The
Treatment of Menopause Is a Personal Choice
The hot flashes,
the mood swings, the end of child-bearing years. You may embrace
menopause as a welcome change, but you also may be one of the many
women who dread a variety of menopausal symptoms. The signs
of menopause feel like an illness, but they are not. Menopause
is a natural part of the aging process, and is not classified as
a disease. Even so, the treatment of menopause is necessary so that
women can enjoy an acceptable quality of life.
Like any other
treatments, the treatment of menopause encompasses a variety of
medicines, therapies, natural products, and lifestyle changes. Which
treatment of menopause a woman chooses is entirely up to her, as
menopause is different for every woman and every woman has different
health care preferences. Some of the options available for the treatment
of menopause include:
- Estrogen therapy: mainly used
to alleviate menopause
hot flashes, bone loss, and cholesterol levels, but estrogen
therapy could be linked to a higher risk of cancer and blood
clots
- Antidepressants: for both
hot flashes and mood swings
- Osteoporosis treatments: non-hormonal
medications that are believed to reduce bone loss caused by
menopause
- Vaginal estrogen: a tablet
or cream that releases a small amount of estrogen through the
vaginal wall to help with dryness or discomfort
- High cholesterol medication
- Black cohosh: an herb believed
to reduce hot flashes
- Phytoestrogens: estrogens
that occur naturally in foods like soybeans, chickpeas, flaxseed,
and whole grains
- Vitamin E: may relieve mild
hot flashes in some women
Other alternative
therapies for the treatment of menopause include acupuncture, hypnosis,
and meditation. All in all, however, the treatment of menopause
is not a requirement. It is a personal choice for women who desire
menopause relief, and this choice
should be made after much consideration about the possible side
effects of the treatments.
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