Menopause

What is menopause?

Menopause is the process of moving beyond your reproductive years. As your body stops ovulating, your hormonal balance changes. Those shifts can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms.

Every woman has a unique experience with menopause. For some, symptoms are only minimally troublesome and can be easily managed through lifestyle modifications. Other women suffer from incredibly uncomfortable and disruptive symptoms.

Menopause usually arrives in your 40s or 50s, although some women begin the process earlier due to a medical condition or hysterectomy. For most, the transition begins at a time when they are already overburdened with the obligations of family, career, and community. Seeking treatment can help restore balance and improve daily quality of life.

What are some symptoms of menopause?

Your experience of menopause will be different from other women, even close family members. Some of the more common menopause symptoms include:

• Abnormal bleeding
• Mood swings
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Sleep disruptions
• Thinning hair
• Vaginal dryness
• Headaches
• Racing heartbeat

These are just some of the changes that often accompany menopause. You may only notice one or two symptoms, or struggle with multiple issues at once. It’s important to seek treatment if symptoms are disrupting your daily life. Sleep problems, for example, can cause wide-ranging health issues.  

How can I find relief from menopause symptoms?

Treating menopause is a matter of managing symptoms, and one of the most powerful tools is hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. This approach helps restore hormonal balance, which in turn relieves numerous menopause symptoms.

Your gynecologist can discuss the available options with you and whether you should pursue estrogen therapy or a combination of estrogen and progestin therapy.

There are many different ways to augment your natural hormone levels. Some of the available options include birth control pills containing a low dose of estrogen and vaginal estrogen.

Certain low-dose antidepressants can help treat hot flashes. Clonidine, used to manage high blood pressure, can also help with hot flashes. You may also benefit from drug therapy to prevent or treat osteoporosis.

Your gynecologist works with you to find the approach that best meets your needs. You receive all the details needed to make an informed decision about your health care. When you’re ready to discuss solutions, book a visit online or over the phone.