Menopause happens when a woman's reproductive system is coming to an end, and she will no longer have periods. Her likelihood of having children will also drastically decrease during menopause; once it is over, she will no longer be able to reproduce. Menopause is a natural process for women around the late 40s to late 50s.
• An early sign of menopause is if a woman has started to have an extremely irregular menstrual cycle.
• Her hormone levels also go out of order during menopause and fluctuate regularly.
• A woman may experience sudden blinding hot flashes due to declining estrogen levels.
• Due to hormone levels becoming unstable, mood swings also become unpredictable. Depression and anxiety might also join the bandwagon in the process.
• Libido hits an all-time low.
• Experiencing headaches and being unable to get a good night's rest.
• If a woman engages in sex during menopause, there is a good chance she will experience a lot of pain during intercourse.
• Vaginal dryness and possibly infections.
• Sweating, especially during the night.
• Urinary problems.
• Going to a therapist or psychologist for counseling is an excellent way to get help managing mood swings. The medical professional will be able to guide you on how to counter the effects that hormonal imbalance is causing on the body.
• An unorthodox but possibly helpful treatment to reduce menopause symptoms can be hypnosis. Hypnosis manages to ease hot flashes and sweating during menopause.
• Hormone therapy or Estrogen therapy is another effective method to help relieve the symptom of hot flashes. However, it is not okay for many women to undergo it, even if it works for others. This is because it includes risks such as significantly affecting the body's cardiovascular functions and a woman's breasts. Therefore, it would be wise to consult a doctor before going for any treatment.
• Certain medicines can help reduce and ease the pain of vaginal dryness. These medicines could be in the form of a cream or tablet. The treatment allows a little estrogen to enter the body and relieve vaginal dryness. By doing this, the dryness will be reduced, and any discomfort felt during sex or urination will also be taken care of.
• Another treatment plan to consider in relieving menopause symptoms would be a certain kind of light anti-depressants. These could aid in easing hot flashes for those who cannot undergo hormone therapy and help manage any mood disorder being experienced.
• It is also essential to know that certain foods might trigger specific menopause symptoms, and it is best to avoid them and instead try to maintain a healthy diet as much as possible. Some foods have triggered many women's hot flashes, sweating, and mood swings. For example, caffeine, alcohol, and, in general, foods that are spicy or sugary may trigger the symptoms.
• Interestingly, eating foods high in phytoestrogens helps relieve many menopause symptoms and scorching flashes. This is because phytoestrogens have similar effects to that of estrogen on the body.
• Herbal remedies or natural supplements are also a possible treatment plan that could be followed. For example, the herb black cohosh has proven to have relieving effects for hot flashes. However, it is crucial to note that natural remedies do not have enough evidence backing them up, so they might not significantly ease menopause symptoms.
Before deciding on any treatment plan, it is always best to consult a medical practitioner who can successfully guide you in the right direction.
Our clinical experts continually monitor the health and medical content posted on CURA4U, and we update our blogs and articles when new information becomes available. Last reviewed by Dr.Saad Zia on May 2nd, 2023.
