Menopause is a natural transition that all women go through as they age. It marks the end of a woman's reproductive years and is defined as occurring 12 months after a woman's last menstrual period. On average, menopause happens between the ages of 45-55.
During menopause, a woman's body produces less of the key hormones - estrogen and progesterone - which cause irregular periods and eventual cessation of menstruation. Other common symptoms associated with menopause are hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood changes, trouble sleeping, and weight gain. While menopause is a normal part of aging, addressing hormone deficiencies and managing symptoms is important.
There are three stages of menopause that lead up to the end of a woman's reproductive years:
Perimenopause refers to the time leading up to menopause when hormone levels begin to fluctuate and decline. This stage usually begins for women in their late 30s to early 40s. Irregular periods are often the first sign of perimenopause. Hot flashes, trouble sleeping, and mood changes may also occur. Managing symptoms during perimenopause can ease the transition into menopause.
Menopause is reached when a woman has not had a menstrual cycle for 12 consecutive months and no longer ovulates. During this stage, estrogen levels are very low. Symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and urinary issues are most likely to peak during this stage due to the estrogen deficiency.
Postmenopause refers to the years after menopause has occurred. During postmenopause, symptoms like hot flashes ease for many women. However, the risk of certain health conditions increases after menopause, including osteoporosis and heart disease. Continuing to manage hormone levels and health risks is important in the postmenopausal years.
Getting educated on the stages of menopause will help women know what to expect and how to best care for their bodies during this transition. Our experienced healthcare providers at Hormone Harmony Clinic guide women through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.
The hormonal changes of menopause can trigger a variety of signs and symptoms. Being aware of common symptoms will help women identify when they may be starting perimenopause or menopause. Monitoring symptoms over time and reporting them to a healthcare provider enables appropriate treatment plans to be put in place to ease discomforts.
Vasomotor symptoms involve the constriction and dilation of blood vessels as hormone levels shift. Hot flashes and night sweats are the most common vasomotor symptoms of menopause. Hot flashes cause sudden feelings of warmth spreading through the upper body, along with flushed skin that can lead to red blotchiness on the face, neck and chest. Night sweats cause episodes of extreme perspiration that can interfere with sleep. Managing hot flashes and night sweats eases discomfort. Certain lifestyle adjustments can help, along with hormone therapy in some cases.
Declining estrogen levels often lead to changes in vaginal health after menopause. Vaginal dryness and discomfort are common complaints, along with itching, burning or pain. Over time, thinning vaginal tissue can also cause painful intercourse. Using vaginal moisturizers and lubricants can help ease some of these symptoms. For moderate to severe cases, local estrogen therapy may be recommended to improve vaginal tissue health.
Urinary urgency, increased frequency of urination and incontinence issues can occur after menopause due to urethral tissue thinning and a decline in estrogen. Staying hydrated, doing Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor, using topical vaginal estrogen and considering medication can help manage troublesome urinary issues.
Mood changes like irritability, anxiety, sadness and trouble focusing are common menopause complaints. Fatigue from poor sleep along with fluctuating hormones are often contributors to mental fog and depression for some women. Identifying triggers, engaging in self-care, trying mind-body practices, and asking for support are helpful ways to cope. For significant mood issues, counseling or medication may provide relief.
Monitoring for menopause symptoms enables prompt interventions. Hormone Harmony Clinic offers comprehensive symptom evaluation, tracking and treatment to help patients achieve the relief they seek.
Navigating menopause can be eased by understanding possible approaches for managing symptoms and hormone changes. Lifestyle measures and certain therapies provide safe and effective relief for many women. Our clinic helps patients evaluate their menopause management options and craft tailored treatment plans based on individual needs.
Simple lifestyle measures are the first line of treatment for menopause care:
Easy lifestyle tweaks can make a significant difference in minimizing unpleasant menopause symptoms.
Hormone therapy (HT) involves supplementation with estrogen, progesterone or both to ease moderate to severe menopause symptoms. HT replaces the hormones that the ovaries no longer produce after menopause. Goals of HT include:
HT dosage, formulations and duration of use depend on each woman's needs and health profile. Hormone Harmony Clinic specializes in customizing hormone therapy to achieve the right balance for every patient.
