Menopause is a natural transition that all women experience as they age. The years leading up to menopause are called perimenopause. During this time, women may begin noticing changes related to decreasing estrogen levels. Common symptoms include:
Sudden waves of heat in the upper body, often accompanied by sweating and flushing, are very common. These uncomfortable symptoms can disrupt sleep and daily activities.
As estrogen levels fall, the vaginal tissue becomes drier, thinner, and more prone to irritation. This can lead to symptoms like itching, burning, and pain, especially during intercourse.
Hormone fluctuations during perimenopause and menopause can trigger mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and an increased risk for depression. Support and treatment can help manage these symptoms.
Other common menopausal symptoms include fatigue, memory problems, weight gain, hair thinning, urinary issues, and changes in libido. The wide variety of possible symptoms underscores the importance of comprehensive menopause care.
While symptoms eventually subside for some women, 75% have persistent, disruptive symptoms lasting over one year. Hormone therapy can provide relief by replacing depleted hormones. Benefits may include:
Estrogen therapy is very effective at minimizing troublesome vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. This can greatly improve comfort and quality of life.
Estrogen plays an important role in bone and cardiovascular health. Hormone therapy helps prevent conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease associated with menopause.
By reducing disruptive physical and emotional symptoms, hormone therapy helps women feel more like themselves again. This has a significant positive impact on work, relationships and overall wellbeing.
In addition to protecting bone and heart health, estrogen may help avoid issues like urinary incontinence, certain eye diseases, and gum disease.
Women going through menopause should partner with a healthcare provider for support and treatment options. At Balance Hormone Clinic, we provide:
We get to know patients as individuals first, carefully listening about medical history and lifestyle. This allows us to develop customized treatment plans.
We utilize advanced hormone and metabolic testing to gain deeper insights compared to standard screens. This informs smarter, more precise therapeutic choices.
Hormone levels change over time, so we closely track patient progress. We adjust therapies to ensure ideal symptom relief and health protection based on the latest test results.
We provide evidence-based, holistic lifestyle guidance regarding nutrition, exercise, stress management and sleep hygiene. Supporting healthy lifestyle changes amplifies therapeutic benefits.
We integrate complementary therapies like dietary supplements, acupuncture, breathing exercises, and mind-body practices as appropriate to provide comprehensive biological, psychological and social support.
Balance Hormone Clinic was founded by top physicians focused specifically on hormone-related conditions. We leverage extensive experience and emerging science to provide unparalleled therapeutic clarity and results, including:
We offer a wider range of advanced hormone preparations compared to most clinics, allowing for greater personalization and precision.
Our therapies utilize research-proven delivery methods, rotating schedules, and dosage adjustments for enhanced safety and symptom control.
For patients hesitant to start hormone therapy, we have several highly effective non-hormonal options to consider first.
We tap into the latest science around biological individuality for deeper, more tailored therapeutic insights. This allows us to create the most effective treatment plans possible.
The bottom line - no two patients are alike, so cookie-cutter approaches rarely suffice. We meet patients where they are to guide them to where they want to be for the best menopause experience possible.
Studies show that practicing yoga can help alleviate many common menopausal symptoms. Specific poses that twist, stretch and strengthen the body may aid with hot flashes, mood swings, pain, and sleep troubles. Yoga's breathing techniques and meditation can also reduce stress, making this an accessible, drug-free approach to managing menopause.
It is crucial for women to properly prepare for and manage menopause. Without support, symptoms often slowly worsen over time, significantly impacting work, relationships, overall health and longevity.
Furthermore, the longer patients wait for treatment of hormone deficiency, the greater the risks, including:
In a nutshell - menopause care is medical prevention and intervention, not just symptom relief. As such, timely diagnosis and treatment is imperative.
The good news is that with proper science-based care, most symptoms can be effectively treated and related health risks mitigated, allowing women to thrive through the menopausal transition.
Navigating menopause can be challenging without the right information and support. Below we explore key topics to know to make the best decisions for your health during this transition.
