Menopause requires no medical treatment. Instead, treatments focus on relieving your signs and symptoms and preventing or managing chronic conditions that may occur with aging. Treatments may include: Hormone therapy. Estrogen therapy is the most effective treatment option for relieving menopausal hot flashes.
What are the best treatments for menopausal symptoms?
There are a number of different treatment options to consider if you're suffering from symptoms of menopause. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) HRT (also known as …
How do you relieve menopausal symptoms?
Menopause occurs when you have gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. Changing levels of estrogen and progesterone, two female hormones made in the ovaries, lead to symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Menopause is a natural part of aging and marks the end of the female reproductive years. Appointments 216.444.6601.
Do menopause supplements really work to ease the symptoms?
· Systemic estrogen therapy remains the most effective treatment for the relief of troublesome menopausal hot flashes and night sweats. Have other symptoms of menopause. Estrogen can ease vaginal symptoms of menopause, such as dryness, itching, burning and discomfort with intercourse. Need to prevent bone loss or fractures.
What is the best treatment for menopause symptoms?
The main treatment for menopausal symptoms is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), although other treatments are also available for some of the symptoms.Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) ... Hot flushes and night sweats. ... Mood changes. ... Reduced sexual desire. ... Vaginal dryness and discomfort. ... Weak bones. ... Follow-up appointments.More items...
What's the big deal about menopause?
Your body goes through a lot of changes during menopause. There are extreme shifts in your hormone levels, you may not sleep well because of hot flashes and you may experience mood swings. Anxiety and fear could also be at play during this time. All of these factors can lead to depression.
What menopause advice can you trust prevention?
Maintain a healthy weight, eat a well-balanced diet, and exercise regularly. Take steps to enjoy high-quality sleep, maintain good bone strength, and monitor your blood pressure levels. Taking good care of yourself is key to enjoying an active and healthy life in your menopausal and post-menopausal years.
What is the best treatment for menopause naturally?
Here's a list of 11 natural ways to reduce the symptoms of menopause.Eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin D. ... Maintain a moderate weight. ... Eat lots of fruit and vegetables. ... Avoid trigger foods. ... Exercise regularly. ... Eat more foods that are high in phytoestrogens. ... Drink enough water. ... Reduce refined sugar and processed foods.More items...
Is menopause a good thing?
But menopause can have a positive impact on your life as well; for one thing, not all physical changes caused by reduced female hormone levels are negative. For another, many of the emotional and social changes can actually be energizing.
What effect does menopause have?
hot flushes – short, sudden feelings of heat, usually in the face, neck and chest, which can make your skin red and sweaty. night sweats – hot flushes that occur at night. difficulty sleeping – this may make you feel tired and irritable during the day. a reduced sex drive (libido)
How do you feel during menopause?
Many people experience emotional symptoms during menopause. These symptoms may include sadness, anxiety, and mood swings. For some people, symptoms can be severe. If you find that you're having emotional problems, talk to your family doctor.
What causes menopause?
The menopause is caused by a change in the balance of the body's sex hormones, which occurs as you get older. It happens when your ovaries stop producing as much of the hormone oestrogen and no longer release an egg each month. Premature or early menopause can occur at any age, and in many cases there's no clear cause.
What are the 3 stages of menopause?
There are three stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause.Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause. ... Menopause occurs when you've stopped producing the hormones that cause your menstrual period and have gone without a period for 12 months in a row.More items...•
Can a woman have an Orgasim after menopause?
Orgasms — and great sex — are still absolutely possible, through menopause and beyond. A few small changes can go a long way toward increasing your pleasure during sex — solo or partnered — and boosting physical and emotional intimacy with your partner(s).
Does your body go back to normal after menopause?
Women are said to be "post-menopausal" when a year has elapsed since their last period. As hormone levels stabilise, either naturally or through Hormone Replacement Therapy, the symptoms disappear and many women feel better than they have in years. Try hormone replacement therapy.
What Are The Benefits of Hormone Therapy?