Estrogen therapy typically uses conjugated estrogens, synthetic 17?-estradiol, or estradiol valerate. These bioidentical estrogens replace the estrogen the body loses during menopause. Estrogen therapy effectively treats hot flashes, prevents bone loss, and improves vaginal tissue health when used short term. Estrogen therapy alone is generally only recommended for women who have had hysterectomies since unopposed estrogen can increase cancer risks for women with intact uteruses.
For menopausal women who still have a uterus, progestogen is typically added to estrogen therapy. Progestogen protects the uterine lining, reducing risk for endometrial hyperplasia and cancer that can occur with estrogen-only therapy in women with uteruses. There are many FDA-approved options for high quality bioidentical progesterone in addition to synthetic progestins. Our providers help patients weigh the pros, cons and differences between these options.
General HT recommendations are to:
FDA guidelines approve HT for short-term use up to 5 years. Evidence also shows efficacy and safety for longer duration in appropriate candidates. Hormone Harmony Clinic providers review duration considerations thoroughly with all patients, assessing the benefits and risks of therapy over time.
With an array of hormone therapy options now available, finding the optimal type, dose, ingredients and duration is key. Our exceptional providers will help patients tailor hormone therapy to meet their unique needs.
Some women may opt to try alternative therapies either instead of, or in addition to, hormone therapy. These options for easing discomforts include:
The safety and efficacy of alternative therapies varies greatly depending on the approach. Hormone Harmony Clinic providers offer evidence-based guidance on all alternative options to help patients make the best choices.
Adopting healthy lifestyle habits provides important benefits during and after the menopausal transition:
Hormone Harmony Clinic offers individualized lifestyle recommendations and access to weight loss programs, yoga classes, counseling services and more to help patients achieve optimal wellbeing during menopause and beyond.
Researchers have discovered that learning complex choreography, like flamenco or tap dance, can calm hot flashes and clear brain fog for women going through menopause. The challenge of intricate, rhythmic movement stimulates blood flow, regulates body temperature, and releases endorphins, helping menopausal women regulate and relearn their own physical signals.
Hormone Harmony Clinic provides compassionate, evidence-based menopause care and counsel to all women in Palm Coast and the surrounding region. Our experienced healthcare providers offer an array of services to guide women through the changes of menopause safely and comfortably.
Our clinic specializes exclusively in sexual health, hormone therapies and wellbeing across the full reproductive spectrum - from puberty through menopause and beyond. We maintain an in-depth understanding of the intricacies of hormone balance and are solely focused on this field of medicine. Our providers participate in continuing education regularly to remain at the forefront of advances in menopause management.
We take time getting to know our patients as individuals first and foremost. Through sensitive conversations and testing, we develop customized treatment plans to meet each woman's unique needs and health profile during menopause. No two patients or treatment regimens are alike at our clinic. We fine tune care over time to achieve optimal symptom relief and wellness.
Accurately assessing hormone status via blood, saliva or urine testing establishes the foundations for proper treatment. Hormone Harmony Clinic offers state-of-the-art testing capabilities in house for convenience. We also partner with specialized labs across the country for leading edge test offerings. Our extensive testing menus aid us in obtaining the objective data needed to provide the best individualized therapies.
Locally-owned and operated, our Palm Coast office provides a modern, peaceful atmosphere conveniently close to home. We offer daytime, evening and weekend appointments to accommodate busy schedules. Our compassionate staff and providers make vital care accessible for women right in their community.
We actively coordinate care with other providers like gynecologists and mental health practitioners to ensure continuity for our patients. Our team stays in touch between visits via secure messaging for ongoing questions, care updates or prescription needs. Hormone Harmony Clinic works hard to offer the comprehensive, convenient support patients want.
With informed, proactive treatment tailored to each woman, Hormone Harmony Clinic delivers rewarding menopause management with a personalized touch.
