Five Solutions for Menopause Symptoms
- Mood Changes. Some women find that hormone fluctuations in perimenopause create a feeling of being out of control.
- Urinary Incontinence. While it is defined as the persistent, involuntary loss of urine, most women would say urinary...
- Night Sweats. Dress in light nightclothes. Use layered bedding that can easily be removed...
What are the treatment options for menopause?
· Menopausal hormone therapy is prescription medicine to help relieve your menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness, if they are severe enough to disrupt your daily life. Menopausal hormone therapy is sometimes called hormone therapy or hormone replacement therapy.
Should hormone therapy be used to diagnose menopause during menopausal transition?
· There are also several practical things you can do on a daily basis to relieve these symptoms: Sleep in a cool room in light clothing. Keep a fan on in your bedroom at night. Sip a cold drink of water or juice. Avoid smoking, caffeine, and alcohol. When you feel a hot flash coming on, take several ...
What is menopause (menopause)?
· Low-dose vaginal estrogen therapy is recommended to treat women for genitourinary symptoms of menopause, such as burning and irritation of the genitalia, dryness, discomfort or pain with intercourse; and urinary urgency or recurrent infections. This treatment should only be used in women without a history of estrogen-dependent cancers.
What is the new drug for menopause?
The FDA recently approved bioidentical estradiol and progesterone capsules (Bijuva, TherapeuticsMD) to manage hot flashes. Bijuva is the first FDA-approved bioidentical hormone therapy combination of estradiol and progesterone for moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause.
What is the current medical recommendation regarding hormonal therapy for menopause?
Standard recommendations — The standard recommendation for duration of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) use has been five years or less (and not beyond age 60 years) [66]. However, for most women, hot flashes persist for as long as 10 to 20 years after the final menstrual period.
How I cured my menopause symptoms?
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...
What are the signs that you need hormone replacement therapy?
Signs you need hormone replacement therapy (HRT)Hot flashes.Night sweats.Vaginal dryness.Pain, itching, or burning during intercourse.Bone loss.Low sex-drive.Mood changes.Irritability.More items...•
What are the symptoms of low estrogen?
Signs of low estrogen include:Dry skin.Tender breasts.Weak or brittle bones.Trouble concentrating.Moodiness and irritability.Vaginal dryness or atrophy.Hot flashes and night sweats.Irregular periods or no periods (amenorrhea).More items...•
Can you get through menopause without HRT?
One of the common treatment options for menopausal symptoms is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), supplementing your hormone levels to rebalance your system. However, you may prefer to move through menopause without using hormone treatments. And, women with previous hormone-dependent cancer shouldn't use HRT.
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...•
What foods make menopause worse?
What Foods to AvoidSpicy foods: Not surprisingly, spicy foods can make hot flashes worse. ... Alcohol: Having a glass of wine a few times a week probably won't affect your symptoms. ... Fatty foods: Except for fatty fish and nuts, try to keep your intake of fat-laden foods to a minimum.
How can I stop menopause naturally?
How can I delay menopause naturally?Eat healthily, with a balanced menopausal diet.Exercise regularly, because this helps your body to stay balanced and destressed, and can also help to regulate your hormone levels.Get some quality sleep, and set up your bedroom to make sleep as easy as possible.More items...
What is better HRT or antidepressants?
Conclusions: The data suggest that antidepressant and antianxiety medications are more helpful than HRT in relieving peri- and postmenopausal depression or anxiety. However, most women managed the mood changes associated with menopause without psychopharmacologic intervention.
Do you gain weight on HRT?
Many women believe that taking HRT will make them put on weight, but there's no evidence to support this claim. You may gain some weight during the menopause, but this often happens regardless of whether you take HRT. Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet should help you to lose any unwanted weight.
Does HRT make you look younger?
One of the benefits of hormone replacement therapy is that it can make you look younger. Hormone replacement therapy, or more specifically estrogen, can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin. It can also promote hair growth, which can contribute to a more youthful appearance.
What are some ways to help menopause?
Relaxation and stress-reduction techniques, including deep-breathing exercises and massage, a healthy lifestyle (good nutrition and daily exercise ), and enjoyable, self-nurturing activities may all be helpful. Some women try to treat their menopause symptoms with over-the-counter products such as St. John’s wort or vitamin B6.
What are the effects of perimenopause?
Some women find that hormone fluctuations in perimenopause create a feeling of being out of control. Reports of increased irritability, anxiety, fatigue, and blue moods are not uncommon.
How to stop incontinence without surgery?
Luckily, there are strategies to help improve the various forms of incontinence without medication or surgery. Try drinking adequate water to keep urine diluted (clear and pale yellow), and avoid foods or beverages with a high acid or caffeine content, which may irritate the bladder lining. These include grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes, coffee, and caffeine-containing soft drinks. Also try Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and reduce incontinence episodes.
