Menopause Treatments to Ease One of Life’s Inevitable Transitions

All women who reach a certain age will go through menopause, and while this phase of life has a bad reputation, menopause doesn’t have to feel daunting. Menopause treatments have come a long way since your mother and grandmother went through it. If you’re approaching this phase of life, know that you don’t have to fear it.

Finding the Right Menopause Treatment

Officially, the definition of menopause is a single point in time, 12 months after your final menstrual period. The average age women in the United States experience menopause is age 51, but there’s no such thing as an “average” menopause experience. Every woman goes through this phase of life differently.

“Women can have symptoms of menopause for anywhere from four to eight years before their periods stop, a phase we refer to as perimenopause,” says Dr. Eve Ashby, FACOOG at Beaufort Memorial Lowcountry Medical Group Specialty Care. “But women shouldn’t feel like they have to suffer. There are many ways to treat perimenopause symptoms, from prescription medications to lifestyle changes to diet. Open communication with your provider helps us find the right mix for you.”

Read More: Symptoms of Perimenopause: What You Need to Know

Medications for Menopause

During perimenopause, levels of estrogen drop, and that can cause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. To counteract this drop in estrogen, your provider may recommend:

• Hormonal birth control
• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• Over-the-counter creams or lubricants to help with vaginal dryness
• Topical creams containing hormones
• Non-hormonal medications to help target hot flashes and night sweats, including a new medication called fezolinetant

Is HRT Right for Me?

The goal of menopausal hormone therapy is to replace lost estrogen and alleviate your symptoms. HRT may help reduce the risk of bone loss, which occurs in the years leading up to and after menopause. It may also reduce your risk for osteoporosis, heart disease and diabetes, all conditions influenced by hormone changes.

“Although HRT is safer than many women believe, it is not for everyone,” Dr. Ashby says. “Women with a history of coronary heart disease, for example, or a current or past diagnosis of breast cancer should look for alternative treatment options. Talk to your provider about the benefits and risks.”

HRT comes in different forms — pill, patch, implant, cream, gel, spray or vaginal ring. Side effects of HRT include a slightly increased risk of breast cancer, stroke and blood clots, so women who take it generally receive the lowest possible dose for the shortest period of time to minimize those risks.

Free Download: Making Sense of Menopause

Herbal Supplements: Can They Treat Menopause?

Many women turn to natural remedies instead of or alongside HRT and other medications to relieve menopause symptoms. There isn’t enough scientific research to support the claims made about these products, so it’s unclear how effective they are for treating menopause. However, many women believe they work. You may want to check with your gynecologist or health care provider to see if these are safe for you. Some supplements can negatively interact with medications you take, posing an unnecessary health risk.

Popular herbal supplements and the symptoms they reportedly help with include:

• Black cohosh — hot flashes
• Red clover — hot flashes
• Ginseng — sleep issues and mood swings

Fortify Your Diet

“Two supplements we often recommend are calcium and vitamin D, both of which can protect your bone health,” Dr. Ashby says. “Vitamin D boosts calcium absorption, so taking them together is ideal.”

As with most nutrients, your body absorbs calcium best from the foods you eat. Good sources of calcium include:

• Fatty fish, including salmon and sardines
• Fortified 100% fruit juices
• Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, kale and collard greens
• Low-fat dairy products
• Soymilk and other soy products, such as tofu

Many of these foods also contain vitamin D, but it’s difficult for most people to get enough from diet alone. Supplements are often necessary.

Read More: How to Increase Your Vitamin D Levels

Every woman’s menopause journey is different, from the symptoms you experience to which remedies help you feel your best. Many uncomfortable symptoms can be treated, so talk to your women’s health provider about the right treatment options for you.

Let our women’s health providers help you navigate the menopausal transition. Request an appointment.