Menopause Treatments

It is important to remember that menopause itself is a normal part of life, not a condition or disease that requires treatment. However, treatment of some of the symptoms of menopause is possible if they become severe.

One of the most common menopausal treatments in the medical community is hormone therapy, also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT). HRT, administered orally, consists of the female hormone estrogen, or a combination of estrogens and progesterone. This helps to maintain estrogen levels in the body and can control symptoms of menopause related to the decline of estrogen, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness.

While an effective treatment method, HRT has been shown to have its risks. Long-term studies of women receiving hormone therapy with both estrogen and progesterone have shown an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer. Estrogen therapy alone has been associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer.

Similar to HRT, there are also vaginal hormonal treatments available. Sometimes combined with oral estrogen treatments, local (vaginal) treatments include vaginal estrogen creams, tablets, and the vaginal estrogen ring. These treatments carry similar risks to those of oral estrogen treatments.

Oral contraceptive pills can be used as hormone therapy to treat women in the early stages of menopause who are experiencing irregular vaginal bleeding (“spotting” or “breakthrough bleeding”) by regulating menstrual periods. It can also aid in reducing hot flashes and night sweats.

It is important to remember that while the pill is a very common prescription, it may not be right for all women, and carries it’s own host of risks. Some of the more serious risks include blood clots, stroke and heart attacks, which are increased if you smoke.

There has been a lot written lately about bioidentical hormones. While these may be naturally derived, they also carry the same risks as the natural estrogen.