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(NBC) - Menopause can be an uncomfortable time for women. Doctors traditionally prescribe hormone replacement therapy, but many women find the side effects hard to bear. And now there's another option: acupuncture.

Loretta Elias is getting acupuncture from Dr. Lawrence Taw at the UCLA Center for East West Medicine because of menopausal symptoms that were interfering with her life, she recalled, "Hot flashes, I was counting them, like 10 to 15 a day. Anxiety, especially at night, the night sweats."

Prescription hormones could treat those symptoms, but studies have shown they may also increase the risk of certain diseases for certain women. But now there's evidence that acupuncture alone can do the same thing without the side effects.

Dr. Taw said, "Acupuncture has not been demonstrated to increase the risk of breast cancer, heart disease or stroke. it has been found to be very safe and most people tolerate it very well." He places the needles based on the patient's symptoms and what we know about heat producing spots, "We know acupuncture works by affecting something called the lines of meridian, lines of energy in the body, but when it comes to the treatment of menopause it may have a very specific effect," Taw explained.

Endorphins raise mood. Natural estrogens may prevent those hot flashes and mood swings. The entire procedure took less than 30 minutes, Taw said, "Studies have shown that acupuncture may increase the level of estrogen in the human body, and it may also increase endorphin release as well."

It worked for Loretta; she described her experience as, "Relaxed. I could just lay there all day." Loretta says the treatment is painless. She has been getting the treatments for almost a year now and she says they've made a major difference in her life, "My symptoms are non-existent. I don't get the hot flashes anymore. my sleeping habits are so much better. It's just amazing."