Menopause is a natural transition that all women experience as they age, marking the end of the reproductive years. The average age of menopause onset is 51, but it can occur anywhere from 40-58 years old. As estrogen levels decline during perimenopause and menopause, women may experience symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood changes, trouble sleeping, and more.
Hormone therapy is available to help relieve menopausal symptoms and support long-term health. Treatment options we offer at Balance Health Clinic include:
Timely treatment is important, as overlooking hormone deficiencies can negatively impact quality of life. At Balance Health Clinic, our specialized providers take the time to understand your symptoms, goals, and health history. We then develop customized plans integrating hormone therapy, lifestyle changes, and holistic wellness strategies.
Below we'll explore common menopause concerns, highlight key information about hormone treatment, and share why Balance Health Clinic is the leading choice for menopause care in Douglas.
Hot flashes and night sweats are the most common menopausal symptoms, experienced by over 60% of women. They involve sudden feelings of intense warmth and heavy sweating, lasting from 2-30 minutes. Hot flashes that happen at night are called night sweats and often disrupt sleep.
What causes hot flashes? The drop in estrogen near menopause causes your body's temperature regulation system to get out of balance. Even small changes in core body temperature can trigger hot flashes as your body tries desperately to cool off. Things that raise body temperature like spicy foods, caffeine, stress, and alcohol can set off or worsen hot flashes too.
Hormone therapy is the most effective treatment option for relieving hot flashes/night sweats in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Research shows that both systemic estrogen therapy and low-dose transdermal estradiol can decrease hot flash frequency by up to 90%! This can greatly improve quality of life.
Lifestyle changes may also help ease symptoms: - Wear lightweight, breathable clothing - Have a portable fan handy - Practice relaxation techniques like yoga and mindfulness - Limit caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods - Keep rooms cooler
At Balance Health Clinic, we individualize treatment plans to help patients achieve maximum relief from their hot flashes and night sweats. This includes exploring hormone therapy options like bioidentical estrogen, SERMs, and compounded creams tailored to your needs. We'll also provide lifestyle tips and can connect patients with acupuncturists, massage therapists, and other wellness resources in the Douglas community.
Up to 50% of menopausal patients deal with vaginal atrophy - thinning of vaginal tissue due to low estrogen levels. This leads to uncomfortable symptoms like:
Low estrogen causes the vaginal lining to become thinner, less elastic, and more fragile. A lack of vaginal lubrication during sexual arousal then leads to further friction discomfort and pain. Thin vaginal tissues are also more prone to small tears and irritation.
Estrogen therapy - delivered locally to vaginal tissues - is the most effective treatment for relieving symptoms of vaginal atrophy. Options include:
These low-dose preparations help replenish estrogen directly where needed to improve vaginal lining thickness, elasticity, lubrication and pH balance. Relief of dryness and associated pain with intercourse is often noticed within a few weeks.
We'll explore the pros and cons of each vaginal estrogen product at Balance Health Clinic to find your best fit. Basic in-office procedures like pelvic exams and vaginal pH testing help us assess tissue health status too. For optimal comfort, we recommend combining vaginal estrogen treatment with regular sexual activity and sometimes the use of vaginal moisturizers/lubricants.
Bone health tends to decline in women after menopause due to plummeting estrogen levels. This leads to accelerated bone loss that can increase the risk of osteopenia, osteoporosis and debilitating fractures over time. Within 5 years of menopause, women can lose up to 20% of their bone density if insufficient calcium intake and no estrogen therapy!
Thin/small body frame Family history of osteoporosis Smoking Excessive alcohol Sedentary lifestyle Poor nutrition
Bone mineral density tests like DEXA scans help evaluate bone health. We'll check your risk factors and recommend appropriate screening tests on your first visit to Balance Health Clinic.
The best defense is a good offense when it comes to bone loss prevention in menopause. Studies show hormone therapy with estrogen (sometimes combined with progesterone) effectively prevents postmenopause bone loss. It works by:
Specially-formulated compounded BHRT creams allow us to customize an optimal hormone regimen to meet each woman's needs. We also provide lifestyle optimization counseling related to:
With individualized care integrating hormone therapy, lifestyle changes and close monitoring over time, we help patients protect their bone strength and reduce osteoporosis risk long-term.
Many women feel extremely fatigued as they transition through perimenopause and into postmenopause - leaving them wondering, "What happened to my energy?". A variety of factors contribute to menopausal fatigue, most relating to hormone imbalance.
Estrogen helps regulate energy metabolism and inflammation pathways in the body. As estrogen production declines, cellular processes that produce energy slow down. This can leave you feeling weaker, more sluggish and drained. Poor sleep, stress, low iron and thyroid issues can worsen fatigue too.
Boosting hormones with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy often helps restore lost energy. We can check your thyroid function, iron/ferritin levels, cortisol rhythms and more during an initial fatigue consult here at Balance Health Clinic. This helps us pinpoint any hormone imbalances or deficiencies contributing to exhaustion so they can be corrected.