How does menopause affect sexual function?
Menopause contributes to sexual function changes through the decreases in ovarian hormone production and may lead to vaginal dryness and a decline in sexual function. To counteract these changes, try:
How to stop hot flashes at night?
To get relief from night sweats (hot flashes that occur during sleep), try different strategies to stay cool while you sleep: 1 Dress in light nightclothes. 2 Use layered bedding that can easily be removed during the night. 3 Or, try wicking materials for both. 4 Cool down with an electric fan. 5 Sip cool water throughout the night. 6 Keep a frozen cold pack under your pillow and turn over the pillow often so that your head is always resting on a cool surface, or put a cold pack on your feet.
How does regular sexual stimulation help women?
Regular sexual stimulation: Last but certainly not least, women can maintain vaginal health through regular painless sexual activity, which promotes blood flow to the genital area.
How to get rid of night sweats?
To get relief from night sweats (hot flashes that occur during sleep), try different strategies to stay cool while you sleep: Dress in light nightclothes. Use layered bedding that can easily be removed during the night. Or, try wicking materials for both. Cool down with an electric fan.
What medicines treat menopause symptoms?
If your menopause symptoms bother you, talk to your doctor or nurse. Your doctor or nurse can suggest medicines to help with your symptoms. All medicines have risks, and your doctor can help you figure out which medicines are best for you.
What is menopausal hormone therapy?
Menopausal hormone therapy is prescription medicine to help relieve your menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness, if they are severe enough to disrupt your daily life. Menopausal hormone therapy is sometimes called hormone therapy or hormone replacement therapy.
What is topical hormone therapy?
Topical (TOP-ih-kuhl) hormone therapy is usually a low-dose estrogen cream applied directly to the vagina. It relieves vaginal dryness but does not help with other symptoms, such as hot flashes. It also is available as a vaginal ring, insert, and gel.
Is menopausal hormone therapy safe?
Menopausal hormone therapy, sometimes called hormone replacement therapy, is safe for some women, but it also has risks. That is why the FDA advises women who want to try menopausal hormone therapy to use the lowest dose that works for the shortest time needed.
Who should not take menopausal hormone therapy?
Menopausal hormone therapy may not be safe for some women. You should discuss your risks with your doctor if you have: 2
How long should I take menopausal hormone therapy?
The FDA recommends that women take estrogen-only or estrogen plus progesterone menopausal hormone therapy at the lowest dose that works for the shortest time needed.
What is bioidentical hormone therapy?
Companies that make bioidentical hormone therapy use the term “bioidentical” to suggest that their products are exactly the same as natural hormones. Many of these companies also claim that their products are safer than menopausal hormone therapy. However, the FDA does not recognize this term or regulate these products.
How to stop hot flashes?
Keep a fan on in your bedroom at night. Sip a cold drink of water or juice. Avoid smoking, caffeine, and alcohol. When you feel a hot flash coming on, take several slow, deep breaths.
What is the treatment for osteoporosis and bone loss?
Treatment for Osteoporosis and Bone Loss Related to Menopause. Because bone loss increases in the first two years after menopause , health care providers may order a bone density test, such as a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan.
What is MHT for women?
If you are having trouble with menopause symptoms, talk to your health care provider about the benefits and risks of what is now called menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). 2 According to the National Institute on Aging, only women at low risk for stroke, heart disease, blood clots, and breast cancer are considered candidates for MHT—and only those who have entered menopause recently. MHT can be given in the forms of pills, creams, or skin patches. Most medical professionals recommend an individualized MHT plan for each woman based on the age of menopause. It is important to know that MHT may cause side effects, such as bleeding, bloating, breast tenderness or enlargement, headaches, mood changes, and nausea. 3
What is the National Institute on Aging?
The National Institute on Aging provides detailed information on some treatments for menopause. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Service's Office on Women's Health also provides information about menopause treatments. The sections below provide some additional information.
How to relax before bed?
Set aside time to wind down and relax before bed, whether by reading or taking a warm bath.
Is menopause a disease?
Menopause is a normal part of aging and every woman goes through it. It can't be prevented and normally doesn't require treatment. However, some symptoms of menopause can be lessened or perhaps even eliminated with treatment. Likewise, the risk of disorders or diseases associated with menopause , such as osteoporosis and heart disease, ...
When women present during the menopausal transition, we suggest using this opportunity to address?
2.1 When women present during the menopausal transition, we suggest using this opportunity to address bone health, smoking cessation, alcohol use, cardiovascular risk assessment and management, and cancer screening and prevention . (Ungraded best practice statement)
What is the best medication for hot flashes?
Medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), gabapentin or pregabalin are recommended for women who want medication to manage moderate to severe hot flashes, but either prefer not to take hormone therapy or have significant risk factors that make hormone therapy inadvisable.
What is transdermal estrogen therapy?
Transdermal estrogen therapy by patch, gel or spray is recommended for women who request menopausal hormone therapy and have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism7mdash;a disease that includes deep vein thrombosis.
How often should MHT be revisited?
3.4c We suggest that the decision to continue MHT be revisited at least annually, targeting the shortest total duration of MHT consistent with the treatment goals and evolving risk assessment of the individual woman. (Ungraded best practice statement)
What is low dose vaginal estrogen?
Low-dose vaginal estrogen therapy is recommended to treat women for genitourinary symptoms of menopause, such as burning and irritation of the genitalia , dryness, discomfort or pain with intercourse ; and urinary urgency or recurrent infections .
Is MHT approved by the FDA?
3.1i We recommend using MHT preparations approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and comparable regulating bodies outside the United States and recommend against the use of custom-compounded hormones. (Ungraded best practice statement)
Can you take estrogen with menopausal hormone?
The Endocrine Society recommends that women with a uterus who decide to undergo menopausal hormone therapy with estrogen and progestogen be informed about risks and benefits, including the possible increased risk of breast cancer during and after discontinuing treatment. Health care providers should advise all women, including those taking meno pausal hormone therapy, to follow guidelines for breast cancer screening.
How to treat hot flush during menopause?
Undergoing treatment for menopausal transition should be primarily decided according to the frequency and severity of the symptoms of menopause. Even in the case of menstruation, if a severe hot flush is experienced, a consultation is advised in order to discuss the necessary treatment to improve symptoms [4]. It is also possible to try alleviating the symptoms via improvement of lifestyles such as weight loss, stress reduction, hypnosis, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Medications such as omega-3, vitamin E, Cimicifuga racemosa, isoflavone, and soybean may be effective, but they are not more effective than placebo. In contrast, S-equol, a metabolite of soy isoflavone, seems to show slightly higher effectiveness than placebo [4].
How long does a hot flush last?
Hot flush, a common VMS, suddenly appears in the face and the upper body and spreads to the rest of the body. It usually lasts for approximately 2–4 minutes. Anxiety, shivering, palpitation, or perspiration may occur alongside, and night sweat is linked to sleep disorder.
What to consider before initiating MHT?
Points to consider prior to initiating MHT include checking the indications and contraindications of MHT, which requires history recording, physical examinations, and other tests. Because the symptoms of menopause are varied, customized tests should be conducted for each risk factor based on the basic examination conducted according to the life cycle necessary for women [1,2,3].
What tests are required for MHT?
1. The examinations required to be conducted prior to MHT are history taking, physical examination, and examinations for liver function, kidney function, anemia, fasting blood sugar, and blood tests of serum lipid profile, followed by mammography, BMD test, and Pap smear screening. 2.
Is EPT effective for menopause?
EPT is effective not only for treating women after menopause but also for controlling the symptoms of menopause in women in menopausal transition. However, the dose used in general MHT is very low compared with that used for treating women before menopause, and consequently, breakthrough bleedings could frequently occur. If contraception is simultaneously needed, the use of low-dose COCs is recommended. Low-dose COCs are effective for controlling irregular bleeding and alleviation of symptoms of hot flush [4].
Can LNG IUS be used for menopause?
The use of oral or percutaneous estrogen therapy (ET) together with LNG-IUS is not only effective for alleviating the symptoms of menopause but also for preventing endometrial hyperplasia. Even in the case of a normal menstrual cycle, if the symptoms of menopause are severe, the use of a combination therapy of low-dose percutaneous estrogen and LNG-IUS could effectively control a hot flush [8]. In addition, some reports have shown that it could help improve symptoms that appear during menopausal transition such as depression, reduced quality of sleep, and increased anxiety [9,10].
Does hormone therapy help with diabetes?
In contrast, the International Menopause Society (IMS) (2016) claimed that hormone therapy has shown to reduce the incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus and has a beneficial effect on vascular function, lipid levels and glucose metabolism, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disorders [22].
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Vaginal dryness. Chills. Problems sleeping. Mood problems. Weight gain. Hair or skin changes. Loss of breast fullness. Some women decide to treat their symptoms with herbs and dietary supplements instead of hormone replacement therapy. There are a number of natural options for the treatment of menopausal symptoms.
How to stop hot flashes during menopause?
Changes in your lifestyle may help ease the symptoms of menopause. You may feel better if you: 1 Quit smoking, which can cause hot flashes 2 Drink no more than one alcoholic beverage per day 3 Keep your body weight at a healthy level 4 Take calcium supplements
How to get rid of hot flashes?
