Menopause will affect all women at some point in their lives. It is the ending of your periods and your ability to get pregnant the natural way. You are considered menopausal if you have missed your period for a full year running. There is a wide range of uncomfortable symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and headaches to name a few. Treatments are available to help ease some of these uncomfortable symptoms. Your doctor can help guide you to the treatment that would most appropriately meet your needs. There are pharmaceutical, natural, and life style changes that will ease symptoms for most women.

Pharmaceutical

Pharmaceutical treatments include Hormone Replacement Therapy. HRT is the replacement of female hormones (estrogen and progesterone) to ease the transition into menopause. HRT has been linked to serious side effects including heart attack, stroke, as well as breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers.

Other pharmaceutical treatments may include pain relievers both over the counter and prescribed. Body aches and headaches can be relieved with these medications. They do however, come with their own side effects.

Anti-depressants are or maybe prescribed to relieve the depression and anxiety that may accompany your menopause. A mood stabilizer may also be given to help balance your emotional state. This may be temporary.

Natural Treatments

Natural treatments such as herbal supplements are becoming a popular choice among many women. The reason for this is because they want to avoid the side effects of many of the traditional treatments. Herbal supplements have very few side effects if any at all.

Black Cohosh is an herb that is very popular because of its ability to lower the levels of a hormone called the luteinizing hormone associated with the symptoms of menopause including hot flashes. It has been used for centuries and is often used in the Native American culture to deal with low energy, gynecological problems, back aches and more.

Other herbs that are popular for use in alleviating menopausal symptoms include red clover, wild yam, dong quai, and Chasteberry. These herbs are effective in treating menopausal symptoms but they may also benefit your over-all health. In order to find the highest quality supplements, the herbs used should be standardized herbal extracts; this ensures quality from capsule to capsule and bottle to bottle. They are made to pharmaceutical standards and are tested extensively.

Before adding anything to your health routine, it is wise to consult with your doctor. Though there are few to no side effects, the herbs may affect the performance of prescription drugs you may be taking for other health conditions.

Lifestyle Changes to Relieve Menopause

Reducing your alcohol intake and quitting smoking will help your menopausal symptoms.

Eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise will not only give you energy but it could enhance your sex drive. If you are basically sedentary, just getting a 5-10 minute walk every day will help.

Become comfortable with your aging process. Accepting yourself may help ease some of the emotional/mental symptoms of menopause. Be up front with your partner about your needs during this time. The use of natural treatments will reduce the risk of many of the side effects of prescribed treatments and may benefit your health in general.

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