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Posts Tagged ‘Menopause Treatment’

Menopause will affect all women at some point in their lives. It is the ending of your periods and your ability to get pregnant the natural way. You are considered menopausal if you have missed your period for a full year running. There is a wide range of uncomfortable symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and headaches to name a few. Treatments are available to help ease some of these uncomfortable symptoms. Your doctor can help guide you to the treatment that would most appropriately meet your needs. There are pharmaceutical, natural, and life style changes that will ease symptoms for most women.

Pharmaceutical

Pharmaceutical treatments include Hormone Replacement Therapy. HRT is the replacement of female hormones (estrogen and progesterone) to ease the transition into menopause. HRT has been linked to serious side effects including heart attack, stroke, as well as breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers.

Other pharmaceutical treatments may include pain relievers both over the counter and prescribed. Body aches and headaches can be relieved with these medications. They do however, come with their own side effects.

Anti-depressants are or maybe prescribed to relieve the depression and anxiety that may accompany your menopause. A mood stabilizer may also be given to help balance your emotional state. This may be temporary.

Natural Treatments

Natural treatments such as herbal supplements are becoming a popular choice among many women. The reason for this is because they want to avoid the side effects of many of the traditional treatments. Herbal supplements have very few side effects if any at all.

Black Cohosh is an herb that is very popular because of its ability to lower the levels of a hormone called the luteinizing hormone associated with the symptoms of menopause including hot flashes. It has been used for centuries and is often used in the Native American culture to deal with low energy, gynecological problems, back aches and more.

Other herbs that are popular for use in alleviating menopausal symptoms include red clover, wild yam, dong quai, and Chasteberry. These herbs are effective in treating menopausal symptoms but they may also benefit your over-all health. In order to find the highest quality supplements, the herbs used should be standardized herbal extracts; this ensures quality from capsule to capsule and bottle to bottle. They are made to pharmaceutical standards and are tested extensively.

Before adding anything to your health routine, it is wise to consult with your doctor. Though there are few to no side effects, the herbs may affect the performance of prescription drugs you may be taking for other health conditions.

Lifestyle Changes to Relieve Menopause

Reducing your alcohol intake and quitting smoking will help your menopausal symptoms.

Eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise will not only give you energy but it could enhance your sex drive. If you are basically sedentary, just getting a 5-10 minute walk every day will help.

Become comfortable with your aging process. Accepting yourself may help ease some of the emotional/mental symptoms of menopause. Be up front with your partner about your needs during this time. The use of natural treatments will reduce the risk of many of the side effects of prescribed treatments and may benefit your health in general.

Conclusion

Information on the menopause treatment options is abundant on the Internet, libraries, and from your physician. It is recommended that you discuss treatment options with your physician including natural treatments such as herbal supplements that may affect prescriptions you are taking for other health conditions. It is important for you to know you are not alone and there is relief.

Menopause is a difficult experience for any woman. The symptoms are irritating. Most treatments take exorbitant amounts of time to actually show results and some never do. You probably have all sorts of people giving you unsolicited advice. You pray for the day when you go deaf so you won’t have to hear everyone’s advice. Truthfully, it’s expected since one of your symptoms is irritability. Fortunately, for those around you there are many treatment options available.

When you discover one treatment doesn’t work for you don’t fret there is likely more. Here are some proven effective treatments you might not know about yet.

Develop a diet rich in phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens come from a variety of naturally occurring foods. Lignans are one of the types of phytoestrogen available in the food we eat. You can find lignans in foods that contain flaxseed, whole grains and they are also in many fruits and vegetables.

Isoflavones are also found in some beans. Most women will forgo hormone replacement therapy by using these foods rich in phytoestrogens. Tests have shown some promise as far as phytoestrogens are concerned but there is no solid proof that they can completely replace hormones. Treatment results vary greatly depending on the person. Many women describe fewer symptoms with treatment. Hormone therapy has also been reported to diminish these symptoms. It should go without writing but to keep everything covered and spelled out: a healthy and balanced diet really is an effective menopause treatment. Consuming a balanced and nutritious diet will help you keep your whole body healthy. Of course the needs of a woman going through menopause are going to be different than the needs of a woman who has not gone through the change yet. One’s calcium intake should be increased during and after menopause. If you want to keep osteoporosis at bay and keep your bone density levels up, doctors say you should get at least 1200mgs of calcium.

Smoking is, obviously, a no-no. Actually, you should not ever smoke. Quitting smoking can make you more irritable in the beginning but once you get over the initial withdrawals, leaving nicotine behind is a quite effective menopause treatment. Women who do not smoke experience fewer hot flashes. If you smoke you will probably go through menopause earlier than your non-smoking friends. So throw out the cigarettes!

You cannot universally treat menopause. No single treatment that will help every menopausal woman exists. Most women find that a combination of herbal, medicinal and lifestyle treatment is the best menopause treatment method. Other women choose only one form of treatment. Still others insist that menopause is not actually happening to them. You will figure out what is best for you. Make sure, however, that no matter what kind of menopause treatment that you decide to try, you run it past your doctor. Don’t try anything new without your doctor’s okay. You want to help yourself not hurt yourself.

