Menopause is a natural stage of life when a woman's menstrual cycles stop permanently and she can no longer become pregnant naturally. The ending of menstrual cycles is caused by reduced production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone in the ovaries. This reduction in hormones causes changes throughout the body that can have significant physical and emotional effects.
On average, most women go through menopause around the age of 50. However, it can happen earlier or later than this for some women. The time leading up to menopause is called perimenopause. This transitional state can begin years before menopause actually takes place.
During perimenopause and menopause, many women experience symptoms like hot flashes, trouble sleeping, vaginal dryness, urinary issues, mood changes, difficulty focusing, bone loss, and more. Treatment of menopause symptoms can provide women with substantial relief as their bodies transition.
The various signs and symptoms associated with menopause occur due to diminishing estrogen and progesterone levels. Some women experience few symptoms, while others deal with moderate to severe menopausal issues. Common symptoms include:
* Hot flashes - Sudden sensations of intense heat in the upper body, often with sweating and rapid heartbeat * Night sweats - Hot flashes occurring at night, often interfering with sleep * Flushing - Reddening of the face and neck
* Vaginal dryness - Decreased lubrication making intercourse painful * Vaginal atrophy - Thinning of vaginal walls from loss of elasticity * Urinary tract infections (UTIs) - From changes in urinary tract tissue
* Mood swings - Irritability, anxiety, sadness, feeling overwhelmed * Difficulty focusing and memory lapses - Often referred to as "brain fog"
* Insomnia - Trouble falling and staying asleep * Hair thinning - Hair becoming finer and more sparse * Bone loss - Weakening of bones, risk of osteoporosis increases * Changes in cholesterol - Shifts in LDL, HDL, and triglycerides
Keep in mind that severity of symptoms varies greatly among women going through menopause. While some may struggle with debilitating symptoms, others sail through “the change” with few issues.
Proper diagnosis and timely treatment can help every woman manage symptoms and thrive during this transitional time.
Since menopause involves many changes throughout the body, obtaining an accurate diagnosis is key. This will allow for development of an appropriate treatment plan based on each woman's specific needs and health profile.
Diagnosis typically involves evaluation of symptoms, along with hormone level testing through blood and/or urine tests. These tests help determine where a woman is in the menopausal transition, and how significantly estrogen/progesterone levels have declined.
Common lab tests include:
* Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) - Measures function of ovaries * Estradiol - Determines woman's baseline estrogen level
Results from lab testing allow the overseeing doctor to pinpoint issues causing symptoms, and identify optimal treatment options. Tracking symptoms and repeating lab testing at intervals enables fine-tuning of treatment plans over time.
Early intervention when hormone changes first appear allows for better control of symptoms long-term. Open communication with your doctor is key throughout the diagnosis and treatment processes.
Treating menopause appropriately can enhance quality of life tremendously for women during this change. Some major benefits include:
* Decreases moderate to severe hot flashes/night sweats * Lessens vaginal dryness/painful intercourse * Eases emotional changes like mood swings * Helps with sleep issues, focus, memory
* Lowers risk of osteoporosis/fractures * Decreases chance of heart disease * May help avoid weight gain/fat accumulation
* Boosts energy levels * Allows better sleep * Enhances sex drive * Preserves interest in activities * Promotes positive mood
While menopause symptoms can be challenging, seeking proper treatment provides women with hope for feeling their best as the body transitions.
A little-known natural treatment for hot flashes and other menopause symptoms is red clover, a plant commonly found throughout Europe and Asia. Red clover contains compounds called isoflavones that mimic estrogen in the body and can help relieve hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, and other symptoms without the side effects of hormone replacement therapy drugs.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) helps supplement the declining estrogen and progesterone levels behind menopause symptoms. Therapy choices are customized to match each woman's hormone needs and health profile.
There are three main types of HRT:
* Estrogen alone - For women without a uterus * Restores vaginal tissue health * Relieves hot flashes * Helps prevent bone loss
* Progestin alone - For some specific cases * Does not protect bone health
* Estrogen combined with progestin - Most commonly used * Benefits estrogen provides * Protects uterus from risk of cancer
Within these main HRT types, there are further options for:
* Pills - Oral tablets * Skin patches - Delivery through skin * Vaginal preparations - Cream, tablet inserted into vagina * More
* Conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) - From pregnant mares' urine; pill form only * Estradiol - Identical to estrogen women produce; multiple formations
The route of administration and estrogen type chosen impacts efficacy, safety, and convenience. Your doctor will help select HRT products aligning with your needs.
Navigating the many changes during menopause presents challenges for women both physically and mentally. Seeking timely diagnosis and following treatment plans helps ease the burden of symptoms.
Key reasons to prioritize treatment include:
* Symptoms may appear early in menopausal transition * Symptoms often intensify over time * Delays can allow bone loss and higher future fracture risk * Earlier treatment increases benefits * Not addressing symptoms impacts quality of life
Furthermore, women who put off treatment tend to struggle getting symptoms under control once they worsen. This “start low and go slow” approach applies any time in the menopausal transition.
At the first sign of symptoms, partner with your doctor to explore solutions allowing you to feel your best. Relief is within reach with the right treatment plan.
Here at Vitality Balance Clinic in Goodyear, AZ, we understand the challenges women face during menopause and afterwards. Our goal is guiding patients to become symptom-free and thrive as their bodies change.