Testosterone therapy is particularly beneficial for improving energy levels in menopausal women. Small physiological testosterone doses enhance muscle strength, motivation/drive and vitality.
We also guide women on optimizing nutrition, sleep, stress management and movement to fight fatigue on multiple fronts. Useful local resources include Douglas's top Pilates instructors, mindfulness centers, meal delivery services and sleep specialists. Start reclaiming your energy today with help from our exceptional functional/anti-aging medicine experts!
Many women going through menopause find relief from symptoms with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT can help women change negative thought patterns and develop better coping strategies for issues like hot flashes, trouble sleeping, and mood changes. This non-medical approach empowers women to take control of their menopause transition.
Fluctuating estrogen can throw off serotonin, norepinephrine and other brain chemicals that control mood and stress resilience. This hormones-brain connection means many women battle increased anxiety, irritability, mood swings and depression during the menopause transition.
Perimenopausal depression often looks different than other forms of depression too. Rather than persistent sadness, women tend to experience more unpredictability in their moods with sensitive triggers leading to frequent ups and downs. Pressure from work, marriage issues and kids can worsen emotional symptoms too. Hot flashes and night sweats interrupting sleep also contribute.
Support is available in the form of professional counseling, hormone balancing, light therapy, group support, holistic services, physical activity, positive social connection and more. Our team takes a comprehensive approach - exploring pharmaceutical options like antidepressants or gabapentin if appropriate while also providing intensive lifestyle and hormone optimization guidance.
We tap into Douglas's many exceptional mental health professionals, women's networking groups, mind-body wellness centers and beyond to build a customized depression/mood regulation action plan for patients. You don't have to keep suffering through the emotional rollercoaster of menopause - take back control of your mindset and mood!
A major benefit provided by hormone therapy is supporting the healthy aging process for improved longevity and lifelong wellness. Addressing estrogen deficiency and imbalance earlier on translates to better disease prevention and body function maintenance over the long run.
By replenishing depleted hormones to ideal physiologic levels, we can help growing older feel energizing and empowering instead of discouraging. Science confirms that individualized BHRT tailored to your needs provides anti-aging effects that help keep you vibrantly engaged in life for years to come via:
Aging well requires diligent self-care on multiple fronts. In addition to hormone balance, adequate nutrition, restorative fitness work, positive social connection and meaning in life serve as pillars supporting productive longevity. Our physicians guide women through every aspect of graceful aging optimization for their unique needs.
We hope reviewing some of the key menopausal health concerns and their associated hormone imbalance causes sheds helpful insight on the value of prompt, specialized treatment. Left overlooked for too long, symptoms tend to worsen and increase risk of long term medical issues like heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis on top of feeling miserable day-to-day in the present.
What sets Balance Health Clinic apart as the leading menopause and hormone healthcare center in Douglas county?
Our clinic exclusively focuses on complex hormonal conditions. We offer dedicated expertise in customized menopause care, sexual wellness and age management medicine that is unparalleled in the region. Dual board certified physicians have over 25 years of specialized experience successfully helping women thrive through midlife changes and beyond. Cutting-edge, evidence-based protocols integrate the best of classic hormone balancing practices with emerging regenerative therapies for optimized patient outcomes.
Treatment begins with in-depth diagnostic testing, assessments, history gathering and active listening to understand your unique menopause symptoms, risks and wellness goals. No pre-packaged protocols here! We then thoughtfully design fully personalized care plans tailored to your needs integrating hormone optimization therapies, nutrition adjustments, detox/gut healing, fitness recommendations and more holistic lifestyle counseling as needed. This nuanced approach based on your specific lab numbers and circumstances provides the best opportunity for symptom relief, disease prevention and graceful healthy aging support.
In-house compounding lab access allows our pharmacists and clinicians to formulate personalized medications like bioidentical hormone creams and capsules adjusted to your exact dosage needs for superior precision and results. Avoid the hassle of dealing with large commercial pharmacies lacking specialized compounding knowledge. We oversee quality from prescription to delivery right here.
Our dedicated care coordinators help streamline referrals to trusted nutritionists, fitness coaches, mental health counselors and wellness providers in the community. We also liaise closely with your other medical specialists like primary care doctors, gynecologists, dermatologists etc to best coordinate synergistic care. Removing hassles and communication gaps lets you focus on healing.
Relax in our comforting, state-of-the-art clinic featuring amenities like robe service, healthy refreshments, zero wait times and unlimited physician access. Enjoy seamless lab testing, aesthetic laser services, body composition analysis and expert medical-grade skincare all under one roof for comprehensive rejuvenation.
We hope reviewing some of the key health information about menopause and available treatments like hormone replacement therapy, lifestyle optimization and holistic services was helpful. Remember - you don't have to endure menopausal misery or age faster than your years!
Schedule an intro consultation online or call us anytime to learn more about our specialized care. Our goal is helping every woman transition gracefully through menopause while enhancing - not just sustaining - their health, beauty and vitality for many rewarding years ahead! We can't wait to meet you.
