CLINICAL SERVICES

MENOPAUSE CAN AFFECT THE BODY IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS:

Blood Vessels
Rapid temperature changes, or hot flushes, and waking during the night

Brain/ nerves
Frequent mood changes and a tendency toward sadness, anger, or confusion, and in extreme cases, depression or anxiety

Genital tract
Problems with dryness, itching and pain during sexual intercourse, or irritation of tissues in and around the vagina

Urinary system
Problems with sudden or frequent urination

Bones
A higher risk of osteoporosis, and bone fractures

Menopause may occur suddenly for reasons such as the removal of both ovaries, radiation or chemotherapy, gland disorders, or a sudden, severe illness.

The first symptoms most women notice are hot flushes and mood swings. Eventually, as estrogen remains at consistently low levels, symptoms of menopause usually disappear.

Treatment Options

Initially, the early signs of menopause need to be assessed and a decision made about treatment. This requires an evaluation of the risks of breast cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis.  Those not at high risk for breast cancer may wish to consider taking estrogen for a limited time. By using the lowest effective dose, it may be possible to manage several symptoms together. However, if estrogen is not suitable, other treatments are available. Later on it is important to focus on preventing diseases such as osteoporosis and heart disease. This is another reason why lifestyle approaches such as healthy eating, maintaining an appropriate weight, exercising, not smoking and only drinking alcohol in small amounts are so important.

Many women wish or choose to take some form of hormone replacement because it is usually the most effective way to relieve many of the unpleasant effects of menopause. However, estrogen taken alone increases the risk of uterine cancer. For this reason, women who have a uterus usually take a combination of estrogen with a form of progesterone, which helps to protect the uterus. This is called hormone replacement therapy (HRT). If a woman no longer has a uterus, she can take estrogen alone.

Women with a family history of breast cancer, or who have survived breast cancer, probably should not take either estrogen or HRT. You also should not take estrogen if you have had cancer of the uterus, liver disease, a history of blood clots, heart disease or any unusual bleeding from the vagina.

Estrogen can help to reduce hot flushes, vaginal dryness, and possibly skin changes. It can also help protect your bones from osteoporosis as you age.

There are a range of non-hormonal treatments which can help reduce the unpleasant effects of menopause.