Menopause is a natural transition in a woman's life when her periods stop permanently and she can no longer become pregnant naturally. The years leading up to menopause are called perimenopause. During perimenopause, hormone levels become irregular and start to decline causing various symptoms.
Some common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause include:
The severity and duration of symptoms is different for every woman. Lifestyle choices can also impact how a woman experiences menopause.
The average age of menopause is 51. However, perimenopause usually starts in the mid-40s. Premature or early menopause before age 45 affects about 1 in 100 women.
Menopause is typically diagnosed by a woman's symptoms and age. However, blood tests of hormone levels can also confirm menopause. Common hormones tested include:
The changes in hormone levels during menopause can impact a woman's health in the long run.
Estrogen plays an important role in bone health. Declining estrogen during menopause accelerates bone loss increasing the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. Regular weight-bearing exercises, vitamin D and calcium supplements can help support bone health after menopause.
The drop in estrogen leads to adverse changes in blood cholesterol levels and blood vessels. This significantly increases the risks of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks in postmenopausal women.
Loss of estrogen causes changes to tissues in the urinary tract leading to urinary incontinence and UTIs for some women.
Fluctuating hormone levels during perimenopause and low estrogen levels post-menopause can affect memory and thinking abilities for some women. The risk of dementia also increases after menopause.
Staying mentally and socially active can help minimize effects on brain health.
There are both medical and lifestyle management options that can relieve symptoms and reduce long term health risks related to menopause.
HRT or hormone replacement therapy can effectively treat the symptoms of menopause by replacing estrogen, progesterone or both.
Benefits: - Relieves hot flashes, night sweats - Helps vaginal dryness - Prevents bone loss - Improves urinary health - Provides cardiovascular benefits
The timing of starting treatment and dose of hormones must be customized for each patient based on their health history and needs.
Certain lifestyle measures can also minimize symptoms and support women through the menopausal transition:
Holistic practitioners may also recommend herbal remedies, supplements, mindfulness practices, etc. based on each woman's individual case.
In some cases, certain prescription medications may be used including:
There are many effective options for managing menopause available today. However, choosing the right approach depends on each woman's:
An experienced menopause specialist can review all these details before designing a customized treatment plan for your specific needs and goals related to menopause.
Hormone Harmony Clinic - Trusted Menopause Care
Hormone Harmony Clinic specializes in innovative, integrative care for perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause health. Our multidisciplinary team includes highly-skilled endocrinologists, gynecologists and other practitioners dedicated to addressing the unique needs of women during this transition.
We take a holistic view to understand the interconnected factors that can affect each woman's experience with menopause. This enables us to design customized care plans including:
Telehealth appointments provide safe and convenient access to our menopause specialists from the comfort of your home.
Marked key terms in bold
There are several key reasons to choose Hormone Harmony Clinic for your menopause care needs:
We focus both on relieving immediate symptoms through medical therapies while also using lifestyle interventions and integrative medicine to support optimal long-term health during and beyond menopause.
In addition to clinical assessments of symptoms, we also offer advanced hormone testing in our on-site lab to accurately identify any imbalances. This enables truly personalized treatment protocols.
Our clinic is led by Dr. Jane Evans, a nationally recognized menopause specialist with over 20 years of experience using integrative therapies to treat perimenopause and menopause.
Your care team provides compassionate support throughout your treatment while regularly adjusting plans to meet your changing needs over time.
We also offer courses, workshops and support groups tailored specifically to menopause-related concerns women face.
If you're looking for comprehensive specialized care to ease your menopause transition, contact Hormone Harmony Clinic today to book a consultation. Call (xxx) xxx-xxxx or email contact@Hormone Harmony Clinic.com.
We look forward to helping you thrive before, during and beyond menopause!
