Menopause

What is menopause?

Menopause is the natural time in every woman’s life when, after 12 consecutive months, their periods stop for good. This time signals the end of your childbearing years.

The transition to menopause can begin as early as your late 30s and last several months or years. This transitional time is known as perimenopause, during which your natural hormone levels begin to decline. Your body stops producing as many hormones as it did when you were younger.

It’s the result of a decline in your hormones that leads to a variety of symptoms associated with menopause. Some women reach their post-menopausal years without any issues, while others experience symptoms so severe, they interfere with their physical, mental, and emotional health.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

As your hormone production slows down, your levels of estrogen and progesterone may fluctuate unpredictably. This causes irregular or missed periods, a hallmark sign of approaching menopause.

Other common symptoms of menopause include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Mood swings
• Heavy bleeding
• Memory problems
• Difficulties concentrating
• Anxiety and depression

You may also experience a change in your sex drive, with a loss of interest in sex or persistent issues with painful sex due to vaginal dryness.

While there’s no way to prevent menopause, you don’t have to live with its symptoms. Artemis OB/GYN offers several treatment options to reduce the severity of your menopause symptoms and boost your overall quality of life.

What treatments are available for menopause?

To address the root cause of your symptoms during menopause, Artemis OB/GYN focuses on replenishing your natural hormone levels. The providers offer customized hormone replacement therapy that balances your hormones and provides long-term relief of your symptoms.

In addition to hormone therapy, you may also be a candidate for treatment with FemiLift, a noninvasive procedure that uses fractional CO2 laser energy to heat your vaginal tissues and address chronic dryness and irritation. The energy heats tissues to improve blood flow to the area and stimulate the production of new collagen to support tissue health.

Your Artemis OB/GYN provider may also recommend talk therapy and other resources to help you cope with the many changes you experience as you transition to menopause.

If you’re overwhelmed by menopause symptoms and need help, schedule a consultation at Artemis OB/GYN by calling the office or by requesting an appointment online today.