Menopause Specialist

When does menopause happen?

Menopause, or the time when your period permanently ends and you can no longer get pregnant, is diagnosed when you’ve gone an entire year without any bleeding or spotting. Your ovaries make lower levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. The average age for menopause in the United States is 52.

In the years leading up to menopause, many women start to experience unpleasant symptoms. Usually, this perimenopause period begins in your mid- to late 40s. On average, women are in perimenopause for four years prior to the cessation of their cycle.

Women can also go into menopause early following a hysterectomy or due to cancer treatment.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

The symptoms associated with menopause are really those of perimenopause, or the transition to menopause. These include:

• Night sweats and hot flashes
• Low libido and painful intercourse
• Unexplained weight gain
• Irregular periods
• Trouble sleeping or concentrating

The providers at Comprehensive Women’s Health offer treatments to help you manage these symptoms.

What health changes occur along with menopause?

As your hormone levels decline, your risk of certain diseases increases. You’re at a greater risk of heart and blood vessel disease when your estrogen levels are lower. Osteoporosis is another concern in postmenopausal women. Urinary incontinence can develop as your vaginal tissue loses elasticity. You may also experience vaginal dryness and itching that makes sexual intercourse uncomfortable.

How is menopause treated?

Menopause is a natural condition. The symptoms and health changes can be managed, but menopause cannot be stopped.

At Comprehensive Women’s Health, the providers offer hormone replacement therapy to help keep your hormones in balance and curb symptoms, such as hot flashes. This therapy may be applied topically or orally. You start with a low dose for a short time to minimize risks associated with hormone therapy.

MonaLisa Touch vaginal laser therapy is also available to address vaginal dryness and pain during sexual intercourse that occurs because of the decline in hormones. This quick, noninvasive treatment encourages improvement in tissue strength, so you find more vaginal comfort and resolution of the most intimate menopause symptoms.

If you have symptoms that suggest you’re transitioning through menopause, call one of the offices of Comprehensive Women’s Health for support, or book an appointment online.