Menopause is a natural transition in a woman's life when her periods stop permanently and she is no longer able to get pregnant naturally. The years leading up to menopause are called perimenopause. During this transition time, levels of estrogen and other hormones fluctuate and start to decline. This hormonal change causes menstruation to become irregular and eventually stop completely.
The average age for menopause is 51, but it can happen anytime between the ages of 40 and 55. Every woman's experience is different. Some women have minimal symptoms while others have significant troublesome symptoms. Main signs and symptoms associated with menopause include:
While menopause is a natural process, women don't have to suffer through debilitating symptoms. Hormone therapy can provide relief for bothersome menopause symptoms. Read on to learn more about menopause treatment options with Hormone Harmony hormone therapy in Bronx.
Getting an accurate menopause diagnosis is the first step in exploring treatment options. Menopause is diagnosed when a woman has gone 12 consecutive months without her menstrual cycle. To confirm, doctors will check follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol levels.
Doctors also rule out other possible causes for missed menstrual cycles, like pregnancy. Tracking menopause symptoms in a journal can also help guide treatment.
Talk to your doctor about testing if you think you could be in perimenopause or menopause. Getting clear lab work and a menopause diagnosis will open up relief options.
Hormone therapy (HT), also known as hormone replacement therapy or HRT, supplements low hormone levels related to menopause. The main hormones used are estrogen and progesterone. Sometimes testosterone is also prescribed.
Hormone therapy is the most effective treatment option for relieving debilitating menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances, and mood changes. HT also has benefits for bone and heart health.
At Hormone Harmony Bronx hormone clinic, we provide customized bioidentical hormone therapy plans tailored to each woman's lab work and needs. HT often improves quality of life and allows women to feel like themselves again.
Some key benefits of HT include:
Most women experience significant menopause symptom relief with hormone therapy. Treatment plans can always be adjusted based on patient feedback.
At Hormone Harmony Bronx clinic, we use bioidentical hormones sourced from plants to match the body's natural estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Common types include:
Bioidentical hormones have the same molecular structure as hormones made in the woman's body. This allows them to bind and fit receptors properly to prevent hormonal imbalances.
The safety profile of bioidentical HT is excellent with few risks compared with benefits. Plant-based bioidentical hormones help restore optimal hormonal balance so women can feel like themselves again.
Getting started with hormone therapy is straightforward. Initial steps include:
1. Make Appointment - Schedule lab work and consultation 2. Get Lab Testing - Assess hormone levels 3. Consultation Visit - Review lab results and symptom history 4. Initiate Treatment - Get prescription for bioidentical hormones 5. Follow-up Monitoring - Evaluate symptom relief and adjust treatment as needed
We develop personalized plans with the optimal doses, routes of administration, and hormone combinations. Expect significant symptom relief within 1-3 months. Most women are very glad they sought out treatment.
There are a variety of menopause symptoms that can disrupt a woman's quality of life. The most common ones include:
Hot flashes are sudden feelings of intense body heat, flushing, and sweating. They may be accompanied by palpitations, anxiety, irritability, and pins and needles sensations. 75% of women have moderate to severe hot flashes during the menopausal transition.
Hormone therapy is the gold standard for effectively treating hot flashes and night sweats. Results are often seen in just a few weeks. We also recommend tips like layering clothes, avoiding triggers like caffeine/alcohol/spicy foods, and using fans. Adding an antidepressant like venlafaxine or gabapentin may also help in more stubborn cases when women can't or don't want to take hormones.
If you are suffering from hot flashes throughout the day or drenching night sweats that disrupt sleep, seek help. Safe and effective relief options are available.
Declining estrogen levels leads to changes in vaginal pH and atrophy of tissues. Many women experience vaginal dryness, irritation, pain with intercourse, more recurrent UTIs, and light bleeding during sex.
Low testosterone also frequently plays a role in decreased arousal and desire. However, some women notice increased libido during perimenopause.
Both systemic hormone therapy pills/patches and localized vaginal estrogen creams can relieve challenging genitourinary symptoms. Testosterone therapy and lubricants/moisturizers also help many women.
Don't suffer silently with painful intercourse or lost intimacy due to menopause. A variety of effective treatments can get your sex life back on track. Come in to discuss relief options.
Many women report increased depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, trouble focusing, memory lapses, and crying spells during the menopause transition. Sleep is also frequently disrupted by night sweats or changing hormone levels.
Restoring hormonal balance and stability is key to supporting mood and sleep. We find many patients get significant relief from targeted bioidentical hormone combinations including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Improving hot flashes also lets women achieve deeper and more restorative sleep.
Lifestyle measures like getting enough sleep, reducing alcohol intake, meditation/yoga, and exercising can complement hormone therapy benefits. We also review antidepressant or sleep aid options for women who desire an adjunct treatment.
Other common menopause symptoms women may experience include:
Hormone therapy and lifestyle measures often provide substantial relief from these disruptive menopause concerns as well. We thoroughly discuss all symptoms and customize treatment plans at Hormone Harmony Bronx hormone center.
The key to optimizing hormone therapy is finding the right dose/combination tailored for you based on lab work, medical history, risk factors, and symptom response. Monitoring and feedback allows us to achieve the best relief.
Once a woman starts on hormone therapy through our Hormone Harmony Bronx clinic, we schedule regular follow-up visits and lab testing to assess treatment results and tolerability.
Dose adjustments may be necessary over time as hormone levels change with aging or if inadequate symptom control occurs. Finding one's unique optimal dose leads to the best quality of life. We partner until desired relief is achieved.
In addition to hormone therapy, we provide women with lifestyle recommendations to help manage menopausal changes:
Implementing positive lifestyle habits creates an internal and external environment for thriving in menopause. Our goal is to give women tools to proactively nourish themselves during this transition.
Studies show that practicing yoga poses that focus on stretching and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can help relieve several menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and urinary incontinence. Many women find adding a regular yoga practice to be a helpful complement to other menopause treatments.
There are many reasons to choose Hormone Harmony for individualized care for perimenopause and menopause concerns. Benefits of our Bronx hormone therapy clinic include:
Our menopause specialists have over 15 years of experience safely treating women with bioidentical hormones and localized options. We stay up to date with the latest research and best practices. Many of our patients are referred by past patients and area providers due to our outstanding reputation.
We take time getting to know patients as individuals first before making treatment recommendations. After thorough lab reviews and medical histories, we develop customized therapy plans to meet each woman's needs and goals. Expect compassionate, unrushed appointments.
Our clinic uses advanced hormone testing to uncover underlying imbalances. We don't just look at estrogen/progesterone levels. Cutting-edge body mapping of cortisol, thyroid, testosterone and other hormones achieves optimal balance.
Our modern clinic offices provide a soothing atmosphere conveniently located in central Bronx near major highways. We offer weekday, weekend and evening appointments to accommodate different schedules.
We look forward to helping women thrive through perimenopause, menopause and beyond with individualized therapy plans. Call today to learn more and schedule a consultation.
