Menopause can be a very difficult time in the life of a woman. Many women in Toronto are finding that navigating this important transitional period is much easier when undergoing hormone therapy.
Menopause is the stage of life when you naturally cease having menstrual periods. It occurs when your ovaries stop making the hormone estrogen that governs your menstrual cycle. Menopause signifies the end of your reproductive years.
Perimenopause is the time period leading up to menopause. Starting in your 30s and 40s, your estrogen levels begin fluctuating. A change in your menstrual cycle is a hallmark of perimenopause. Your cycles may grow longer than normal or shorter. There may be periods of time when you skip periods. Your flow amount may grow lighter or heavier.
Signs and Symptoms of Menopause and Perimenopause
There are few hard rules to go by when it comes to symptoms of both menopause and perimenopause. Some women go without symptoms and others have only a few milder symptoms. In some women, symptoms can be severe. Common symptoms and signs of menopause are:
Hot flashes: This is a sudden rush of heat to the face and upper body that can last from a few seconds to a few minutes. Hot flashes may occur a few times monthly, but others have this symptom several times daily. Night sweats are hot flashes that occur at night that can interfere with your sleep and make you feel sluggish during the day.
Sleep problems: you may have difficulty falling asleep or have problems sleeping throughout the night without waking up.
Hormone Therapy in Toronto
You can get relief from the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause by undergoing hormone therapy, which means taking estrogen and a hormone called progestin if you have never undergone a hysterectomy and still have your uterus. Combined hormone therapy involves taking estrogen and progestin. Progestin can lower your chances of developing uterine cancer that may develop when estrogen is taken by itself.
Estrogen can be taken in a number of different forms including: capsules, patches, creams, and vaginal therapies. Progestin can be administered separately or in combination with estrogen in the same form of delivery. Systemic therapy involves the release of estrogen into your blood where it travels to where it is needed.
Benefits of Hormone Therapy
Those with hot flashes seem to respond best by undergoing systemic estrogen therapy. Vaginal dryness can be relieved using both systemic and local forms of estrogen therapy. Bone loss can be prevented using systemic estrogen. Colon cancer chances can be reduced using a combination of estrogen and progesterone therapy.
If you would like to receive more information about how hormone therapy in Toronto can help you with symptoms of menopause or perimenopause, reach out to the team at Pearl MD Rejuvenation in Toronto, ON. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!