Menopause is a natural transition that all women go through as they age. It marks the end of a woman's reproductive years and is defined as occurring 12 months after a woman's last menstrual period. During menopause, a woman's body produces less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. This drop in hormones causes a variety of symptoms.
If women do not take hormone therapy to help manage menopausal symptoms, the following can occur:
Symptoms
- Hot flashes - Sudden feelings of warmth in the face, neck and chest that can cause intense sweating and skin flushing. Without hormone therapy, hot flashes can last for years.
- Night sweats - Hot flashes at night leading to sweating and interrupted sleep.
- Vaginal dryness and pain with intercourse - Estrogen keeps vaginal tissue supple. Without it, vaginal tissue becomes thin, loses elasticity and can lead to discomfort.
- Urinary symptoms - Loss of tissue tone can cause stress incontinence and urinary tract infections.
- Emotional changes - Hormone changes affect neurotransmitters leading to mood swings, irritability, anxiety or depression for some women.
Long-term health risks
- Osteoporosis - Estrogen plays a key role in bone health. Without it, bone loss occurs more rapidly increasing the risk of fractures.
- Heart disease - Lower estrogen after menopause changes cholesterol levels and body fat distribution leading to more heart disease risk.
- Dementia risks - Estrogen may play a role in brain health. Lack of estrogen therapy could increase dementia risks.
Treatment Options
There are three main types of treatment options women can consider to help manage menopausal symptoms and health risks:
- Hormone therapy
- Estrogen therapy - Estrogen tablets, patches, gels or rings
- Progestin therapy - Often combined with estrogen depending on a woman's uterus status
- Non-hormonal medications - Antidepressants, blood pressure medications or gabapentin to help specific symptoms
- Alternative therapies - Herbal remedies, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy or lifestyle changes
The
experts at Harmony Hormone Center can meet with women to thoroughly discuss their menopause concerns, health history and lifestyle to help determine which treatment options may be most appropriate to help them best manage their menopause transition.
Our compassionate and experienced physicians and nurse practitioners take the time to understand a woman's full health picture, answer all questions, discuss both risks and benefits of various therapies, and most importantly develop a personalized treatment plan to meet each woman's individual needs. We offer cutting edge hormone therapy options as well as complementary therapies and lifestyle education services to help women thrive through the menopause transition and beyond.
