Menopause - Balance Hormones Clinic

What is Menopause?

Menopause is a natural transition that all women experience as they age. It marks the end of a woman's menstrual cycles and fertility. The hallmark sign of menopause is 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. The average age for menopause is 51, but it can occur anytime between the ages of 40-55.

The transition starts with perimenopause, which can begin up to 10 years before menopause. During this time, estrogen levels fluctuate and start to decline, causing irregular periods, hot flashes, trouble sleeping, mood changes, and vaginal dryness. Many women start to notice subtle changes in their 30s or 40s.

What causes menopause?

Menopause occurs when the ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone. This happens because the ovaries run out of egg follicles - sacs in the ovaries that contain immature eggs. At birth, women have 1-2 million follicles. By menopause, that number has dwindled to around 1,000. The decline in hormones causes menstrual cycles to stop.

Common symptoms

In addition to changes in menstruation, women may experience:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Vaginal dryness
• Difficulty sleeping
• Irritability or mood changes
• Fatigue
• Weight gain
• Thinning hair
• Dry skin

Long-term health risks

Lower estrogen after menopause raises a woman's risk for certain health issues, including:

• Osteoporosis: Bone loss occurs more rapidly after menopause. Weak, porous bones increase the risk of fractures.
• Heart disease: Risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and atherosclerosis goes up.
• Urinary incontinence: Loss of tissue elasticity can cause stress incontinence.
• Sexual dysfunction: Vaginal dryness and thinning tissue cause discomfort.

Treatment options

While menopause is irreversible, many treatments can help relieve symptoms:

• Hormone therapy: Low doses of estrogen and/or progesterone to relieve hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, bone loss.
• Vaginal estrogen: Helps restore vaginal tissue.
• Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication: Helps stabilize mood swings.

Lifestyle changes like regular exercise, stress reduction, not smoking, calcium/Vitamin D supplementation also help ease this transition. Most women continue to lead active, healthy lives after menopause. The key is knowing what to expect and getting the right care to stay well at Balance Hormones Clinic.