Menopausal Syndrome Q&A
What is Menopausal Syndrome?
A woman’s reproductive life, which has a considerable influence over her overall health and wellness, can largely be divided into three stages:
- Puberty
- Reproductive years
- Post-reproductive years
When you pass through puberty, the transition is marked by a dramatic increase in your reproductive hormones, mainly estrogen and progesterone, which are produced by your ovaries. For the next 30 or so years, your ovaries continue to produce these hormones, along with eggs, in an attempt to create life.
As you reach your mid-to-late 40s, your hormone levels begin to drop, and therefore so does the release of your eggs, and you enter perimenopause. By the time you pass through menopause, which occurs after you haven’t had your menstrual cycle for more 12 months in a row (usually in your early 50s), your ovaries effectively shut down.
This loss of your reproductive hormones not only puts an end to your ability to have children, it can have a widespread impact on your physical and mental health.
What are the Symptoms of Menopausal Syndrome?
Every woman’s passage through menopause is different. Some weather the change without incident while others are plagued by life-altering changes. Most women fall somewhere in between and experience some degree of the following symptoms:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Mood changes
- Vaginal dryness
- Weight gain
- Loss of libido
- Incontinence
- Thinning hair
The severity and duration of these symptoms vary from one woman to the next, but for many, a seemingly simple loss of their reproductive hormones can have a significant impact on their lives.
What are the Treatments for Menopausal Syndrome?
For years, medical researchers and doctors have only been able to treat menopausal syndrome on a symptom-by-symptom basis. While nothing can be done to stop menopause, efforts by gynecologists, such as Dr. Anthony and Dr. Chua, to shed more light on the problem are beginning to pay off.
Rather than suffering in silence, women have new treatment options, which the team at Suburban Women’s Specialists is pleased to offer. For example, if you’re suffering from painful intercourse and incontinence, the practice is equipped with state-of-the-art laser technology called MonaLisa Touch®, which improves vaginal health.
The doctors also offer pelvic floor therapy, which works on this group of muscles, giving you back control over your bladder and helping prevent organ prolapse.
If you’d like to learn more about battling the effects of menopausal syndrome, call Suburban Women’s Specialists or fill out the online form to request an appointment.