The benefits of hormone therapy depend, in part, on whether you take systemic hormone therapy or low-dose vaginal preparations of estrogen. 1. Syst...
What Are The Risks of Hormone Therapy?
In the largest clinical trial to date, a combination estrogen-progestin pill (Prempro) increased the risk of certain serious conditions, including:...
Who Should Consider Hormone Therapy?
Despite its health risks, systemic estrogen is still the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms. The benefits of hormone therapy may outw...
Who Should Avoid Hormone Therapy?
Women who have or previously had breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, blood clots in the legs or lungs, stroke, liver disease, or une...
If You Take Hormone Therapy, How Can You Reduce Risk?
Talk to your doctor about these strategies: 1. Find the best product and delivery method for you. You can take estrogen in the form of a pill, patc...
What Can You Do If You Can't Take Hormone Therapy?
You may be able to manage menopausal hot flashes with healthy-lifestyle approaches, such as keeping cool, limiting caffeinated beverages and alcoho...
The Bottom Line: Hormone Therapy Isn't All Good Or All Bad
To determine if hormone therapy is a good treatment option for you, talk to your doctor about your individual symptoms and health risks. Be sure to...
What to ask your doctor about during menopause?
Ask your doctor about hormone therapy during menopause to find out if it's right for you.
What is the best supplement for menopause?
Supplements, herbs and botanicals like black cohosh, evening primrose oil, and flaxseed are thought to relieve menopausal symptoms. Are they safe? What are the warning signs a product may not be legitimate? Find out.
What is the purpose of estrogen replacement therapy?
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) HRT (also known as hormone therapy, menopausal hormone therapy, and estrogen replacement therapy) uses female hormones -- estrogen and progesterone -- to treat common symptoms of menopause and aging. Doctors can prescribe it during or after menopause. Estrogen Hormone Therapy.
What is HRT after menopause?
Treatment & Care. After menopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is often prescribed to resupply the body with the hormones it no longer produces. There are a number of different treatment options to consider if you're suffering from symptoms of menopause. HRT (also known as hormone therapy, menopausal hormone therapy, ...
Can you take estrogen pills after menopause?
Doctors can prescribe it during or after menopause. There are many types of estrogen therapy in many different forms -- pills, patches, suppositories, and more. The best type of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) depends on your health, your symptoms, personal preference, and what you need to get out of treatment.
How to diagnose menopause?
There are several ways your healthcare provider can diagnose menopause. The first is discussing your menstrual cycle over the last year. Menopause is unique in that it is diagnosed after the fact. If you have gone a full year (12 straight months) without a period, you have entered menopause and may be postmenopausal.
What is natural menopause?
Natural menopause is the permanent ending of menstruation that is not brought on by any type of medical treatment. For people undergoing natural menopause, the process is gradual and is described in three stages:
What hormones do ovaries produce during menopause?
They also produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone as well as testosterone. Together, estrogen and progesterone control menstruation. Estrogen also influences how your body uses calcium and maintains cholesterol levels in the blood.
How long does it take to go through menopause?
Menopause is a point in time when you've gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle. The time before menopause can last eight to 10 years ( perimenopause ). The time after menopause ( postmenopause) will last until the end of your life. The average age of menopause in the United States is approximately 51 years old.
What happens when you go without a period?
Menopause occurs when you have gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. Changing levels of estrogen and progesterone, two female hormones made in the ovaries, lead to symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Menopause is a natural part of aging and marks the end of the female reproductive years.
How to stop hot flashes during menopause?
Sometimes changing your diet can help relieve menopause symptoms. Limiting the amount of caffeine you consume every day and cutting back on spicy foods can make your hot flashes less severe. You can also add foods that contain plant estrogen into your diet. Plant estrogen (isoflavones) isn’t a replacement for the estrogen made in your body before menopause. Foods to try include:
What happens to your reproductive cycle as you age?
