Menopause Specialist

What is menopause?

Menopause is diagnosed when you’ve gone a full year since your last period. Menopause is a natural result of aging but can happen earlier in life due to a hysterectomy or cancer treatment.

Menopause marks a point in time when your fertility ends, but perimenopause – the years leading up to menopause – is characterized by irregular periods and changes in hormone levels that cause some of the most unpleasant changes. Perimenopause begins, on average, about four years before the onset of menopause.

What are the symptoms of perimenopause?

Menopause and perimenopause have a number of well-known symptoms. These include:

• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Mood swings
• Sleep problems
• Brain fog
• Vaginal dryness
• Changes in libido 
• Urinary incontinence
• Weight gain
• Painful intercourse

During perimenopause and menopause, your estrogen levels change remarkably, causing these symptoms. However, you don’t have to suffer these symptoms as a side effect of aging. The expert team at Beyond Women's Care offers a variety of treatment options to provide relief from menopause symptoms.

What treatments help relieve menopause symptoms?

Hormone therapy is the most common treatment for menopause and perimenopause symptoms. This approach rebalances your hormones to resolve issues such as mood swings, diminished libido, sleep problems, hot flashes, and night sweats. 

Hormone therapy is administered orally, through injections, in a patch, or as a cream. Beyond Women’s Care is proud to offer both synthetic and bioidentical hormones. It can take a period of trial and error to find the right hormone replacement balance, but your practitioner works closely with you until your symptoms improve. 

Vaginal dryness can be treated using vaginal lubricants or moisturizers. Low-dose estrogen therapy can also help, as can certain medications. A healthy sex life is important to overall health and wellness, so be sure to discuss any issues with painful intercourse or lack of desire with your gynecologist. 

Women in or beyond menopause have a unique set of health needs. Your gynecologist will also help you get the mammogram and osteoporosis screening you need to stay healthy. 

If you’re experiencing symptoms associated with menopause or perimenopause, call the caring team at Beyond Women's Care, or request an appointment online today to learn more about your options.