As recently as just a few decades ago, menopause was poorly researched and understood, which left many women wondering what was happening to them as they transitioned out of their reproductive years.
Thankfully, there’s been a shift, and new research is being conducted in this area that’s shedding some much-needed light on menopause, which is good news for the 1.3 million women who enter this hormonal transition each year in the United States.
With new research comes new treatment protocols for menopause, which the experienced team of women’s health experts at Beyond Women’s Care makes available to our patients.
So, if like millions of others, you’re finding menopause to be a disruptive and life-altering experience, we can help.
The transition through menopause occurs when your ovaries shut down, which means they not only stop releasing eggs, but they also stop producing reproductive hormones, including estrogen. Once you go 12 months without a period, we consider you to be postmenopausal, and the average age at which women reach this point is around 50-51.
Even though the lack of eggs means you can’t have children anymore, which is the intended result of menopause, it’s the loss of hormones that leads to the extensive list of possible side effects. These side effects cast a wide net and include your:
Although many people think that women experience a couple years of hot flashes during menopause and then they're done, that isn’t the case for most women whose lives are forever changed after menopause.
Now that we have a better understanding of the wide net that menopause casts, we have a better idea about how to address the many side effects associated with this transition.
Though no two women experience the exact same symptoms, the same duration of symptoms, or the same severity of symptoms, we’re able to meet each patient where they are with a toolkit of treatment options that includes:
Since the loss of hormones is what drives many of the symptoms, replacing these lost hormones is a great place to start.
We can accomplish replacing lost hormones in several different ways. For example, you can try systemic hormone therapy that delivers hormones to your entire body.
Or, we can utilize targeted hormone therapy. For example, half of women face vaginal dryness on the heels of menopause, which we can address through vaginal hormone creams.
The most common menopause symptoms are hot flashes and nightsweats, which affect about 80% of women. To turn down the heat, you have two choices: hormone therapy or a prescription medication that targets this specific vasomotor symptom.
Post-menopausal women often face urinary issues, namely incontinence, thanks to a weakened pelvic floor. One of the best steps you can take before and after menopause is to strengthen this muscle group through Kegel exercise to prevent pelvic organ prolapse.
We also recommend lifestyle changes that can help you better weather menopause. For example, many women experience heightened anxiety during this time, which can be offset through deep breathing and mindfulness practices.
Or, if you’re experiencing digestive issues, we can work on managing these through your diet.
We can’t say here what your exact menopause treatment plan might include, but we want to show you that you have many options.
If you want a smoother journey through menopause, enlisting our help is a great step in that direction. To get started, please call our Rochester Hills, Michigan, office at 248-284-4859 or contact us through our website.
