In the modern world, women have so many things to think about. Some of these include finances, careers, kids, family, and friends. However, there is one thing that almost all women face during menopause, which is the change in hormones.
This hormone-related problem occurs mainly in women who are in their late 30s and early 40s. For this reason, menopause has now become a very common phenomenon for women.
Menopause is said to be the natural transition of women's lives because their bodies have already stopped producing the same amount of hormones they were used to when a woman is young.
Menopause is characterized by the cessation of a woman's menstrual cycles. Without hormones, ovulation doesn't occur, and therefore no egg is produced.
At the age of 40, there's no longer any estrogen in the body. And thus, ovulation ceases.
A symptom is something that happens in your body, but you don't notice it. While you may not experience every symptom, you should still note any changes in your body.
It would help if you did this because symptoms can change over time. For example, while it is common to have hot flashes during menopause, they can also be intense at other times.
Unfortunately, there is no way to predict when and how intense the symptoms will be.
There are numerous symptoms associated with menopause:
- menstruation
- hot flashes
- mood swings
- fatigue
- irregular periods
- heart palpitations
- vaginal dryness
- breast tenderness
Menopause can come with different symptoms, the most common ones being hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and night sweats.
However, each individual reacts to menopause in their own way. A woman's body will go through various changes before and during menopause, and the symptoms might vary from one woman to another.
In order to avoid symptoms, you need to take menopause treatment. The symptoms might not be life-threatening, but they can't be ignored either.
These symptoms affect a woman's quality of life and even her love life. So, all in all, menopause is not an easy period, and it shouldn't be taken lightly.
Menopause symptoms treatments: What is the best option?
Most individuals who are going through menopause and had symptoms from it want to find a cure for themselves during this difficult time.
While it may be a fact that not every woman will experience the same symptoms and comfort levels when they hit menopause, there are certain methods you can take to make the transition as smooth as possible.
For some women, the answer to the best menopause treatment might be more complicated than just taking a supplement or drinking a cup of hot tea.
Let's see what they are!
1. Meet a doctor
Both menopause and post-menopause women need to meet a doctor regularly. Your regular doctor should be a general practitioner who treats a wide variety of medical problems and should have the necessary qualifications to treat menopause effectively.
There may well be specialized doctors in your area that deal specifically with menopause. However, if you feel uncomfortable meeting a regular doctor for this reason, then there are other alternatives.
Some clinics and health trusts operate just for the treatment of menopause. You may well find they can recommend a suitable menopause doctor or provide feedback on doctors in your area who treat their patients well.
There are nurses out there who are specially trained to help women who may feel uncomfortable during their menopause and want to be kept as comfortable as possible.
Asking a nurse for help is often much more discreet than asking your general practitioner for help.
2. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Hormone replacement therapy is a type of hormone replacement therapy used to remedy various symptoms associated with women's menopause, including hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness.
The synthetic hormones in HRT are chemically formulated and take the place of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
These hormones are not natural to the body and cause many unwanted side effects. It is believed that some of these side effects are caused by the fact that synthetic hormones replace natural hormones in the body.
This can cause chemical imbalances in other areas of the body.
There are also the dangers of developing an allergic reaction to these synthetic hormones and experiencing adverse health effects, including infertility.
First, it is essential to consult with your doctor when considering hormone replacement therapy to ensure that you are healthy enough to undergo this treatment.
Your medical history should be reviewed to identify any other conditions you may have, such as:
- diabetes
- kidney disease
- osteoporosis
Your doctor will likely ask about your experience with menopause symptoms such as night sweats, vaginal dryness, and hot flashes, as well as other symptoms.
Your medical history may reveal information regarding any medications you are currently taking. This is whether or not you smoke and any environmental factors that might contribute to your symptoms.
During your consultation with your doctor, they may suggest that you begin HRT if only to help alleviate the symptoms of hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
Hormone replacement therapy is often recommended as the first course of action in dealing with the symptoms of menopause, especially if lifestyle changes have not helped alleviate the symptoms. Most doctors encourage their patients to begin hormone replacement therapy as soon as possible.
However, it is also important to point out that studies show that hormone replacement therapy's positive effects can often wear off after about 10 years.
Thus, it is important to continue to practice good nutritional habits, get plenty of moderate exercises, and take a multivitamin/mineral supplement to ensure adequate nutrients.
3. Herbal treatment
There are many herbs out there that are said to be effective in relieving pre-menopause symptoms, and most of these herbs can be found in your own kitchen.
Some of the herbal remedies for menopause are chaste berry, evening primrose oil, and black Cohosh, which all have different properties to help balance out your hormones. You may also want to try:
- soybean extract
- black cohosh
- red clover
- Dong Quai
A great place to purchase herbal remedies is at your local natural food stores, such as Mountain Rose herbs or Green Mountain Hops.
You can ask the employees what they recommend. If they have any recommendations for particular herbal remedies for menopause, be sure and ask them if the herbs you pick have side effects.
4. Have a healthy lifestyle
This can also help alleviate the symptoms. This means you'll be eating nutritious foods and getting enough rest. Exercise is also helpful in alleviating pre-menopause symptoms.
As most doctors would say, prevention is always better than cure. So if you want to avoid menopause symptoms, make sure you engage in a healthy lifestyle.
The simplest way to avoid menopause symptoms is by taking care of yourself. Eat healthily and get enough sleep. And it would help if you also got regular exercise.
You can do this by having a regular exercise program that you stick to. If you're not used to it, start slowly with low-impact exercises until you get used to it. Then, once you feel more comfortable, you can try high-intensity activities.
5. Contraceptive pills
Aside from natural treatments for menopause, there are also other options such as contraceptive pills. However, these pills should only be used on days when you actually start menstruating. It would be best to use them along with another form of menopause treatment.
There are lots of menopause treatment options out there. And while some of them do work, some of them do not. Therefore, it's important to find what works best for you.
First, do some research that works for your particular symptoms. Then, stay patient as it will get removed from your body soon.
