How to Balance Hormones from Menopause
Menopause can be a trying time for women, both mentally and physically. Their bodies are going through significant changes, resulting in a myriad of symptoms, ranging from hot flashes to night sweats to mood swings to anxiety and depression. And a lot of times, women don’t know how to balance hormones from menopause.
Women going through menopause may experience any combination of these symptoms, and some more severely than others.
Because of the variance of symptoms, and the extremely personal, often sensitive nature of the menopause process, as a provider guiding your patients through menopause can take some thought.
Become a Provider to Show Your Patients How to Balance Hormones from Menopause.
At EvexiPEL, we’ve successfully guided many women through menopause with the help of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy.
And we’re here to make sure we give our providers all the tools they need to do the same. The best place to start is knowing exactly what goes on during menopause.
Your patients will know their bodies better than anyone. But, they may not be incredibly familiar with why they’re experiencing certain symptoms, and what they can do to alleviate them.
We’ve shared blog posts about menopause, and you can look at them here. And of course, if you become an EvexiPEL provider, we have much more training information for you.
For now, here’s a brief overview of menopause causes and symptoms to be safe.
Why Does Menopause Happen?
Simply put, menopause is the last menstrual period a woman will have. It is the end of a woman’s natural reproductive life and her body’s transition into a post-reproductive state.
Women’s bodies slow down the production of estrogen as early as when they in their 30s, with drops in estrogen levels becoming steeper the closer they are to menopause (the average age of natural menopause is 51).
Menopause occurs when the body produces insufficient estrogen to stimulate endometrial growth.
There can be other causes of menopause as well. For example, removing a woman’s ovaries results in a surgically-induced menopause, which can cause a very steep drop in estrogen levels.
How Can You Address This as a Provider?
Know Your Facts
If you have female patients – no matter their age – it is very wise to be an expert on menopause. As noted earlier:
- Perimenopausal symptoms can start manifesting as early as 30 years old.
- Sometimes women don’t enter menopause until they’re 60.
All this to say, there is an extensive age range during which menopause can occur, so it is not at all out of the question that you would have patients needing guidance on the subject.
Listen to Your Patients
Establish a clear understanding of what feels normal for them. If they are showing symptoms of low estrogen levels, but in theory should be ten years away from menopause, don’t discount that.
Listen to them, and together figure out the best unique approach for them.
- Maybe it’s just pellet therapy.
- Perhaps it’s pellet therapy, healthier eating, yoga, and meditation.
- More sleep may be the answer.
You may have to think outside the box on some of these.
Common Symptoms of Menopause
Menopause symptoms can vary greatly from woman to woman, but here are several to keep an eye out for.
Physical Symptoms
Hot flashes are very common, as well as night sweats. If a woman is of menopausal age and is experiencing night sweats so severe that she has to get up and change clothes multiple times throughout the night, you should be at least considering menopause as the cause.
Other physically manifested symptoms can include vaginal dryness (potentially resulting in painful intercourse), urinary tract infections, and a loss of libido.
Psychological Symptoms
These are all physical symptoms, but psychological ones can be common as well. Many women experience:
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Anxiety
Cognitive functioning can also be impacted, sometimes resulting in difficulty concentrating and with memory.
How Can You Address This as a Provider?
Sometimes the psychological angle of medicine is not one that providers can fully address. At EvexiPEL, we believe that being able to guide patients through every aspect of care is extremely important.
We highly encourage our providers to do the groundwork necessary to understand what patients may be going through psychologically.
This doesn’t mean that you have to be a therapist – but you should have the tools to be able to recommend one, and recommend other therapeutic behaviors such as meditation, taking time to yourself, exercising, etc.
Of course, we will provide training for you on all this! We will be more than happy to have continued discussion on it if you have more questions, or want to talk!
Article Reviewed By The Medical Faculty and Advisory Review Board