As an adult female, you are probably well aware that menopause is the time of your life in which menstruation ends – typically when you’re in your 40s or 50s. It is diagnosed once you’ve gone 12 months without a menstrual period.
Although menopause is a natural biological process, it comes with certain unwelcome physical symptoms – such as hot flashes, night sweats, chills, irregular periods, vaginal dryness, weight gain, slowed metabolism, thinning hair, and dry skin – as well as emotional symptoms that can lower your energy level, disrupt your sleep, and affect your mood.
Fortunately, there are a number of effective measures available, ranging from hormone therapy to lifestyle adjustments, which can help you manage menopause and provide some relief.
Managing Menopause
No medical treatment is required for menopause. However, there are treatments that can help relieve symptoms of it and prevent or manage chronic conditions that tend to occur with age. These include:
- Hormone therapy – Estrogen therapy has been found to be the most effective treatment option when it comes to curbing menopausal hot flashes. As such, your doctor may recommend low doses of estrogen for a short period of time, depending on your personal and family medical history. You will need to receive progesterone if you still have your uterus. In addition to helping manage your menopausal symptoms, estrogen helps prevent bone loss. Nevertheless, long-term use of hormone therapy may have some cardiovascular and breast cancer risks, so it’s important to discuss the benefits of hormone therapy with your doctor to determine if it is a safe choice for you.
- Vaginal estrogen – Administered directly to the vagina in the form of a cream, estrogen can relieve vaginal dryness, reduce discomfort during intercourse, and treat some urinary symptoms.
- Low-dose antidepressants – Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of drugs that may decrease menopausal hot flashes. SSRIs are useful for women who are unable to take estrogen for health reasons or those who need an antidepressant to treat a mood disorder.
- Gabapentin – This drug has been approved to treat seizures, but it is also known to reduce hot flashes. It is an alternative for women who cannot use estrogen therapy.
- Clonidine – Taken either as a pill or a patch, clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure, but also may provide relief from hot flashes.
- Fezolinetant – This hormone-free medicine also treats hot flashes by blocking the pathway in the brain that helps regulate body temperature.
- Vitamin D supplements – These help strengthen bones, thus helping to prevent osteoporosis, which can develop during menopause. There are also several medications that help reduce bone loss and the risk of fractures that your doctor may prescribe depending on your individual needs.
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner in Kent, Washington
Whatever health challenges you face as a woman throughout the course of your life, FamilyCare of Kent provides appropriate medical care. That not only includes teens, new mothers, and adult women, but also mature women experiencing menopausal symptoms and seniors looking to improve and maintain their overall health and wellness.
Our board-certified and experienced nurse practitioners are committed to providing quality primary care for your entire family in a comforting environment that is close to home. For more information and to benefit from our outstanding and compassionate services, call FamilyCare of Kent today at (253) 859-2273 (CARE) to schedule an appointment or use our convenient online request form.