Do you have to take synthetic or bio-identical estrogen to mask menopause symptoms? Then you should know that the side effects, such as breast swelling and uterine bleeding, bother many menopause women daily who take estrogen.

Estrogen was listed as one of the most potent chemical carcinogens in a biology textbook (Levine & Miller, 1994). Estrogen is a reproductive hormone, so most of its functioning sites are in the breasts and the uterus. No wonder all hormone treatments for menopause cause breast swelling and uterine bleeding. No wonder your doctor has to screen for cancers with mammograms and Pap smears routinely during your menopause treatment.

Good news for menopause women who are taking hormones: “Green tea is the single best cancer fighter.” said a director at a cancer prevention center in New York. Green tea has 20 times more free-radical fighting power than vitamin E and 200 times more than vitamin C. Nature packs green tea with EGCG, a great antioxidant which shows impressive activity against many kinds of cancer. Studies found that EGCG inhibits a key enzyme for cancer development.

EGCG is one class of a larger group of protective phyto-chemicals. Phyto-chemicals are natural chemicals widely distributed in plants. That is why eating more fruits and vegetables, in whatever form, is a great way to prevent cancers.

Extracts of green tea have been shown to prevent cancer in animals, and recently similar claims have been made about black tea. All true tea comes from the same plant species (Camellia sinensis), such as black tea, pu-erh tea, and oolong- tea, so they should contain the same amount of EGCG. However, herbal teas, such as peppermint, are not true tea, because they are made from different plants, so they do not contain as much EGCG as real tea.

You need to drink four cups of green tea daily to get the optimal dose of EGCG. Pour boiling water over tea leaves and let it steep for 5 minutes. To get the most antioxidant benefit, don’t add milk or sugar, and drink the tea immediately.

While the average American drinks 10 servings of green tea per year, the average Chinese drinks 150 servings per year. Although coffee increases heart rate, insomnia, nervousness, headache, irritability, diarrhea and frequent urination, so far, no negative effects have been reported on tea.

As Rome was not built in a day, cancer is not developed in a day. By the time you are diagnosed, the cancer has been in your body for 10 years. While you are taking estrogen to mask your menopause symptoms for years, estrogen stimulates your breasts and uterus everyday. Mammograms and Pap smears are only passive ways to prevent cancers.

Drinking tea is your daily anticancer weapon. It prevents cancer seeds from germinating and growing in your body. When the cancer is diagnosed, it has grown into a big cancer tree. The goal of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is to destroy the cancer tree, and obviously it is the last straw to save your life. Cancer risks increase as we age. Menopause women are especially susceptible to cancers while taking estrogen. Green tea is a great antidote to the cancer-causing effect by synthetic or bio-identical estrogen.

Perimenopause is a period of 2 to 10 years before Menopause actually sets in. Menopause is said to have begun if you miss your period for a full year or more straight.

Perimenopause and menopause are inevitable parts of a life if you are a woman. It doesn’t have to be as dreadful as some have made it out to be. All women go through them but not all of them will have the same symptoms and neither will the intensity of the symptoms be the same. As one woman, your symptoms can vary from month to month and in intensity.

Signs of Perimenopause – Menopause

Weight gain could indicate early menopause and can occur for two reasons. One reason is due to an increased appetite and a decrease in exercising. The second reason could be due to the body’s retention of water.

Mood swings can be associated with the fluctuating hormone levels which can be very erratic in many women. Depression, anxiety, and irritability may accompany mood swings.

Fibroid cysts in the breast and/or uterus may form. These are benign growths that can be surgically removed. They are not life threatening but could cause some discomfort. In the uterus, they may reduce your chances of becoming pregnant. Vaginal dryness and a less intense libido may also be signs of Perimenopause, menopause.

Hot flashes and night sweats are very common signs of perimenopause, menopause. Night sweats are hot flashes that occur at night. Many complain that the night sweats wake them up and their night clothes and bedding will be damp or wet. After they cool down and get back into bed, the bed may feel very cold because of the dampness. This could be avoided if the damp bedding were changed. A nice, dry bed is so comforting.

Insomnia or sleeplessness is another reported problem. You might have trouble getting to sleep or you may have trouble staying asleep. You might not be able to sleep long enough to be rested. Sleep problems could lead to fatigue/exhaustion.

Treatment Options

Option 1 – Pharmaceuticals can include over the counter medications and supplements as well as prescribed medications. There are two prescribed medications that are in common use: HRT – Hormone Replacement Therapy where the depleting levels of estrogen and progesterone are kept at a stable level. This is to hopefully relieve symptoms for many women. Anti-depressants are often prescribed to help relieve the depression many women feel during perimenopause and menopause. Unfortunately, there are some very serious side effects and these include ovarian, breast, and uterine cancers. This is why many women search for more natural and safer treatments.

