Although some drugs used to treat breast cancer may cause women to develop symptoms of menopause, including sever hot flashes, a new study on dealing with hot flashes brought on by chemotherapy, has shown that relaxation training may help to bring some relief from these hot flashes.

The idea behind the study was to affect nervous system activity and the release of the stress hormone norepinephrine. The study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, recruited 150 women who had been treated for breast cancer and were suffering from hot flashes.

Participants were assigned to two groups. One that underwent relaxation training, and one that discussed managing hot flashes with a nurse, but received no specific therapy.

After the first month, it was found that women in the relaxation group reported fewer and less severe hot flashes. In addition, the women in the relaxation group also reported lower levels of distress.