Perimenopause marks the 2-10 year transition period leading up to the final menstrual cycle. Understanding the changes sets the stage for better self-care.
Cyclic rising and falling of reproductive hormones like estrogen accelerate during perimenopause. This increases PMS-like symptoms and disrupts menstrual regularity.
Symptoms similar to menopause may begin during perimenopause but are often dismissed as normal aging or stress. Tracking symptoms identifies changes requiring attention.
Menstrual irregularity is a defining feature of perimenopause. Cycle tracking provides clues into what is happening internally hormonally.
Ovulation becomes less consistent but doesn’t always stop. Tracking with luteinizing hormone test strips indicates when ovulation is still occurring.
Symptoms tend to slowly worsen over the perimenopausal transition if left untreated. Getting ahead of issues leads to the best long-term outcomes.
The takeaway - perimenopause marks the beginning of reproductive aging. Supporting changing biology early on sets the stage for an easier menopause transition.
Testing is crucial to identify risks and make smart treatment decisions. We clarify which tests to get and when to get them based on age and individual risk factors.
Metabolic screens check cardiovascular, blood sugar, immune, thyroid and hormonal status. These provide risk information and critical baseline values.
DEXA scans measure bone density in the hip and spine. Declining estrogen increases the risks of osteopenia and osteoporosis over time. Early monitoring is key.
Genes impact hormone levels and health risks. Genetic panels identify vulnerabilities to customize prevention and screening protocols.
Hormones and health risks evolve over the menopausal transition, so testing should occur periodically to update therapeutic approaches. We determine optimal retesting frequency based on initial results and symptoms.
The bottom line - strategic testing provides vital guidance to provide the best care through menopause and beyond.
HT utilizes estrogen, often with progestins, to replace declining hormones. Multiple HT preparations and protocols exist to cater to patient variables.
Compounded hormones are customized to match each woman’s needs based on symptoms, testing, medical history, etc. This allows for superior personalization.
Several non-hormonal options effectively treat menopause symptoms through different mechanisms for those hesitant to take hormones.
Evidence-based complementary approaches like supplements, diet changes, stress reduction practices and acupuncture safely enhance therapeutic effects.
Layering therapies including lifestyle changes, hormonal, non-hormonal and complementary options provides comprehensive symptom relief and health protection.
We lay out all clinically appropriate choices for you to make fully informed decisions aligned with your health priorities and personal preferences.
Optimizing health protective lifestyle factors maximizes hormonal therapies while supporting overall wellbeing during menopause.
Our top evidence-based recommendations include:
Eating antioxidant-rich colorful produce, high fiber carbs, plant fats and lean proteins protects metabolism and cognition while preventing nutrient deficiencies.
Weight-bearing, muscle-building and cardiovascular exercise improves hormonal balance, emotional health, cardiovascular and bone protection, strength and energy levels.
Managing stress and getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly helps stabilize hormones and neurological function for balanced moods and sharp cognition.
Spending enjoyable time with supportive family and friends buffers stress hormones. Share your journey to get the best support possible from loved ones.
Committing to healthy foundations allows hormone therapies to work most effectively! We provide guidance each step of the way.
In addition to working with the exceptional practitioners at Balance Hormone Clinic, we encourage patients to check out these wonderful local businesses to further support your menopausal journey:
This full-service imaging center specializes in advanced testing for prevention and early disease detection. Patients can get bone density scans, cardiac CT scans, 3T MRI and ultrasound onsite.
ReNew provides comprehensive functional medicine and naturopathic care for those seeking non-pharmaceutical therapies. Their practitioners are experts regarding menopause, food sensitivities, gut health and holistic hormone optimization.
This upscale massage therapy studio offers a variety of massage modalities to melt away stress and tension. Massage enhances hormone therapy by lowering cortisol and supporting metabolic detoxification.
Caring for body, mind and spirit allows our patients to thrive through menopause. We are honored to take this journey alongside you!
