Menopause Counseling & Treatment Options
posted: May 11, 2022.
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Discover simple solutions to ease menopause symptoms.
Yes, all women will go through menopause, but what women shouldn’t have to go through are night sweats, weight gain, hair loss, and other unpleasant symptoms that come along with this change in hormones. Menopause is normal, but it doesn’t mean that the problems you’re dealing with are just par for the course! An OBGYN can provide you with helpful strategies to better manage your menopause symptoms.
Signs of Menopause
With the sudden drop in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, it’s no surprise that this can lead to some rather unpleasant symptoms. While women often enter menopause between 45-and 54 years old, the fact is that many women experience some of these symptoms years before (this is commonly referred to as perimenopause). You may be faced with,
- Night sweats and hot flashes
- Vaginal dryness
- Decreased sexual drive
- Brain fog and memory issues
- Insomnia or poor sleep
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Brittle nails and hair
- Dry skin
Managing Menopause Symptoms
Every woman has different needs, so your OBGYN will take a personalized approach to health care and provide the right strategies, interventions, and treatment options that work best for you, your health, and your lifestyle. Many women find that they can drastically improve their symptoms through simple lifestyle strategies. Some of these lifestyle changes include,
Focusing on a healthy diet: Your diet can play a critical role in your hormones and health. Eating a diet rich in sugar, salt, additives, and chemicals can wreak havoc on your hormones. Eating an unprocessed, high-fiber whole diet is key to easing symptoms. You may even want to work with a doctor to identify food allergies and sensitivities, which can often make symptoms worse.
Getting regular exercise: Add regular aerobic activity into your daily routine. Even just 30-45 minutes a day is all you need. Incorporate strength training, circuit training and
Cut back on alcohol: Alcohol can undoubtedly make hot flashes and night sweat worse, not to mention that it can also increase your risk for certain cancers, heart problems and other health issues. Alcohol can also make anxiety and depression worse, which might mean it’s time to kick the habit (or, at the very least, cut back).
Get your nightly ZZZs: Sleep is critical to good health, no matter your age; however, your hormone fluctuations may be keeping you up at night or causing you to toss and turn. This is when your OBGYN and you can sit down and point out bad habits that might be making it harder for you to get good sleep (e.g., playing on your phone) and create better sleep habits.
Your OBGYN is going to be instrumental in helping you find ways to balance hormones, whether through replacement therapy, lifestyle changes, or both. If you are experiencing symptoms of hormonal changes and you’re in your 40s, it’s a good time to chat with your OBGYN.