As you age, the reproductive cycle begins to slow down and prepares to stop. This cycle has been continuously functioning since puberty. As menopause nears, your ovaries make less of a hormone called estrogen. When this decrease occurs, your menstrual cycle (period) starts to change. It can become irregular and then stop. Physical changes can also happen as your body adapts to different levels of hormones. The symptoms you experience during each stage of menopause (perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause) are all part of your body’s adjustment to these changes.
How to treat menopausal symptoms?
Minimize the amount of medication you take. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest amount of time needed to treat your symptoms. If you're younger than age 45, you need enough estrogen to provide protection against the long-term health effects of estrogen deficiency. If you have lasting menopausal symptoms that significantly impair your quality of life, your doctor may recommend longer term treatment.
How to manage hot flashes during menopause?
You may be able to manage menopausal hot flashes with healthy-lifestyle approaches such as keeping cool, limiting caffeinated beverages and alcohol, and practicing paced relaxed breathing or other relaxation techniques. There are also several nonhormone prescription medications that may help relieve hot flashes.
What is hormone replacement therapy?
By Mayo Clinic Staff. Hormone replacement therapy is medication that contains female hormones. You take the medication to replace the estrogen that your body stops making during menopause. Hormone therapy is most often used to treat common menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes and vaginal discomfort.
What are the factors that determine whether hormone replacement therapy is appropriate for you?
Health history. Your family history and your personal medical history and risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, blood clots, liver disease and osteoporosis are important factors in determining whether hormone replacement therapy is appropriate for you.
How to know if hormone therapy is a good treatment?
To determine if hormone therapy is a good treatment option for you, talk to your doctor about your individual symptoms and health risks. Be sure to keep the conversation going throughout your menopausal years.
How old do you have to be to start hormone therapy?
Age. Women who begin hormone therapy at age 60 or older or more than 10 years from the onset of menopause are at greater risk of the above conditions. But if hormone therapy is started before the age of 60 or within 10 years of menopause, the benefits appear to outweigh the risks. Type of hormone therapy.
What is systemic estrogen?
Systemic estrogen — which comes in pill, skin patch, ring, gel, cream or spray form — typically contains a higher dose of estrogen that is absorbed throughout the body. It can be used to treat any of the common symptoms of menopause. Low-dose vaginal products.
How to lose muscle during menopause?
Menopause is the perfect time to take a look at your lifestyle. Follow the general principles of a healthy, well-balanced diet and regular physical activity. In addition to aerobic exercise, build muscle with strength training. You start to lose lean body mass (muscle) at the age of 40.
What age do you think you are in menopause?
If you are less than 40 years old and you think you are in menopause, it is very important that you discuss this with your doctor. Induced menopause: This type of menopause occurs when there is some injury to the ovaries, which is typically related to medical treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.
How long does it take for ovaries to stop producing hormones?
Unless your ovaries have been removed surgically, menopause doesn't happen overnight. Instead, your ovaries gradually decrease the amount of hormones they produce. This winding down of your ovarian function typically takes several years and is called perimenopause or the menopausal transition. 2 .
What is the term for the period you missed for 12 months?
Next in Menopause Guide. An Overview of Menopause Symptoms. Menopause is your final menstrual period, which occurs when your ovaries have stopped producing the hormones that drive your menstrual cycle. It is diagnosed definitively when you have missed your period for 12 consecutive months. For most women, it is a natural process ...
How long does a hot flash last?
Sometimes this may also be associated with anxiety or heart palpitations. 2 A typical hot flash lasts anywhere from one to five minutes, and most women will have at least one per day. Vaginal dryness in menopause is due to a lack of estrogen.
How long does it take for a doctor to diagnose menopause?
Your doctor will diagnose menopause when you report you have not had a menstrual period in 12 months. Because of the way your hormone levels change around menopause, there is no accurate and reliable blood test to diagnose it, although some may be done to rule out other conditions, such as thyroid disease.
Why is my vagina dry during menopause?
Vaginal dryness in menopause is due to a lack of estrogen. Without adequate amounts of it, the walls of your vagina lose volume and moisture and become thin, dry, and easily irritated. This can lead to painful sex, an increase in vaginal infections, and chronic vaginal discomfort.
