Posts tagged menopausal

menopause is an important event in the aging process for all women. This physical transition from the reproductive years, reproductive years is not defined as clinically had no menstruation for 12 consecutive months. The average age of menopause in the United States is 51, but it can be affected by such factors as smoking, alcohol use, with irregular cycles in the decade before menopause (all with earlier age at menopause), and the mother’s age at menopause. While some women never have any symptoms during menopause, the majority of women. Hot flashes are the most common complaints, which at 70 percent to 85 percent of women. Night sweats are also common, and can be especially troubling for some women. Night sweats may occur several times a night and often cause interrupted sleep, leading to tiredness, irritability and mood swings. Other signs of menopause include palpitations, difficulty in urinating, such as incontinence or frequent urinary tract infections, vaginal dryness, low libido, headaches, anxiety and a bad memory or fuzzy thinking. During the menopause is a natural part of aging, many women who suffer from severe or prolonged symptoms, seek help. Today can help to ensure that from many directions, including conventional, complementary or alternative medicine. Conventional medicine is n by physicians (MD s) or doctors of osteopathy (DO) and associated health care professionals such as nurses, physiotherapists and nutritionists practiced. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and is a diverse group of medical and health care systems, practices and products, such as acupuncture, herbs, lifestyle changes, or dietary supplements contain. Alternative medicine is used instead of conventional medicine. Some practitioners of conventional medicine and complementary and alternative methods.

Conventional treatment – Hormone Replacement Therapy The main conventional treatment for menopausal symptoms for several decades, hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Replacement hormones are available by prescription and include estrogen alone or in combination with another hormone progestin. Hormone replacement therapy is very effective for women who are under severe symptoms or symptoms that have lasted a long time, especially hot flashes and night sweats. In addition, hormone therapy protects against osteoporosis, a bone disease that thinning occurs with age. Osteoporosis is more common in women as they age than in men, and is responsible for bone fractures, particularly of the hip and back. For decades, women were routinely unpleasant symptoms of menopause hormone therapy prescribed by their doctors. But in 2002 a large study, the Women’s Health Initiative was stopped early because researchers found increased risk for a number of serious health problems in women who had taken the hormones for several years. The researchers found a higher risk of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke and blood clots for women in the study, which had taken a combination of estrogen and progestin and an increased risk of stroke and blood clots for study participants taking estrogen alone. The result is a carefully prescribed hormone therapy now on a case-by-case basis taking into account any risk factors for breast cancer and women’s heart disease. In addition, doctors have recommended that the lowest dose possible to prescribe for the shortest possible time. For many, women, the symptoms are not troublesome enough, or their risk factors so that they do not choose to take hormones. Therefore, many women and their healthcare providers to explore additional or alternative options that can alleviate the symptoms of menopause.

phytoestrogens Soy is perhaps the best know-phytoestrogen or estrogen is the naturally occur in foods. Are Soy, chickpeas and other legumes as a source of phytoestrogen isoflavones, a type of. Flax seed, whole grain foods and some fruits and vegetables are the source of lignans, a plant form of estrogen. Isoflavones came to the attention of scientists, the nutrition of women in China and Japan. They found that the Asian women they were studying had diets high in soy isoflavones and reported fewer and less severe symptoms of menopause. In addition, the Asian women had a lower incidence of osteoporosis and heart disease than Western women. The research on the effectiveness of phytoestrogens is not conclusive, and it is unclear whether the estrogen contained in these foods is strong enough to relieve menopausal symptoms. However, some women find that supplementing their diet with these foods helps to alleviate or reduce their hot flashes. Research is still ongoing as to whether phytoestrogens the risk of breast cancer, some studies show actually affect phytoestrogens to be protective against breast cancer, and no studies suggest that consumption of soy products are harmful if you have breast cancer. However, women who have an increased risk for diseases that take hormones or by women who use drugs, these increased levels of estrogen in the body with your doctor before you should check Phytoestrogens are affected.

Vitamin E While there is little research yet on

proven effective, some women find relief from hot flashes by taking vitamin E . Vitamin E is known for its antioxidant properties and is available in different forms, both natural and synthetic. Natural Vitamin E is denoted by the letter D, for the d-alpha-tocopherol. Synthetic vitamin E has antioxidant activity, but can actually prevent the natural form of input of cell membranes. Synthetic vitamin E is denoted by the letters DL for DL-alpha-tocopherol. Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin, which means that too much is stored in the body. Therefore take more than 400 iu of vitamin E per day is not recommended.

Botanicals Some herbs are tested for the effectiveness of relief of menopausal symptoms. cohosh is perhaps the most widely used drug for the treatment of women’s symptoms. For generations, Native Americans have called black cohosh “cramp bark” and used it to treat menstrual disorders. Black cohosh is an important plant in the practice of Chinese medicine and is used extensively in Europe and the United States for relief of hot flashes. Because of its low risk of side effects, supports the American Menopause Society cohosh for short-term use (less than six months). But the National Institutes of Health has said that, although early evidence is encouraging, there are not enough data to recommend the black cohosh for menopausal symptoms. The NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is funding a scientific study to determine whether black cohosh can reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. Dong Quai is also a frequently prescribed herbs in Chinese medicine, especially to a variety of women’s problems such as menstrual problems to treat irregular periods and heavy periods. In addition, Dong Quai is used found in almost every Chinese herbal medicine formula, to provide relief from menopausal symptoms. Other herbs for menopause include red clover, ginseng, kava, and chaste berry.

acupuncture Practiced in China for thousands of years, acupuncture is becoming increasingly popular in this country for a variety of conditions, including the symptoms of menopause. Acupuncture is holistic in nature, and works by alleviating the treatment of the cause of the problem and not just symptoms. Acupuncture can be effective in the treatment of hot flushes, night sweats, heart palpitations, insomnia, and other symptoms of menopause. In addition to acupuncture, a licensed acupuncturist can also take dietary advice, herbal formula, and lifestyle changes in an individual treatment plan.

lifestyle changes Some women find they relieve or reduce menopausal symptoms by changes in lifestyle such as diet, exercise and stress management. Most women find that their hot flashes worse when they are in stressful situations and stress-reduction techniques such as yoga, meditation, visualization or breathing techniques can be helpful. Dietary changes can be effectively avoided caffeine, sugar, food, alcohol and fatty foods, more fruits and vegetables and drink more water. Regular exercise is also recommended because it can lift mood, reduce stress, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. are While there are a multitude of opportunities for women, the relief from symptoms of menopause, there is no one clear answer to the question of what works best. Every woman must take into account their unique health history and personal preferences in choosing a conventional, complementary or alternative therapy for the symptoms of menopause.