Menopause frees a woman from her menstrual period for good. Also, it marks the end of her fertile period. Menopause occurs at varying ages and may bring different symptoms. During menopause, a woman’s body stops producing some hormones such as estrogen, triggering undesirable symptoms. Thankfully, a doctor like Dr. John Gomes Garden City can help women manage their menopause symptoms.
Common Menopausal Symptoms
The menopause symptoms that women experience vary greatly. While some women have mild symptoms others have intense symptoms. These symptoms include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, insomnia, night sweats, mood swings, frequent urination, weight gain, and depression.
How to Manage Menopausal Symptoms
There are many ways menopausal symptoms can be managed. These include the following:
- Making lifestyle changes. These lifestyle changes are meant to relieve the main symptoms that interfere with everyday life such as hot flashes. Other lifestyle changes that can be made include choosing lightweight bedding, wearing cool clothing when sleeping, getting a bedside fan, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying active.
- Getting hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). HRT replaces the progesterone and estrogen the body stops making during menopause. A doctor can prescribe hormones such as bioidentical hormones, synthetic hormones, and hormones from animals or plants.
- Eating a healthy diet. During menopause, a woman’s nutrition must change. She must eat in a way that supports her new needs. She should eat foods rich in both vitamin D and calcium for good bone health. Also, she should get enough vitamin B6 every day to maintain strong immunity and consume phytoestrogen foods like soy products.
- Consider non-invasive treatments. Because of reduced hormone production when menopause sets in, a woman can notice some vaginal symptoms like itching, dryness, laxity, burning, and even pain during sex. If such conditions impact her relationship or quality of life, she should consider non-invasive treatment for vaginal tissue rejuvenation.
- Stay hydrated. Consuming enough water every day can be a solution to a lot of issues. It can help with fatigue, brain fog, and chronic headaches. During menopause, it is best to consume a minimum of 64 ounces of water.
- Consider taking non-hormonal medications. These medications include SSRI antidepressants to minimize the symptoms of night sweats and hot flashes. Also, medications for blood pressure can help manage vasomotor symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, hot flashes, and sweating. Other medications that can help with menopausal symptom management include osteoporosis medication. This medication can be prescribed to keep the bone strong and prevent bone loss.