We offer customized care including:
* Pinpoint hormone levels * Uncover nutritional needs * Identify medical conditions contributing to symptoms * Track progress
* Hormone replacement therapy * Nutrient/supplement recommendations * Prescriptions as needed * Stress reduction techniques * Follow-up fine tuning
* Answer questions * Provide educational resources * Coach on lifestyle adjustments
Our clinic focuses solely on hormone-related issues surrounding menopause and aging. We stay current on the latest research and treatment options. Then we develop holistic, cutting edge treatment plans to meet each woman’s unique needs.
We've helped numerous women find relief from debilitating symptoms and reclaim vibrant, active lives. Our personalized care, decades of experience, and commitment to outcomes set us apart.
There are three stages making up the full menopausal transition that each have associated symptoms and health impacts. Treatment plans evolve along with a woman's needs as she passes through each phase.
Perimenopause begins up to 10 years before menstruation fully stops, initiating the many changes ahead. During this time ovaries start making less estrogen though ovulation still occurs and periods continue. Common symptoms appearing include:
* Light, inconsistent periods * Shorter cycles * PMS symptoms intensifying * Mild hot flashes * Sleep disruption * Vaginal dryness
Early intervention with diet, exercise, stress reduction techniques helps mild cases. More significant issues may require treatment like low-dose oral contraceptives or hormone therapy.
Menopause is reached when a woman has no period for 12 consecutive months (no other cause). This milestone means ovulation and chances of pregnancy have ended. Symptoms also frequently worsen during this stage, including:
* More severe hot flashes * Problematic sleep issues * Vaginal atrophy * Urinary incontinence * Anxiety/depressed mood * Memory lapses
Use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) helps provide relief as the body adjusts to plummeting estrogen levels. Treatment plans should be reassessed over time.
Postmenopause is the phase after final period where the effects of long-term estrogen deficiency manifest. Symptoms may plateau or worsen, putting women at greater risk for complications like:
* Bone fractures - osteoporosis * Heart disease * Weight gain * Reduced muscle mass * Higher cholesterol
Continuing proper HRT helps protect bone/heart health, manage symptoms, and prevent disease. Some women may take hormones for relief well into their 60s.
Paying attention as symptoms appear and change is key to preserving wellness during the menopausal transition. We help patients determine optimal treatment timing based on their changing needs.
There are a number of contributing factors that affect hormone levels in women as they age. Understanding root causes leading up to menopause is helpful when developing treatment plans for relief.
Major influences behind declining estrogen/progesterone include:
As women enter their 40s, the ovaries begin maturing limited numbers of eggs while simultaneously producing less estrogen and progesterone. This slowdown over time eventually brings ovulation to a permanent halt.
The ovaries contain follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) receptors that trigger ovulation each month. Diminishing sensitivity of these receptors makes ovulation more sporadic.
Estrogen and progesterone help regulate further production through feedback loops to the brain and pituitary gland. Declining output combined with poorer feedback causes eventual ovarian shutdown.
Stress levels, body weight, diet, exercise habits and more can influence hormone balance throughout adulthood. Supporting health proactively aids the body’s ability to naturally produce estrogen/progesterone longer.
Recognizing factors at play allows developing more robust treatment plans improving hormone levels short and long term.
We educate patients on small daily changes that work synergistically with treatment plans to help better manage menopausal symptoms. Key lifestyle measures include:
* Increase phytoestrogen foods - soy, flax, oats, beans, apples * Ensure adequate vitamin D for bone/muscle health * Consider targeted supplements where diet falls short
* Practice regular stress relief - yoga, meditation, nature walks * Develop consistent sleep routine for 7-9 hour/night goal
* Engage in 30 minutes of moderate activity daily – walking, swimming, dancing * Include strength training 2-3 days/week * Attain/maintain healthy BMI
* Schedule annual well-woman visit * Discuss family history - update screening tests * Review medications with doctor regularly
We also provide referrals to outstanding local practitioners that can support specialized needs during the menopause journey and beyond:
* Desert Breeze Women's Imaging – Mammograms, bone density scans * Inner Vision Yoga Studio – Variety of yoga classes for all levels * Dr. Emma Holliday, Psychologist – Counseling for depression, anxiety, life transitions * Sedona Nutrition – Comprehensive nutrition services
Small consistent efforts customizing lifestyle make achieving treatment goals more likely. We guide women to feel empowered taking charge of health during this change.
Distinguishing between menopause and pregnancy can be tricky. Key indicators of menopause are cessation of periods for 12 months and prominent menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. Pregnancy is only possible before the final period. Take a pregnancy test to rule this out initially. From there we can explore other causes for ongoing symptoms.
Every woman needs customized care during menopause and beyond. There are various hormone therapy options we can explore to determine the preparation best matching your needs. Side effects differ among the types/doses of medications. We start low and go slow, adjusting your treatment plan over time for optimal symptom relief and safety.
There is no pre-defined length of time for taking hormone therapy. Some women only need hormones short term to get past the most intense symptoms occurring right around final periods. Others benefit from extended therapy for lasting relief from moderate to severe issues. We monitor your hormone levels, symptom response, and overall health to make therapy adjustments in line with your changing needs.
