as treatment, as both substances have been found to potentially lead to nerve damage, which is one of the causes of electric shock sensations.8,9
Alternative Medicine for Electric Shocks Treatment
The second line of treatment for electric shock sensations consists of alternative approaches, with herbal supplements being the most popular option. They are easy to follow and resolve the root cause of symptoms, hormonal imbalance.
There are two types of herbal supplements to treat electric shocks: phytoestrogenic and hormone-balancing supplements.
Phytoestrogenic Supplements
Phytoestrogenic supplements are made from herbs, like dong quai or red clover, which contain beneficial compounds called phytoestrogens. When consumed, they mimic the body's estrogen and help balance the levels of estrogen and other reproductive hormones for electric shocks relief. However, their long-term use can make the body less capable of producing its own hormones, leading to further imbalance.
Hormone-Regulating Supplements
Hormone-regulating supplements, like Macafem, do not supply the body with any outside hormones. Instead, they work by nourishing the hormonal glands with nutrients to stimulate their own hormone production. This balances the levels of all reproductive hormones, helping relieve electric shocks and other menopausal symptoms. Since hormone-balancing supplements cause virtually no side effects, they are safe for long-term use.
From Nature and Health Magazine, Dr. Chacon says:
"Macafem's nutrients help restore natural hormones in women. Unlike hormone drugs, which are basically resumed in taking synthetic hormones, Macafem acts totally different in your body. It nourishes and stimulates your own natural hormone production by inducing the optimal functioning of the pituitary and endocrine glands." Click on the following link to learn more about Macafem.A combination of lifestyle changes and herbal supplements is usually the most effective and holistic approach to treating electric shock sensations. In some cases, it may be necessary to consider conventional approaches for optimal results.
Conventional Medicine for Electric Shocks Treatment
The third line of treatment for electric shock sensations consists of medications, although their selection is rather scarce. Since some may carry risk of side effects, their use should be evaluated on an individual basis to ensure they do not outweigh the benefits.
Medications that may be used for electric shocks treatment include the following:
Pain-Relieving Medications
Although most women report that electric shock sensations are more uncomfortable than painful, some may experience more severe discomforts. In such cases, over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), may be considered for short-term relief.
Cause-Specific Medications
Although the most common cause of electric shock sensations during menopause is hormonal imbalance, they may occur due to other health conditions, including diabetes, migraines, epilepsy, or multiple sclerosis, among others. As such, electric shock treatment may consist of other medications specific to their underlying cause.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
HRT contains synthetic estrogen, progesterone, or their combination. It used to be the go-to treatment for electric shock sensations and other menopause symptoms. While HRT can help relieve symptoms quickly and effectively, its use has been linked to serious side effects and increased health risks, as the following studies have shown.
Since the aforementioned levels of electric shock sensation treatments are not mutually exclusive, women can employ them in any combination in order to better relieve their symptoms. A growing number of women, however, are finding that combining lifestyle changes and herbal supplements are the best solution for electric shocks during menopause.
A Safe Way of Treating Electric Shocks
Implementing Lifestyle Changes:
- Consuming foods rich in phytoestrogens, vitamin B12, and magnesium
- Focusing on moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week
- Reducing stress through meditation, biofeedback, and deep breathing
- Improving sleeping position and quitting unhealthy habits
And Taking Herbal Supplements:
- Phytoestrogenic herbal supplements, like dong quai
- Or natural hormone-regulating supplements, like Macafem
Sources
- BMC Neurology. (2011). Fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain - differences and similarities. A comparison of 3057 patients with diabetic painful neuropathy and fibromyalgia. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2377-11-55
- Neuropathy Action Foundation. (n.d.). Neuropathy 101. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from http://www.neuropathyaction.org/neuropathy_101/signs_and_symptoms.htm
- Nutrients. (2018). The Role of Magnesium in Neurological Disorders.Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6024559/
- The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy. (n.d.). Nutritional and Vitamin Deficiency Neuropathy. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.foundationforpn.org/what-is-peripheral-neuropathy/causes/vitamin-nutrition-deficiency/
- University of Rochester Medical Center. (n.d.). Put a Stop to Nerve Injuries Called Stringers. Retrieved June 18, 2020 fromhttps://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=2817
Footnotes:
- ClinMed International Library. (n.d.). Selected symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency and/or hyperhomocysteinemia. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/jfmdp/jfmdp-3-057table2.html
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences. (2019). Magnesium is a Key Player in Neuronal maturation and Neuropathology. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6678825/
- Gordon. K. et al. (2011). Case studies demonstrate that oral intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from pharmaceutical-grade fish oil supplements results in pain reduction and functional improvement in patients with neuropathic pain. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/treatments/nutraceutical/omega-3-fatty-acids-neuropathic-pain
- American Heart Association. (2018). Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults
- National Osteoporosis Foundation. (n.d.). What Women Need to Know. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.nof.org/preventing-fractures/general-facts/what-women-need-to-know/#:~:text=Estrogen%2C%20a%20hormone%20in%20women,increases%20as%20women%20reach%20menopause.
- American Psychological Association. (2018). Stress Effects on the Body. Retrieved June 18, 2020 https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress/effects-nervous
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2019). Peripheral Neuropathy Fact Sheet. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Peripheral-Neuropathy-Fact-Sheet
- PLOS. (2015). Effects of Tobacco Smoking on the Degeneration of the Intervertebral Disc: A Finite Element Study. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4547737/
- The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy. (n.d.). Alcohol. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.foundationforpn.org/what-is-peripheral-neuropathy/causes/alcohol/
- JAMA. (2002). Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy postmenopausal women: principal results from the Women's Health Initiative randomized controlled trial. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12117397
- The Lancet. (2019). Type and timing of menopausal hormone therapy and breast cancer risk: individual participant meta-analysis of the worldwide epidemiological evidence. Retrieved June 18, 2020 from https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)31709-X/fulltext