Menopause Care

While more than 1 million women in the United States experience menopause each year, only 31% of OBGYNs receive menopause education in resident training. This lack of consistency in menopause education has led to an absence of standardized care for menopause.

Advantia Health has partnered with Dr. Heather Hirsch, enabling providers to become certified with the prestigious Heather Hirsch Academy Badge, developed in collaboration with the renowned menopause specialist herself. This certification empowers our healthcare professionals to expertly recognize and manage symptomatic menopause and provide comprehensive counseling on hormone therapy options, ensuring an exceptional approach to menopausal care.

All Advantia Health providers are dedicated to providing professional, empathetic care to all our patients, guiding them through each phase of their health journey, and enabling access to the most current and effective treatments.

Personalized Care and Effective Strategies for Menopause

Options to treat menopausal symptoms will always be tailored to your own specific needs and personal medical history. Doctors may prescribe one or more of the following:

Hormone Replacement Therapy – An effective treatment for relieving menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats while helping to protect bone health. This can only be prescribed after a review of your personal medical history and a discussion of risks, benefits and potential side effects.
Vaginal hormonal medications – for genitourinary health and prevention of conditions such as vaginal dryness, painful sex and bladder infections
Low-dose antidepressants – certain antidepressants may help to decrease menopausal hot flashes
Other non hormonal medications can be very helpful in reducing the severity and frequency of menopausal symptoms.
Diet and exercise changes can help to improve midlife health and reduce menopausal symptoms.
Natural supplements – Some natural supplements such as Soy and Vitamin E may help with symptoms. However, speak to your doctor first before starting anything new.

How to Manage Symptoms of Menopause

The symptoms of menopause are unpredictable and can last from a few months to years after your last period. In the months and years leading up to menopause women may notice some or all of the following symptoms:

Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are the most prevalent menopausal symptom, also evident during perimenopause. They manifest as sudden waves of heat spreading across the body, often accompanied by flushing and perspiration. These episodes are prompted by declining levels of estrogen and can be very disruptive to a persons quality of life. If untreated, most women experience hot flashes for an average of seven years before subsiding. There are several safe and effective treatments available for the management of hot flashes. It’s important to discuss this symptom with your healthcare provider to explore the best options for treating menopause tailored to your needs and preferences.

Night Sweats

Menopausal night sweats are akin to hot flashes but occur during sleep, leading to excessive perspiration. These occurrences are also attributed to hormonal fluctuations characteristic of menopause. Because they are disruptive to sleep, they can have a detrimental effect on overall health if untreated. Fortunately, there are several safe and effective treatments available for the management of night sweats. Consulting your healthcare provider is crucial to discuss episodes and explore treatments for relief and better sleep quality.

Mood Changes

Menopausal mood changes, including mood swings and irritability, can significantly impact emotional well-being and quality of life. These shifts are often linked to hormonal fluctuations and can have wide-ranging effects on daily life. Addressing these changes with your healthcare provider can help in creating personalized coping strategies and exploring suitable treatment options to foster emotional balance and overall wellness during this phase.

Weight Gain

The hormonal shifts experienced during menopause often contribute to changes in metabolism and fat distribution, leading to an increased likelihood of weight gain, particularly around the abdominal area. Our providers offer guidance on maintaining a healthy weight through personalized strategies, including exercise, dietary adjustments, and other potential interventions to support overall well-being during menopause.

Vaginal Dryness

Diminished estrogen levels in menopause can lead to vaginal dryness, which may result in discomfort, itching, and pain during intercourse. Openly discussing these symptoms with a healthcare provider can lead to personalized treatment options and strategies to alleviate discomfort, improve intimacy, and maintain urogenital health during menopause, ensuring a holistic approach to well-being during this phase of life.

Joint Pain

Aching joints, menopausal bursitis, frozen shoulder, and menopausal hip pain are all physical symptoms that can happen when someone is experiencing menopause. Some of the causes of joint pain during menopause can include hormonal changes, bone fractures and weight gain.

Bone Health

As estrogen levels decrease following the transition into Menopause, women are at increasing risk of Osteopenia and Osteoporosis. These are conditions where the bones begin to lose density and become more fragile. This increases the risk of a fracture which can have a devastating effect on a person’s overall health and functionality.

It is important that you see your health care provider to assess the condition of your bone health and develop a plan to maintain your bone density.

Stages of Menopause

Menopause denotes the cessation of menstrual periods for a continuous 12 months, signifying the end of the reproductive phase and the onset of a new hormonal phase. Perimenopause, the transitional phase preceding menopause, involves hormonal fluctuations leading to irregular periods and various menopausal symptoms. During perimenopause, women may experience shifts in hormone levels, leading to physical and emotional changes. Perimenopause can precede menopause by 10 or more years, with symptoms worsening as women get closer to their final menstrual period. Symptoms of menopause can continue for several years past the final menstrual period.

How to Navigate Menopause

Menopause is a natural biological process. As women approach their late 30s, the ovaries start producing less estrogen and progesterone (the hormones that regulate menstruation) and fertility begins to decline. After the age of forty, women may notice periods becoming more erratic and less frequent. By the age of fifty-one (on average) the ovaries eventually stop releasing eggs and periods stop all together.

All women will have their own unique experience of menopause. It is important to consider how symptoms may be impacting your own well-being.

For women with light or mild symptoms, it is important to know that the symptoms of menopause may disappear on their own. However, if the symptoms mentioned above begin to interfere with your quality of life or interrupt your day-to-day activities then you should make an appointment to see your doctor to discuss the many effective treatment options which are available..

Although the symptoms of menopause are common, your overall health and quality of life do not have to decline.

Your doctor may be able to prescribe specific treatments to help manage your symptoms. They can also provide additional guidance or counseling in other aspects of your health that may be affected by menopause and aging.

Healthy Habits with Menopause

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) involves the administration of hormonal medicationses to alleviate menopausal symptoms. By restoring hormone levels, HRT can effectively mitigate symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and decreasing bone density.

Post-menopausal women are more vulnerable to other health problems like osteoporosis, dementia and heart disease. To help combat this it is recommended that all women (regardless of age) continue to follow the basic rules of good health such as:

Healthy diet: Make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D to keep bones strong. Alongside the aging process, bones get less dense and more susceptible to fractures.
Quit smoking and limit alcohol use.
Exercise: Keep active (i.e., walking, aerobics, yoga). Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Regular cardiovascular exercise will go a long way towards helping to keep your risk low. Strength training and weight bearing exercises are crucial for keeping your muscles and bones strong.
Well-woman exams: Book your well-woman exam to ensure that you’re getting regular check-ups. Remember that your Well-Woman exam is important even if you do not need a pap test, are not sexually active or have had a hysterectomy.
It’s essential to consult with our knowledgeable providers to discuss the potential benefits and risks associated with HRT, ensuring a personalized approach to menopausal management.

The Heather Hirsch Academy Badge

We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with Dr. Heather Hirsch. Our providers are now certified with the prestigious Heather Hirsch Academy Badge, developed in collaboration with the renowned menopause specialist herself.

This certification empowers our healthcare professionals to expertly recognize and manage symptomatic menopause and provide comprehensive counseling on hormone therapy options, ensuring an exceptional approach to menopausal care.

Check out our video collaboration with Dr. Hirsch below.

The providers at Advantia Health are here to answer your frequently asked questions about women’s health, including concerns about menopause and related conditions. Contact Advantia to book an appointment if you are experiencing the symptoms listed above.