Menopause is a natural transition that all women experience as they age. The term "menopause" refers to the point when a woman stops menstruating permanently, marking the end of her reproductive years.
The lead-up to menopause, known as perimenopause, usually begins in the mid-40s. It is often accompanied by irregular periods and unpredictable menstrual cycles. Other common symptoms include:
These symptoms are primarily caused by changing estrogen levels. As the ovaries produce less estrogen, it leads to chemical imbalances and instability. Lower estrogen exacerbates issues like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and emotional changes.
The natural decline of estrogen and progesterone associated with perimenopause and menopause leads to these challenging symptoms in most women. However underling issues can also be caused by surgical menopause from hysterectomy and early menopause among other factors.
If left untreated, menopause symptoms often persist for many years. There are also long-term health risks to consider:
Catching and addressing hormonal imbalances early is key to mitigating symptoms and avoiding long-term effects of menopause on health.
Hormone therapy (HT) can provide relief by replacing the estrogen that the body is no longer producing itself. There are few highly effective treatment options for menopause - and hormone therapy is the gold standard.
When properly managed, hormone therapy offers a broad range of benefits:
In short, optimizing hormones alleviates a wide range of bothersome physical and emotional symptoms - allowing women to feel like themselves again.
The most common hormone therapy is estrogen therapy, but when a woman still has her uterus, progesterone is also used to prevent uterine cancer. There are a few delivery methods:
Doctors consider a variety of factors including your symptoms, medical history, risk factors, and personal preferences when recommending options.
There are potential risks with any medical treatment that must be considered - however the benefits often outweigh the risks significantly, especially when working with an experienced specialist. Risks factors depend partially on the duration of usage, personal health profile, age, and dosage/method of delivery.
Doctors determine safety on a case by case basis through regular health evaluations and screening.
Successfully navigating menopause symptoms requires finding the right hormone therapy customized to your unique needs. The process begins with diagnostic blood tests and comprehensive health evaluations.
In order to get helpful insights, testing key hormone levels is essential:
FSH - Signals menopause transition Estrodial - amount of circulating estrogen AMH - approximates remaining egg supply
Testing provides objective data, establishes baselines, and informs dosage decisions when beginning therapy. Follow up tests help monitor progress and adjust treatment plans.
Thorough medical evaluations are key to identifying issues, assessing overall health, and determining risks/benefits of hormone therapy options. Assessments should cover:
Symptoms - which ones are present, severity, impacts Menstrual history - cycle regularity, flow, pain Health history - conditions, risk factors, medications Family history - onset age, related diseases Lifestyle - stress, diet, exercise, etc.
Evaluations allow for very personalized care tailored to each woman's health status and needs.
With menopause, having an experienced clinician guiding testing and treatment is invaluable. Specialists include:
Gynecologists - reproductive system experts Endocrinologists - hormone disorder specialists Menopause specialists - dedicated to this stage of life
These doctors have advanced training in this field, stay current on the latest research, and treat hundreds of menopause patients. Working with a true specialist improves outcomes.
Located conveniently in the Bayville area, Harmony Hormone Clinic provides comprehensive menopause treatment from leading gynecologists, endocrinologists and menopause specialists in the region.
We perform thorough diagnostic testing and evaluations to gain insights into the factors causing symptoms and assess risks. This data then informs targeted, multi-modal treatment plans that address the root causes with bioidentical hormones via various proven delivery methods. Follow up testing helps optimize and adjust approaches.
Women come to our warm, welcoming center because we offer:
We understand the struggles of menopause and enable women to take control of their health during this transition.
Our offices provide easy access to top quality care right in Bayville, including lab testing, consultations, choice of therapy options, and follow up care.
We also understand the Bayville areaoffers a wonderful backdrop support healing with its vibrant downtown, walking trails, yoga studios, women's health groups, and community resources. Taking advantage of these resources helps reduce stress and improve diet and fitness while beginning therapy.
Studies show that practicing yoga can help reduce menopause symptoms. Specific poses that twist, invert, and compress the abdominal region may stimulate hormone production and circulation to alleviate hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. Yoga's breathing techniques and meditation can also help women manage stress during this transitional time.
If you are struggling with menopause symptoms, the first step is booking an appointment for testing and evaluations so we can help you regain comfort, ease symptoms, and reduce long term risks. Give us a call today to learn more and get started.
