What To Look Out For When Approaching The Menopause

What Is Menopause?

Menopause happens to almost all women, the majority of whom will experience symptoms to some extent between the ages of 45 and 55. It is a completely natural transition and the term ‘menopause’ usually refers to the entire process of the ending of female fertility, which can actually last up to 10 years. There are many symptoms and conditions associated with menopause, both physical and mental. While for some women symptoms can be severe, they can be easily managed for the vast majority of people.

Menopause and its associated symptoms are part of a natural process, and there isn’t any safe way to delay or stop the changes from happening. However, there are many factors that can affect the body’s ability to adapt to change, increasing the likelihood and severity of symptoms. Environmental toxins, poor nutrition, a lack of essential minerals and the stress of juggling work and domestic life can all contribute to preventing the body from adapting to the menopause.

When a woman enters menopause, the body’s processes related to reproduction slow down and eventually stop, including the production of reproductive hormones. However, there is still an important, health-enhancing role that reproductive hormones play in the body, which is important for overall good health, and doesn’t have anything to do with reproduction. For example, hormone receptors are found on almost every organ in the body and are essential for our health and well being, so the loss of hormones in the body can affect all kinds of vital processes.

Menopause Signs & What To Expect

Every woman will have a different experience when it comes to the menopause, as it is a totally unique process. However, there are several common symptoms and experiences that many women will experience, some of which can continue to occur for many years. These symptoms can begin to appear in perimenopause (the period just before menopause, where hormone levels start to fluctuate), and into post menopause as well, so keeping them under control is vital to the overall health and well being of women during this period. Some common symptoms include:

• Hot flushes and night sweats.
• Difficulty sleeping and insomnia.
• Changes in mood, such as feeling tired, irritable, depressed or anxious, or experiencing mood swings. Depression is also more common in menopausal women.
• Difficulty concentrating or poor memory, which can make home and work life difficult and stressful.
• Changes to the vagina, such as dryness, discomfort, itching, laxity (looseness) and pain during sex – these are known as Genitourinary Symptoms of Menopause, or Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM).
• A loss of interest in sex (loss of libido), and difficulty becoming aroused and reaching orgasm.
• Urinary problems such as frequent urinary tract infections and loss of bladder control (stress incontinence).
• Joint aches and pains all over the body.

How Can We Treat Menopause Symptoms?

Throughout the different stages of menopause, hormone levels can fluctuate wildly. However, these hormones still play an important role when it comes to maintaining normal body function for a variety of different systems, including bones, vaginal and urethral health, skin, brain function and cardiovascular health.

By using bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT),  we can help to ensure that hormone levels in the body remain consistent, reducing the severity of menopausal symptoms, and improving overall physical and mental health. BHRT at Elite Aesthetics is a completely bespoke treatment plan, and works perfectly in conjunction with your body and the symptoms you face. We only ever carry out BHRT treatment after an extensive consultation process with our practice leader, Dr. Shirin Lakhani, who is a highly regarded expert in the field of menopausal healthcare, and regularly speaks on the subject in the press and the industry.

To find out more about BHRT, or to book your consultation with our experienced team, contact Elite Aesthetics today, and see how we can help you.