Menopause

What causes menopause?

Menopause occurs when a woman’s body slows down its production of estrogen and progesterone. Medically speaking, menopause only includes the time once a period has completely stopped while the time leading up to menopause (when symptoms occur) is called perimenopause or premenopause.

However, the term menopause often is used by women to include both menopause and perimenopause. Estrogen and progesterone are essential to fertility, and once menopause occurs, a woman can no longer become pregnant. Until menopause occurs, however, a woman may still become pregnant and birth control should still be used.

In addition to fertility, other functions can also be affected by estrogen and progesterone, and as these hormones decline, women can experience an array of symptoms as well as increased risks of certain medical problems like osteoporosis and heart disease.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

Menopause (or more correctly, perimenopause) can cause an array of different symptoms, including:

• Hot flashes
• Irritability and mood swings
• Night sweats
• Sleep problems
• Fatigue
• Problems focusing and concentrating (sometimes called “brain fog”)
• Vaginal dryness and painful intercourse
• Declining interest in sex
• Depression
• Irregular or abnormal periods
• Incontinence

Many women experience only a few of these symptoms, and some may experience very few symptoms aside from irregular periods as they approach menopause. Other women may experience significant symptoms that can interfere with daily living.

What treatments are available for menopause?

Menopause isn’t a “curable” condition, but there are plenty of treatment options that can help relieve the symptoms of menopause and even help you reduce risks of medical issues like osteoporosis. Many women can benefit from hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that uses synthetic hormones to restore hormone levels, relieving many of the symptoms of menopause. Today’s bioidentical hormones are created to mimic natural hormones and are associated with far fewer side effects compared to traditional hormone replacement treatments. For women who don’t want HRT or when HRT isn’t considered feasible, specific treatments can be provided to address individual symptoms like fatigue, irritability, heavy blood flow and vaginal dryness.

To get supportive treatment for menopause and its associated symptoms, call the office of Regina Hill, MD, today.