Menopause, the time that marks the end of menstruation, is diagnosed after a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual period. Menopause can happen in your forties or fifties, but the average age in the United States is 51. While menopause is a natural biological process, its physical and emotional symptoms may affect your emotional health and well-being. Knowing how to recognize the symptoms of menopause will allow you to seek the right kind of treatment at the right time. Watch as Maria Evans, our nurse practitioner, discusses how to know whether you have entered into menopause, and read on to learn more about our effective hormone therapy treatment.
Stages of Menopause
According to Maria, “There are three benchmark stages of natural menopause. They are perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause.” Perimenopause begins several years before menopause and is the time when the ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen. This usually begins in a woman’s forties but can start in her thirties or even earlier. Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs.
The fluctuating hormone levels in the body during perimenopause can lead to irregular menstrual patterns — irregularity in the length of the period, the time between periods and the level of flow — and hot flashes.
Symptoms of Menopause
Perimenopause lasts for an average of four years in most women. “When you are in menopause,” Maria explains, “you have had the cessation of your period for one year.” According to Maria, here are a few of the symptoms you may experience during menopause:
– Hot flashes
– Depression
– Weight gain
– Irritability
– Loss of libido
– Vaginal dryness
Other symptoms associated with menopause include night sweats, mood swings, forgetfulness, trouble sleeping and fatigue.
How to Treat Menopause Symptoms
At KC Wellness Center, our Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) helps to treat the symptoms of menopause by restoring and maintaining your natural hormone levels. Any woman who experiences symptoms relating to hormonal imbalance is a candidate for BHRT. Women who are perimenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal are most likely to suffer from hormone imbalance.
Call us today at (816) 214-5276 to schedule a free consultation or to find out if you are a candidate for BHRT. You can also contact us by visiting our website.