What age do you have menopause?
Menopause is defined as having no menstrual period for one year. The age you experience it can vary, but it typically occurs in your late 40s or early 50s. Menopause can cause many changes in your body. The symptoms are the result of a decreased production of estrogen and progesterone in your ovaries. Symptoms may include hot flashes, weight gain, ...
What is the period of time before menopause?
Perimenopause refers to the period of time right before menopause begins. During perimenopause, your body is beginning the transition into menopause. That means that hormone production from your ovaries is beginning to decline.
What happens to estrogen during menopause?
Menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life cycle. It’s a time when your estrogen and progesterone levels decrease. Following menopause, your risk for certain conditions like osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease may increase.
How often do hot flashes come on?
Hot flashes may come on daily or even multiple times a day . You may experience them over the course of a year or even several years.
What percentage of women experience hot flashes during menopause?
About 75 percent of women experience hot flashes during menopause, making them the most common symptom experienced by menopausal women. Hot flashes can occur during the day or at night. Some women may also experience muscle and joint pain, known as arthralgia, or mood swings.
What happens when you have a hot flash?
During a hot flash, you’ll likely feel your body temperature rise. Hot flashes affect the top half of your body, and your skin may even turn red in color or become blotchy. This rush of heat could lead to sweating, heart palpitations, and feelings of dizziness. After the hot flash, you may feel cold.
When do women stop having periods?
The average age for onset of menopause is 51. The majority of women stop having periods somewhere between ages 45 to 55. The beginning stages of declining ovary function can start years before that in some women. Others will continue to have menstrual periods into their late 50s.
What is the detour in menopause?
Detour: Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) One way to get to menopause earlier than usual is a condition called POI. With POI, younger women (under 40) have no or only occasional periods and elevated FSH levels, which signify fewer eggs in their ovaries.
When is menopause normal?
Women in North America will likely experience natural menopause between ages 40 and 58, averaging around age 51.
How long after your period should you take birth control?
So if you’d rather not go down that road, birth control is recommended until one year after your last period. Five effective options for midlife women include: Birth control pills, patches, or rings —added benefits include regular cycles and decreased bleeding, hot flashes and ovarian/uterine cancer risk.
What are the best contraceptives?
Pit Stop: Check your Contraception Options 1 Birth control pills, patches, or rings —added benefits include regular cycles and decreased bleeding, hot flashes and ovarian/uterine cancer risk. 2 Progestin-alone pills, implants and injections —an option for those with a history of certain cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, blood clots, obesity, and smoking. 3 Intrauterine devices with or without hormones —safe, highly effective, convenient, and long-term. 4 Sterilization (Tubal ligation, fallopian tube inserts, or vasectomy for men) —low risk, effective, and permanent. 5 Barrier methods (condoms, diaphragm, spermicide) —condoms are the only method than provides some protection from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
How do you know if you're near your last period?
And it can still be years before your last menstrual period. Some common, normal signs include irregular periods, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances, and mood swings—all results of unevenly changing levels of ovarian hormones (estrogen) in your body. Read more about how you'll know you're near menopause.
Is progesterone safe for smoking?
Progestin-alone pills, implants and injections —an option for those with a history of certain cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, blood clots, obesity, and smoking. Intrauterine devices with or without hormones —safe, highly effective, convenient, and long-term.
Is menopause a trip?
No clear starting or ending point, odd diversions, and an estimated time of arrival that could span years. Menopause is certainly a trip. And needless to say, you could use some turn-by-turn directions.
How to stop menopause symptoms?
To relieve symptoms, women can make diet and lifestyle changes, such as cutting out tea, coffee, stopping smoking and cutting down on alcohol. Women should take precautions to keep cool.
How to treat hot flashes during menopause?
