Menopause Health Article

Yoga

Many women find that yoga can ease menopausal symptoms. Yoga focuses on helping women unite the mind, body, and spirit to create balance. Because yoga has been shown to balance the endocrine system, some experts believe it may affect hormone-related problems. Studies have found that yoga can reduce stress, improve mood, boost a sluggish metabolism, and slow the heart rate. Specific yoga positions deal with particular problems, such as hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal and urinary problems, and other pains.

Exercise

Exercise helps ease hot flashes by lowering the amount of circulating FSH and LH and by raising endorphin levels (which drop during a hot flash). Even exercising 20 minutes three times a week can significantly reduce hot flashes. Weight bearing exercises help to prevent osteoporosis.

Elimination

Regular, daily bowel movements to eliminate waste products from the body can be crucial in maintaining balance through menopause. The bowels are where circulating hormones are gathered and eliminated, keeping the body from recycling them and causing an imbalance.

Acupuncture

This ancient Asian art involves placing very thin needles into different meridian points on the body to stimulate the system and unblock energy. It usually is painless and has been used for many menopausal symptoms, including insomnia, hot flashes, and irregular periods.

Acupressure and massage

Therapeutic massage involving acupressure can bring relief from a wide range of menopause symptoms by placing finger pressure at the same meridian points on the body that are used in acupuncture. There are more than 80 different types of massage, including foot reflexology, Shiatsu massage, and Swedish massage, but they all are based on the idea that boosting the circulation of blood and lymph benefits health. Breast massage (rubbing castor oil or olive oil on the breasts for five minutes thrice weekly) balances hormone levels, helps the uterus contract during menstruation, and prevents cramping pains.

Biofeedback

Some women have been able to control hot flashes through biofeedback, a painless technique that helps a person train her mind to control her body. A biofeedback machine provides information about body processes (such as heart rate) as the woman relaxes her body. Using this technique, it is possible to control the body's temperature, heart rate, and breathing.

Other treatments

Therapeutic touch, an energy-based practice, may relieve menopausal symptoms. Cold compresses on the face and neck can ease hot flashes. Sound or music therapy may relieve stress and other menopausal symptoms. Prayer or meditation can help improve coping ability.

Supplementation with magnesium, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, boron, manganese, and phosphorous is used to prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin E supplementation may reduce hot flashes and risk of heart disease.

Allopathic treatment

When a woman enters menopause, her levels of estrogen drop and troublesome symptoms begin. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can suppress symptoms by boosting the estrogen levels while also providing protection against heart disease and osteoporosis (bone weakening). There are two types of hormone treatments: hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). HRT is the administration of estrogen and progesterone; ERT is the administration of estrogen alone. Only women who have had a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) can take estrogen alone, since taking this "unopposed" estrogen can cause uterine cancer. The combination of progesterone and estrogen in HRT eliminates the risk of uterine cancer.

Experts once disagreed on whether HRT increases or decreases the risk of developing breast cancer. A Harvard study concluded that short-term use of hormones carried little risk, while HRT used for more than five years among women 55 and over seemed to increase the risk of breast cancer. In 2002, the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) quieted much of the disagreement, particularly concerning long-term use of HRT. Use of combined estrogen and progestin therapy was stopped in the large trial when invasive breast cancer risk hit a threshold among participants. The risks of HRT were determined to outweigh the benefits. Use of combined HRT also increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and even dementia.

Following the WHI, many physicians have cautioned women to discuss the benefits and risks of HRT with their doctors on an individual basis. In some cases, the benefits of short-term use of HRT still may outweigh the risks.

Women remain poor candidates for hormone replacement therapy if they:

• have ever had breast or endometrial cancer
• already have heart disease
• have a close relative (mother, sister, grandmother) who died of breast cancer or have two relatives who got breast cancer before age 40
• have had endometrial cancer
• have had gallbladder or liver disease
• have blood clots or phlebitis

Women would make a good candidate for HRT if they:

• need to prevent osteoporosis
• have had their ovaries removed
• have significant symptoms
• need short-term symptom relief

Aside from the findings of the WHI concerning risks of HRT, side effects of treatment include bloating, breakthrough bleeding, headaches, vaginal discharge, fluid retention, swollen breasts, or nausea. A 2001 study reported that HRT might worsen asthma in post-menopausal women who had asthma prior to menopause. Some side effects can be lessened or prevented by changing the HRT regimen.

The decision should be made by a woman and her doctor after taking into consideration her medical history and situation. Women who choose to take hormones should have an annual mammogram, breast exam, and pelvic exam and should report any unusual vaginal bleeding or spotting (a sign of possible uterine cancer).