Medical Monday: Menopause

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - Menopause on average occurs around age 50. Vanessa Symonick explains how you can manage some of the signs of menopause in this week’s Medical Monday.

Menopause is defined as the absence of a period for twelve months. Dr. Rachel Swartz is an OBGYN for Northern Light AR Gould. She says the average age for menopause to occur is around age 51, but age can vary depending on the patient whether it happens at a younger age or an older age. The signs of menopause can present themself as early as a year prior or even before that known as the peri-menopausal phase.

Dr. Rachel Swartz: “The peri-menopausal phase is the year or several years up until menopause in which women will oftentimes experience basal motor symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness. The basal motor symptoms can last for several years even after menopause unfortunately.”

But Swartz assures there are ways that you can manage the symptoms at home.

Swartz: “You can definitely do things to help with the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Some environmental things that you can do would be set your thermostat lower, so you have a cooler room. Wearing layers, so you can take clothing off and on as you get hot flashes. Having a personal fan can be helpful too”.

In addition to managing your symptoms environmentally, there are some medications you can also take.

Swartz: “Then there’s medications that you can try that are non-hormonal that can help with some basal motor symptoms. And then there’s hormone replacement therapy, which is very effective, but does have some risks associated with it. There are some, mostly risks for blood clots slight risk for breast cancer being on hormone replacement therapy.”

Overall Swartz wants to remind all women that it’s important to discuss your symptoms with your primary care provider and to not suffer in silence. Vanessa Symonick Newssource 8.

Copyright 2023 WAGM. All rights reserved.