Menopause

What is menopause?

Menopause is the natural phase of your life when your monthly periods stop for good. You are considered to have entered menopause after you stop having your period for 12 consecutive months.

The transitional years to menopause, known as perimenopause, can last from a few months to 10 years. During perimenopause, your hormones can fluctuate wildly, causing a variety of symptoms that can be severe enough to interfere with your life.

What are the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause?

As you approach menopause, production of your estrogen and progesterone hormones begins declining. This decline is not a steady one and, as a result, you can experience a wide range of symptoms that range from mild from intense, such as:

• Anxiety
• Hot flashes
• Depression
• Painful sex
• Night sweats
• Vaginal dryness
• Irregular periods
• Thinning, dry skin

Some women reach menopause without any issues, but others may experience symptoms that affect their ability to work and go about their usual routine. These symptoms can affect you during your perimenopausal years and for years after you officially reach menopause.

Generally, your symptoms, age, and medical history can indicate to your Swor Women’s Care provider if you’re approaching menopause. To confirm a decline in hormones and rule out underlying medical conditions, you may need to have blood work.

What treatments are available for menopause?

While there is no treatment for the natural transition to menopause, your Swor Women’s Care provider can create a custom plan to address issues that interfere with your life.

In many cases, your menopause symptoms is due to hormonal fluctuations. To balance hormone levels and alleviate symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes, your provider may recommend hormone therapy.

How does hormone therapy treat menopause symptoms?

Typically, hormone therapy uses either oral birth control or bioidentical hormone treatments to replenish estrogen and progesterone hormones in your body. Hormone therapy can effectively reduce the severity of your symptoms within 2-3 weeks of starting therapy.

Some women can’t tolerate hormone therapy and may need alternative treatment options to address bothersome symptoms. In some cases, low-dose antidepressants can help you cope with mood issues and hot flashes.

Swor Women’s Care also offers nonsurgical vaginal rejuvenation treatments to improve vaginal dryness and end painful sex.

If you’re finding it difficult to cope with symptoms of menopause, schedule a consultation today by calling the office or by using the online booking feature.