When menopause strikes, your symptoms may seem to rule your life and last forever. You should know, then, that a number of effective treatments can knock your symptoms down and make your life a lot more comfortable.
At New England Women’s Healthcare, our team specializes in a number of women’s health comcerns, including menopause. Leading our team are eight board-certified OBGYN doctors, who specialize in menopause treatments to make your feel more comfortable.
Menopause marks the time in a woman’s life when she is no longer able to conceive a baby. It’s marked by the end of her menstrual cycles, and is a natural process that usually occurs in a woman’s 40s or 50s.
There are three stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Perimenopause actually begins years before you actually have symptoms. In this stage, your body’s levels of the hormone estrogen begin to slowly decline, and perimenopause lasts until menopause arrives.
At menopause, your ovaries no longer release eggs, and your estrogen levels have declined significantly. You’re considered to be in menopause when you’ve gone 12 straight months without menstruation.
Postmenopause begins immediately after menopause, and you’re in this stage for the rest of your life. Many women no longer have the negative symptoms associated with menopause during this stage. However, if you do still have symptoms, you’re likely eager for treatment.
After your estrogen significantly decreases, your body goes through a transition, marked by a number of different symptoms. These symptoms vary from person to person, but may include things like:
Mood swings are another symptom of the transition into menopause. You’re happy one minute, and angry or upset the next. This can make your daily life with family and friends challenging.
Your menstrual cycle also becomes very irregular while you’re going through menopause. You could go months without your cycle, and then have it for weeks at a time. While this is normal, it’s very inconvenient.
If your menopause symptoms are disrupting your life, you may want to seek treatment from the team at New England Women’s Healthcare. We offer several therapies to decrease your menopausal symptoms.
You may have different needs than others who are going through menopause, so our team creates a specialized treatment plan to ease your specific symptoms. Some of the treatments we recommend include:
One of the main reasons for your menopausal symptoms is the decline in estrogen. Hormone replacement therapy uses pills, injectable pellets, and creams to renew your estrogen levels and restore your body’s natural balance, thus improving your symptoms.
Sometimes you can tame your menopause symptoms through a few lifestyle changes. For instance, cutting back on caffeine can help with hot flashes. If you have chills, dress in layers so you can take them off if you suddenly have a hot flash.
Eating healthier and exercising regularly also have a positive impact on your symptoms and your overall health.
If you’re suffering from mood swings and hot flashes, our team may put you on antidepressants, specifically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These can significantly improve your mood related to menopause.
There are other medications as well that can help with more specific symptoms, which our team can go over with you.
When you need expert treatment options for your menopause symptoms, don’t hesitate to contact one of our offices in Wilmington or Woburn, Massachusetts, to schedule a consultation. You may also request an appointment with one of our providers using our online booking tool.