Exercise and meditation reduce irritability, even hot flashes, in some women. Yoga combines both exercise and meditation into one activity. Exercise also helps most people sleep better.
Does soy milk help with menopause?
Benefit: Soy has isoflavones, which are phytoestrogens (plant estrogens ). Some studies have observed that soy may be effective in reducing menopausal symptoms. However, other studies have found no benefit. Only food forms of soy, like tofu and soy milk, are recommended.
Can herbal supplements cause menopause?
Consult with your doctor before using them. Changes in your lifestyle may help ease the symptoms of menopause.
Does taking a supplement help with menopause?
While the supplements mentioned above are among the most commonly used supplements to help control menopause symptoms, it's important to note that research is still ongoing to determine their effectiveness. To date, no supplement has consistently been shown to work better than placebo in managing symptoms.
Does black cohosh help with hot flashes?
Benefit: Black cohosh is derived from a species of buttercup. Studies have had mixed results on whether black cohosh is effective in reducing hot flashes. Some studies indicate it may help with mild hot flashes and night sweats for short-term treatment. May lower blood pressure, as well.
How to reduce menopause symptoms?
Type: To strengthen the body, improve blood flow, and reduce menopause symptoms, women should combine cardio workouts - brisk walking or swimming - with strength training exercises, like squats or yoga.
How to help perimenopause?
Relieving stress is a key component of treating perimenopause symptoms, which are known to be emotionally and physically draining. Meditation, deep breathing, and biofeedback are some of the best stress-relief options.
How does phytoestrogenic supplement help with hot flashes?
By balancing estrogen levels, they help stabilize other reproductive hormones, like progesterone, to alleviate symptoms, from hot flashes and mood swings to vaginal dryness and insomnia. To avoid dependency and worsening of hormonal imbalance, phytoestrogenic supplements are recommended to be used short-term.
What are the benefits of taking herbal supplements during perimenopause?
Their numerous benefits include being easy to use, causing no side effects , and addressing the underlying cause of perimenopausal symptoms , hormonal imbalance. There are two types of herbal supplements from which women can choose during perimenopause: phytoestrogenic and hormone-regulating supplements.
What is the third level of perimenopause?
The third-level perimenopause treatment -medications and psychotherapy - may involve the highest costs and risks of side effects. Nevertheless, they are a vital treatment option to consider for severe symptoms.
What are the three approaches to perimenopause?
Three Approaches to Treating Perimenopause Symptoms. Women can consider three approaches to treating perimenopause symptoms: (1) Lifestyle changes, (2) Alternative medicine, and (3) Conventional medicine . They are encouraged to start with the most natural options and explore other, more advanced options only when needed.
Why is it important to have a support network during perimenopause?
Creating a support network of friends and family is important during perimenopause as women are plagued with bothersome symptoms and try to find themselves in this new life phase.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Lower hormone levels may lead to symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness along with thin bones. Some women choose to treat their menopause symptoms with hormone medicines sometimes called Hormone Therapy.
What are the different types of hormones used during menopause?
Menopause Hormone Therapy. There are different types of hormone medicines used during and after menopause: Estrogen-Only Medicines. Progestin-Only Medicines. Combination Estrogen and Progestin Medicines. Combination Estrogen and Other Medicines. Information about non-hormone medicines for menopause is not included.
What is the difference between menopause and menopause?
During menopause, a woman’s body makes less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Lower hormone levels may lead to symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness along with thin bones.
Why do women take estrogen only?
Estrogen-only medicines are usually taken with progestin-only medicines to lower the chance of getting endometrial cancer in women who still have their uterus.
Can you take Duavee with estrogen?
You should not use Duavee if you are taking medicines that have estrogen, progestin or both hormones.
Diagnosis
- Signs and symptoms of menopause are usually enough to tell most women that they've started the menopausal transition. If you have concerns about irregular periods or hot flashes, talk with your doctor. In some cases, further evaluation may be recommended. Tests typically aren't need…
Clinical Trials
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- Fortunately, many of the signs and symptoms associated with menopause are temporary. Take these steps to help reduce or prevent their effects: 1. Cool hot flashes.Dress in layers, have a cold glass of water or go somewhere cooler. Try to pinpoint what triggers your hot flashes. For many women, triggers may include hot beverages, caffeine, spicy foods, alcohol, stress, hot weather a…
Alternative Medicine
- Many approaches have been promoted as aids in managing the symptoms of menopause, but few of them have scientific evidence to back up the claims. Some complementary and alternative treatments that have been or are being studied include: 1. Plant estrogens (phytoestrogens). These estrogens occur naturally in certain foods. There are two main types of phytoestrogens …