But there is no doubt that some women will need medical care to relieve their symptoms and the most common treatment is HRT. HRT can completely get rid of hot flashes, vaginal dryness and many other menopause symptoms. There is evidence that it protects against osteoporosis and can reduce the risk of urinary tract infections. HRT contains estrogen often combined with progestogen (combined HRT). If you take estrogen on its own, it can increase your chance of getting endometrial cancer so this is only used on its own if you have had your womb removed (hysterectomy). HRT can be given as a tablet, patch, implant, or cream in a similar way to contraceptives . Some women say it increases their wellbeing but the opposite is also reported.
What to consider when taking HRT?
Women considering taking HRT need to carefully discuss the risks and benefits with their doctor. They need to consider their age, medical history, risk factors, if they previously had premenstrual syndrome and personal preferences. The lowest dose should be used and how long treatment is continued must be discussed.
What hormones decrease during menopause?
But some feel that the two main hormones that decrease during and after the menopause, progesterone and oestrogen, ...
Does HRT cause nausea?
HRT can also cause side effects including breast tenderness, headache , nausea, indigestion , abdominal (tummy) pain , mood swings and vaginal bleeding. The disadvantages of prolonged use are that it may increase the risk of blood clots, stroke, heart disease and breast cancer.
Does HRT reduce Alzheimer's?
On the UK Alzheimers Society web site they say “Until there is better evidence, the potential benefits of HRT as a way to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease do not outweigh the potential risks of HRT, which includes an increased risk of certain types of cancer, heart disease and stroke.”.
Can you use HRT for hot flashes?
They go on to say that “these medical organizations also agree that women should know the facts about hormone therapy.” It is not recommended that HRT is used for more than 5 years because of the risks.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
You may still have some of the same symptoms you experienced during perimenopause and menopause, including: 1 hot flashes 2 night sweats 3 mood changes 4 vaginal dryness 5 difficulty sleeping 6 irritability and other mood changes 7 urinary problems
What to do if you think you are in perimenopause?
If you think you’re in perimenopause or menopause, see your gynecologist or primary care provider . A simple test can tell you for sure based on hormone levels in your blood.
How long does perimenopause last?
Perimenopause can last for 8 to 10 years. You’ll likely still get a period during this time, but your menstrual cycles will become more erratic. During the last year or two of perimenopause, you may skip periods. The periods you do get could be heavier or lighter than usual.
How do you know if you are in early menopause?
Early menopause can occur naturally. Or, it may be triggered by surgery to remove your ovaries, cancer treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy, or autoimmune diseases. Signs you’re in early menopause include: missing more than three periods in a row. heavier or lighter than usual periods. trouble sleeping.
What happens to your ovaries in your 50s?
During your early 50s, you may be either in menopause, or making the final transition into this phase. At this point, your ovaries are no longer releasing eggs or making much estrogen.
When do women enter perimenopausal phase?
Many women enter the perimenopausal phase in their late 40s. Perimenopause means “around menopause.” At this stage, your estrogen and progesterone production slows, and you begin to make the transition into menopause.
How long do you have to be without a period to get into menopause?
Without these hormones, your periods become more erratic and eventually stop. Once you’ve been without a period for 12 months , you’re officially in menopause. The average age when American women go into menopause is 51.
When does menopause start?
However, for about 1 in 100 women in the U.S., menopause can happen much earlier than expected — even in their 30s or 20s. When menopause starts before age 40, that’s called primary ovarian insufficiency, says women’s health specialist Pelin Batur, MD.
When should I see my OB for menopause?
Batur says, and it may or may not warrant treatment. But, it’s still recommended that you see your Ob/Gyn if you have symptoms of menopause before age 45. Advertising Policy.
What are the symptoms of hormone replacement therapy?
Hormone-replacement therapy supplements the body with adequate levels of these hormones. It also helps alleviate symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness and mood changes. As part of this conversation, your doctor will also ask about your fertility desires.
How long do you have to go without a period?
You officially reach menopause when you go 12 consecutive months without a period, indicating that your ovaries are no longer releasing eggs.
What happens if you don't produce hormones?
Your reproductive hormones support your brain, bones, heart and other tissues, so if your body isn’t producing them, you could be at increased risk of: Osteoporosis. Neurological decline.
