Menopause is a natural stage of life, not something that you must take medicine for. If your doctor says that you are in the menopausal transition and the symptoms are not bothering you, you don’t have to do anything about them.
If the symptoms are making you very uncomfortable, there are things you can do to relieve your discomfort. Your treatment should be chosen based on your own symptoms and health risks. What your sister or friend does may not be the right choice for you. Talk to your doctor about the best approach for you.
Goals of Therapy Menopause
Menopause is an inevitable natural process every woman goes through and there are many symptoms, which occur with menopause. For women who require relief from these symptoms, there are various treatment options available. The goal of therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms is to control the occurrence or minimize the impact of these symptoms, which cause discomfort to a woman undergoing the menopausal transition. The symptoms usually occur due to a decline in the hormones, i.e. estrogen and progesterone during menopause.
Although Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is considered as an effective treatment for menopause, it causes some serious side effects. Therefore, it is prescribed only in cases where the symptoms are severe and the benefits outweigh the risks.
- For mild symptoms of menopause, lifestyle modifications including dietary changes, exercising and physical activity, quitting smoking and limiting the intake of alcohol, and taking care of emotional health should be used as the first line of therapy.
- If some symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, urinary inconsistency, and vaginal problems bother you more than you can tolerate, then your HCP may prescribe you HRT. The FDA recommends the use of HRT at the lowest dose for the shortest duration. You need to regularly consult your HCP so that your dose of HRT can be lowered or completely stopped, once the symptoms are under control and have stopped bothering you.
- A healthy lifestyle should be part of any strategy to relieve menopausal symptoms.
- Also, every woman should learn about the alternatives to treat menopausal symptoms. Some CAM therapies, life-Yoga, Tai Chi, relaxation techniques, and acupuncture may provide significant relief from some symptoms of menopause.
