Understand The Three Stages Of Menopause – Treatment Options In Mount Pleasant, SC
Menopause is a biological process that occurs naturally in women as her ovaries stop releasing eggs. It establishes the end of a woman’s reproductive years. This condition leads to a decline in hormone production, specifically estrogen and progesterone. Dr. Elaine Eustis Mount Pleasant at The Menopause Solutions has been helping females across South Carolina struggling with Menopause symptoms.
Understanding Menopause stages
- Perimenopause
Perimenopause is the transitory point that indicates your progress to menopause. It can start several years before menopause itself. In this stage, menstrual cycles are irregular and body drops its production of estrogen and progesterone. She may experience symptoms like:
- Hot flashes: She suddenly feels warm, flushed and starts sweating.
- Irregular periods: Menstrual cycles may become shorter or longer, and periods may be heavier or lighter than usual.
- Mood swings: Changes in mood and emotions may occur due to hormonal fluctuations.
- Vaginal dryness: The decrease in estrogen can cause the vaginal tissues to become thinner and drier, leading to discomfort during intercourse.
Treatment options include –
- Hormone therapy (HT)
- Low-dose birth control pills
- Balanced diet
- Regular exercise
- Stress reduction
- Get enough sleep
- Menopause
Menopause is legitimately established when a woman undergoes 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. It indicates that the ovaries are not releasing eggs and hormone level has declined significantly. Average age for menopause is 51 years. Nevertheless, for some women menopause establishes before they turn 51 or after.
Symptoms during menopause
- Symptoms experienced during peri-menopause, like hot flashes and mood swings, may continue.
- Experience long-term health changes, such as an increased risk of osteoporosis and heart disease due to declining estrogen levels.
Treatment for menopause
- Hormone therapy (HT) remains a common treatment to ease the symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
- Lifestyle changes, such as adopting a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol intake, are essential for overall well-being during menopause.
- Postmenopause
It is the phase after menopause, where the symptoms disappear or decrease. Women differ, so some have to deal with painful menopause symptoms for some more years.
Postmenopause makes women’s body weak, so she needs to take care of herself even more. As the estrogen level declines and its long-term after effects, they are at a high risk for certain conditions. Regular check-ups, bone density and cardiovascular screenings by the doctors from Mount Pleasant are essential.
Treatment during postmenopause
- Balanced diet
- Regular exercise
- Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake to support bone health
Every woman’s experience with menopause is unique, so the treatment options are personalized based on individual symptoms, medical history, and risk factors.
