Menopause Treatment

A woman’s transition into menopause is typically marked by the body’s inability to produce normal levels of natural hormones. These changes can lead to menopause symptoms that can be painful and impact quality of life in a variety of ways Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a highly effective treatment option to relieve menopausal symptoms, restoring your quality of life, and supporting your health and wellness to make this transition as smooth as possible.

Understanding the Symptoms of Menopause and Hormonal Imbalances

Medical professionals diagnose menopause after a woman’s menstrual cycle has stopped for a period of twelve consecutive months. This is due to the body’s declining production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone which typically begins during the perimenopause phase, prior to menopause. During this phase, you may be experiencing a range of challenging yet common symptoms such as:
  • Hot flashes and night sweats
  • Vaginal dryness and painful intercourse
  • Mood swings, irritability, or depression
  • Insomnia and fatigue
  • Brain fog
  • Decreased libido
  • Loss of bone density
  • Irregular periods
A loss in the body’s natural production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone causes hormone imbalances that can lead to pain, discomfort, and difficulty functioning through your daily routine. Menopausal hormone therapy treatments can relieve hot flashes and other symptoms:

Hot Flashes and Night Sweats

Hormonal imbalance can impact the regulation of body temperature triggering discomfort through sudden sensations of heat that are due to fluctuations in estrogen. Sweating, flushed face, and trouble sleeping are typical of hot flashes and night sweats

Vaginal Dryness and Discomfort

Women dealing with routine dryness, irritation, and atrophy of the vaginal walls may be experiencing difficulty during intercourse. These can all be caused by a decrease in the body’s decreasing estrogen production and hormone therapy can be very effective at reducing pain, increasing blood flow, and restoring elasticity to the vaginal tissue for relief from discomfort during sex.

Mood Changes

Mood swings are another common symptom of decreased hormone production and the resulting imbalances, leading to feelings of anxiety, irritability and depression. Estrogen therapy treatments can relieve these emotional symptoms of menopause.

Insomnia and Other Sleep Challenges

An inability to retain normal sleep patterns due to insomnia may have a negative effect on your health and make tackling your daily responsibilities much more difficult. Restful sleep is vital for the body and the mind to work properly and hormonal imbalances triggered by menopause are a common obstacle that hormone therapy can help navigate.

Difficulty Concentrating

Brain fog is also a common part of menopause. A loss of concentration or difficulty keeping focused characterized by a mental haziness and fatigue. This can interfere with your normal everyday routine and hormone deficiencies may be to blame. Hormone replacement therapies can help you manage the symptoms and regain mental sharpness and clarity.

Decreased Libido

Vaginal discomfort and painful sex due to dryness or atrophy can make it difficult to be intimate. But a hormone deficiency can also depress the libido with a general disinterest in intimacy. Increasing estrogen levels through hormone therapy has been shown to relieve these symptoms.

Bone Loss

Women with menopausal symptoms are at a greater risk of fracture and resorption as bone density is decreased and the chances of developing osteoporosis increase. Menopause hormone therapy options can have a positive impact on bone health by slowing resorption and strengthening bones to prevent fracture.

How Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Help

Menopause treatment called hormone replacement therapy administers bioidentical hormones that work to replace the naturally-occurring hormones the body can no longer produce. These therapies are tailored to meet each patient’s particular needs as determined by several factors including menopausal symptoms and health history. Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone therapies are popular and effective solutions to relieve menopause symptoms but there are other options available and possibly more suitable for your specific needs. BodyLogicMD is an expert healthcare provider of hormone replacement therapy treatments that may include the following:

The Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy Treatments

When the body is unable to produce enough estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone, hormone therapy treatments are prescribed to target and alleviate a variety of symptoms. Consider the many benefits that come with these treatments:

01

Estrogen Therapy

  • Reduces the symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats
  • Supports increased mood and cognitive function
  • Relieves vaginal dryness and discomfort
  • Helps to prevent osteoporosis and lowers the risk of bone fractures
  • Hydrates the skin and improves elasticity

02

Progesterone Therapy

  • Promotes better, more restful sleep
  • Regulates increased mood and reduces anxiety
  • May lower the risks of certain cancers when administered with estrogen
  • Supports a balanced menstrual cycle

03

Testosterone Therapy

  • Increases libido and enhanced sexual satisfaction
  • Improves energy
  • Supports muscle mass and strength
  • Promotes mood and cognitive function
  • May help fortify bone density and lower the risk of fracture
  • Boosts overall health and well-being

What are Bioidentical Hormones?

Bioidentical hormones are administered as part of a hormone replacement therapy regimen as they have been engineered with the same chemical makeup as the same hormones that are naturally-occurring in the body. Bioidentical hormones are a common treatment option for targeting menopausal symptoms in women whose bodies are no longer capable of producing the necessary levels of hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

Hormone Urinalysis Testing

Our unique way of evaluating hormone levels is by urinalysis.  This allows us to measure not only the hormone levels more accurately than blood, but also measure the hormone metabolites to make sure the body is clearing them properly.  Through collecting 5 small samples throughout the day, we are able to measure estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and our adrenal hormones DHEA and cortisol.  Cortisol is a critical hormone that plays an important role in energy levels and how we handle stress.  Our cortisol levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day, so it is important to obtain several samples to evaluate optimal adrenal function.

Are There Health
Risks to Hormone Replacement Therapy?

While hormone replacement therapy can be a useful solution for targeting the symptoms of menopause, there are some risks that must be taken into consideration before starting a treatment regimen of hormone therapy. These risks can occur for some women based on the type of hormones administered, dosing levels, and the proposed timeline for treatment. 
 

Possible Health Risks

  • Increased risk of blood clots
  • Slight increase in the risk of certain types of breast cancer
  • Risks of uterine cancer with estrogen therapy administered without progesterone
  • Elevated risk of stroke or heart disease with hormone therapies administered years after a diagnosis of menopause.

Any treatment regimen administered for managing menopause symptoms must be done under careful medical guidance with close monitoring for appropriate dosage levels to avoid the risks of side effects and health concerns.