Alternative Menopause Treatment

By Jeanne W. Shiffman, MD, DABFP

Steinmetz Integrative & Functional Medicine Center

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Alternative Menopause Treatment

As women age, our bodies stop producing the same amount of hormones as when we were younger. Menopause literally means “end of monthly cycles.” But until 12 monthly cycles in a row have been skipped, it is called “peri-menopause” and afterward, “post-menopause.”

During this time, women can experience a range of uncomfortable symptoms – sometimes so severe they interfere with normal daily activities.

These include

Hot flashes

Insomnia

Irritability

Memory loss

Migraines

Vaginal dryness and pain

There are treatments available, so that is why it is important to visit your doctor and discuss your symptoms.

What Are Natural Or Holistic Options?

Menopause is a natural process – not an illness. There is no cure, yet some doctors prescribe harsh drugs. Some of these drugs have been associated with dangerous side effects or cancers. As a result, many are now seeking natural options.

Natural and holistic therapies can be tailor made for you and your unique symptoms. These therapies may include one or more of the following

Herbal regimens

Acupuncture

Diet changes

Creams or “personal” moisturizers

Homeopathic special blend products

Bio-Identical hormone therapy

After your doctor has ruled out other potential issues, like iron deficiency or thyroid problems, and reviewed your medical history, hormone therapy might be recommended. A better option than synthetic and horse urine products may be bio-identical hormone therapy. This means that they are chemically identical to hormones made by the human body. There are bio-identical hormone preparations available at your local pharmacy, as well as compound treatments that can be tailor made for you based on your unique needs.

What To Expect

Initializing hormone therapy may include measuring estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and/or DHEA levels. Special estrogen metabolism testing can show how your body might react and breakdown an estrogen product. It can be used to determine if estrogen therapy is safe for you.

Next, you and your doctor discuss what products make sense for you, your symptoms, and your lifestyle. By monitoring your response to the medications, your dosage and treatment plan can be modified accordingly. While some European studies have suggested bio-identical hormone therapy is safer than synthetic hormones, long-term studies have not yet proven this. Thus, it is important to follow-up with your doctor regularly.

Be Healthy

Eating right, exercising, and not smoking are equally important to overall wellness. As your hormones, nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle improve, you should begin to feel better as you enter the next phase of your life.