Option 2 – Natural treatments particularly herbal supplements are much safer and have far fewer if any side effects. It is strongly recommended that you discuss adding herbal supplements to your regimen because some of the herbs can affect the performance of any medication you may be taking for other health conditions. Your doctor should be a good source of information.

Herbal supplements are not standardized as most known medications are by the FDA. This leaves room for the manufacturers to put as little or as much herbal contents that they want in their supplements. Some companies have gone so far as to list ingredients that are not in the supplement at all.

Many manufactures though are working to create the most effective, safe, and high quality herbal supplements they can make. There are a few things to note that will help you choose a high quality supplement. They use only standardized herbal extracts because this helps to ensure that the same amount of product is in each capsule and from bottle to bottle.

Standardized herbal extracts is also where the most active ingredients of the herbs are found. The ingredients are extensively tested. The metabolic pathway of the ingredients is studied at the molecular level and how the ingredients’ interact is observed.
High quality herbal supplements are made to meet pharmaceutical grade standards. All of this guarantees you that what is on the product label is actually in the supplement and that you have a safe, potent, effective product.

Option 3 – Lifestyle changes, just basic ones could help your body work at relieving your menopausal symptoms. Reducing the amount of alcohol that you drink may help to relieve hot flashes or night sweats. Alcohol makes you feel warm and make your skin appear flushed, most likely worsening the symptoms of hot flashes/night sweats.

Quit smoking! Smokers have problems with lung function due to the inhaled smoke blocking oxygen production. If you are a smoker, you could have far less stamina (endurance) for physical activity. As your heart and lungs work harder to give you as much oxygen as possible, you become winded and that’s why you may huff and puff after physical activity.

A healthy diet and getting regular exercise will not only help to build your stamina, help you to lose weight, and benefit your over all health; they can also help to boost your libido. Your body will work more efficiently as well.

Conclusion

The signs of perimenopause, menopause includes hot flashes/night sweats, mood swings, and Depression to name but a few. These symptoms will be experienced by every woman to a greater or lesser degree. Each woman will have the symptoms affect her differently from month to month.

The good news is that there is a variety of treatments available that help to relieve or get rid of the most bothersome symptoms. Hormone Therapy Replacement and other medications are very effective but have serious side effects. Herbal supplements are available that are specifically made to deal with menopausal symptoms. Your pharmacist, doctor, or a Naturalist Pharmacist can help direct you to the best quality supplements available. There is relief and it has much fewer, if any side effects. They may also benefit your over-all health.

Natural menopause treatment is becoming more and more popular with women, because it offers the same benefits of hormone replacement therapy treatments with synthetic hormones but it does this without women having to suffer from the nasty side effects of synthetic hormones and steroids

All women face menopause after the age of 50 years. Menopause occurs over a few years and this time can be very trying for a woman. A reduction in production of the female hormone estrogen and progesterone results in osteoporosis, hot flushes and general fatigue. A lot of research in this field has created effective menopause treatments. Since hormones are involved, all menopause treatments should be in consultation with one’s doctor.

Menopause treatment begins with a change in a woman’s dietary habits. One has to take calcium in the form of tablets or in natural dairy products and vegetables. She must decrease consumption of caffeine products like tea and coffee. This is helpful in preserving bone density and increases absorption of calcium.

Other menopause treatments include physical exercises to build strong bones. This must be in the form of a brisk walk or weightlifting exercises to strengthen her bones. Exercising regularly also helps in weight reduction. It is good for the heart and can reduce one’s cholesterol level.

Menopause treatments for hot flushes involve consumption of natural products like soy and tofu that contain natural estrogens. One can have them in raw or cooked form. Scientific studies indicate that soy definitely reduces hot flushes.

Several medicines can form a part of menopause treatments. The intake of belladonna and clonidine can considerably reduce hot flushes. However, one must study their side effects before consuming them. Some medicines induce sleep while others can be dangerous for those having blood pressure.

Another very popular menopause treatment is hormone replacement therapy. This therapy involves taking the estrogen and progesterone hormones orally or in the form of topical creams. Women who have their uterus intact must take both hormones in regulated doses. It is important to decide the dose as per the doctor’s directions since the intake varies from person to person.

A doctor’s guidance is a prerequisite for hormone therapy. Estrogen replacement can banish all symptoms of menopause like hot flushes, fractures and help build bone mass. This is because this form of menopause treatment can lead to breast cancer, blood clots and a host of other medical problems. It is important to know the woman’s medical record and family history of cancer. Women who are prone to cancer are not advised this menopause treatment.

Hormone therapy is available in the form of tablets and creams. Women under 50 years experiencing early menopause can safely take these types of menopause treatments. However, one must undertake a mammogram once in two years, if on hormone therapy. A host of menopause treatments is now widely available due to rapid advances in science. However, a woman must take a suitable treatment according to her needs and strictly under a doctor’s supervision.