Menopause is a natural transition that all women go through, marking the end of a woman's reproductive years. The average age for menopause is 51, but it can happen anytime between the ages of 40-55.
Menopause occurs when a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual period and signals that the ovaries have stopped releasing eggs. Other signs and symptoms can include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, difficulty sleeping, mood changes, and slowing metabolism.
While menopause is a normal part of aging, it can be an uncomfortable time for many women. Hormonal changes and declining estrogen levels during menopause are associated with unpleasant symptoms. As well, the changes of menopause can increase a woman's risk for certain medical conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease when left untreated.
The good news is that there are effective treatments available to relieve symptoms and reduce future health risks! At Vitality Balance Clinic in St. Petersburg, we specialize in helping women transition through menopause comfortably.
The hormonal fluctuations and declining estrogen levels that occur during menopause can trigger a variety of symptoms. Below are some of the most common menopause symptoms along with details on what causes them:
Hot flashes are sudden sensations of intense warmth in the upper body, often accompanied by flushing and sweating. They are the most common symptom of menopause, experienced by over 75% of menopausal women.
Hot flashes occur because decreasing estrogen confuses the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for controlling body temperature. In response, the hypothalamus starts rapidly dilating and constricting blood vessels, leading to the intense heat.
With less estrogen, blood circulation decreases to reproductive organs like the vagina. This can cause the vaginal walls to become thin and dry.
Vaginal dryness can make intercourse painful and increase the risk for urinary tract infections. Over-the-counter lubricants and moisturizers can help provide relief. Topical estrogen creams are also very effective but require a prescription.
Fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels are often to blame for menopausal mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and depression. Hormone changes cause chemical shifts in the brain, especially with serotonin and endorphins which influence mood.
Support groups, stress management techniques, therapy, and sometimes antidepressants can help women cope with menopausal mood disorders. Hormone therapy may also stabilize mood by regulating hormones.
Some other common menopausal symptoms include:
The wide variety of symptoms demonstrates how much hormones impact general health and why regulating hormones can greatly improve menopause symptoms.
In addition to bothersome symptoms, hormonal changes during menopause can increase future health risks if left untreated. Some of the key long-term health implications involve the heart, bones, and metabolism:
The drop in estrogen during menopause is associated with unfavorable changes in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and how arteries dilate - all increasing cardiovascular risks.
Heart disease is actually the 1 cause of death for women overall. Thankfully, hormone therapy can reduce the cardiovascular effects of menopause by up to 50% when started early.
Estrogen plays an important role in bone health, helping stimulate bone-building cells. With less estrogen, the risk of developing osteoporosis increases dramatically after menopause.
Osteoporosis causes bones to become brittle and prone to fractures. Simple things like bending over or minor falls can lead to broken bones if osteoporosis develops.
The estrogen drop during menopause reduces lean muscle mass while slowing down metabolism. On average, women gain 5-15 pounds in the years surrounding menopause.
Weight gain combined with a slower metabolism makes it much easier to accumulate dangerous visceral belly fat. This type of fat wraps around internal organs and further raises risks for diabetes and heart disease.
Through hormone regulation, lifestyle measures, and sometimes medications, risks related to heart health, bone loss, and weight gain can be minimized or avoided altogether.
Since perimenopause can last up to 10 years for some women, it is not always obvious when periods have stopped completely. Below are some of the key ways doctors diagnose menopause:
Keeping detailed records of when periods occur and any noticeable symptom changes helps identify patterns. After 12 months without a period, menopause can be declared.
Of course women who have a hysterectomy or ovaries removed due to surgery or cancer treatment are diagnosed with surgical menopause.
There are three main hormone blood tests used to evaluate menopausal status:
Repeated tests are sometimes needed to see trends over time. Thyroid and other labs may be ordered to uncover any compounding issues.
In addition to period tracking and labs, doctors diagnose menopause based on clinical symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal changes, and emotional disorders when hormone levels correlate.
Ruling out other possible causes through a comprehensive history and exam is also key. Symptoms that Exactly mimic menopause could signal thyroid dysfunction, autoimmune disorders, or even cancer in some cases.
Understanding how to accurately diagnose menopause empowers women to get the right treatments and optimize health during this transitional time.
Did you know that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been found to be an effective non-hormonal treatment option for managing troublesome menopause symptoms? Research shows that CBT focusing on changing thought patterns around hot flashes, mood changes, and sleep disruption can improve women's quality of life during menopause without medication side effects.
Menopause hormone therapy (MHT), also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), is the most effective treatment for relieving menopausal symptoms and combating associated health risks.
The goal of hormone therapy is to supplement declining hormones, namely estrogen and progesterone, back to optimal levels. Regulating hormones alleviates symptoms while protecting long-term health.
There are a few types and forms of hormone therapy to consider:
Used for women without a uterus, estrogen-only therapy typically uses:
Estrogen eases hot flashes, vaginal dryness, bone loss risks, and can stabilize mood.
Women with an intact uterus need progestogen to protect the uterine lining when taking estrogen. Options include:
Adding progestogen negates estrogen's uterine cancer risk while still providing all the other benefits.
Derived from plant sources, bioidentical hormones have an identical molecular structure to endogenous human hormones.
Bioidentical hormones offer a natural way to restore hormone levels in some women.
Determining which preparation and route of administration works best is a very individualized process. Vitality Balance Clinic physicians thoughtfully consider each woman’s needs, risks, and preferences when designing a hormone therapy regimen.
While hormone therapy is the foundation for treating menopausal symptoms, making certain lifestyle changes can also improve comfort levels and optimize results.
Here are some helpful healthy living tips:
Eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet helps fuel the body with energy and key building blocks during menopause. Some dietary recommendations include:
Proper nutrition provides vitamins and minerals vital for hormone activity, brain function, and preventing chronic diseases.
Being active has extensive benefits:
Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days, or 10,000 steps daily. Mix cardio, strength training, stretching, and balance exercises.
Relaxation practices like yoga, meditation, massage therapy help calm the mind and body. This not only feels therapeutic but can dampen emotional reactivity.
Learning stress management skills is especially useful when hormones trigger anxiety or mood swings.
Making positive lifestyle adjustments augments hormone therapy treatment to help women achieve optimal wellness during menopause and beyond.
At Vitality Balance Clinic in St. Petersburg, we take an integrative approach to menopause care - blending conventional hormone therapy with lifestyle guidance and complementary therapies when appropriate.
Our comprehensive menopause services include:
We carry an extensive range of pharmaceutical and bioidentical hormone options so each woman’s physiology and preferences can be matched.
And our Physicians and staff nurture women through the entire menopausal transition with compassionate listening and evidence-based recommendations.
At Vitality Balance Clinic, we ease the discomforts of menopause while empowering long-term wellness beyond reproductive aging. Contact us today to see how our individualized care can optimize your health during this change of life.
