What is menopause?
When you haven’t menstruated for 12 consecutive months, you’ve reached menopause.
Your ovaries produce progesterone and estrogen. These female sex hormones regulate your menstrual cycle and control egg production. Once you reach 30 years of age, this hormone production begins to decrease. When your ovaries no longer produce eggs, you stop having menstrual periods.
Women typically experience menopause between 40 and 58 years of age, but the average age is 51. Your hormone production can dwindle slowly over time or occur suddenly. Though menopause is a regular part of aging, surgical removal of your ovaries or cancer therapies can also trigger it.
Once you reach menopause, you can’t become pregnant.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
The symptoms of menopause often being during perimenopause -- the years leading up to menopause when your hormone production begins decreasing. Not all women experience symptoms, while others have an intense response to estrogen loss.
The most obvious symptom associated with menopause is the changes in menstruation relating to its frequency and flow. Additional symptoms include:
- Weight gain
- Vaginal dryness
- Loss of breast fullness
- Thinning hair and dry skin
- Insomnia or sleep problems
- Involuntary urinary leakage (incontinence)
- Chills, hot flashes, night sweats, or skin flushing
- Mood changes like irritability, anxiety, and depression
Many women also experience sexual changes like decreased libido, reduced response to stimulation, and painful sexual intercourse.
How is menopause diagnosed and treated?
The MyDoc Women’s Health Specialists all-female team have an intimate understanding of how estrogen affects your overall health. To see if you’re entering menopause, your team member might recommend blood tests to evaluate your hormone levels.
Additional screenings might include:
- Bone density testing to look for signs of osteoporosis
- Pelvic examinations to review your vaginal lining
- Thyroid or other pituitary tests to rule out other conditions
Based on your physical exam and blood tests, your provider might recommend a variety of therapies including medications, hormone therapy, or diet and lifestyle changes.
To improve your vaginal health and restore your sexual function, she might also recommend ThermiVa® vaginal rejuvenation. This a minimally invasive therapy that gently heats your vaginal tissue to restore healthy lubrication and elasticity.
Find treatment solutions to ease your menopause symptoms, call MyDoc Women’s Health Specialists, or schedule an appointment online today.
