Read up on Menopause treatment options at Consumer Reports Health.

Menopause

Key points about treatments

Menopause is not an illness. It's a normal part of every woman's life.

For some women, the symptoms of menopause can be distressing. Hot flashes can be uncomfortable and cause sleepless nights. A dry vagina can make sex painful. And you might have other problems like feeling depressed.

If your symptoms are bad and interfere with your life, you don't have to put up with them. There are treatments that can help. You will need to weigh the pros and cons of treatment and decide with your doctor what is right for you.

You and your doctor should also consider your medical history and that of your family to decide on the right type of treatment.

Bear in mind that, whatever you decide, you can always change your mind about your treatment. It's a good idea to review your decision about treatments with your doctor at an annual checkup.

Key points about treating the symptoms of menopause

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the main treatment for menopausal symptoms. It relieves hot flashes and vaginal dryness, and reduces the chance of

urinary tract infection
A urinary tract infection (UTI) happens when bacteria invade the walls of your urinary tract, which includes your kidneys, bladder and urethra. An uncomplicated UTI is one that involves your bladder and urethra, but not your kidneys. A complicated UTI involves your kidneys and can be harder to treat. Another name for kidney infection is pyelonephritis.

urinary infections. It can also help if you feel depressed.
But HRT increases your chances of getting breast cancer. This increased risk is very small, but it gets bigger the longer you use HRT.
HRT can also increase your chances of getting

blood clot
A blood clot forms when your blood clumps together. Sometimes this happens to stop you from bleeding if you've had an injury. But it can also happen on the inside of your blood vessels, even when you haven't had an injury. A blood clot inside of a blood vessel is called a thrombus.

clots in your blood (called thromboembolic disease), getting

heart disease
You get heart disease when your heart isn't able to pump blood as well as it should. This can happen for a variety of reasons.

heart disease and having a

stroke
You have a stroke when the blood supply to a part of your brain is cut off. This damages your brain and can cause symptoms like weakness or numbness on one side of your body. You may also find it hard to speak if you've had a stroke.

stroke. For most women, these risks are small. The risk of having a blood clot gets smaller the longer you are on HRT.
If you take HRT containing only

estrogen
Estrogen is the name given to three female sex hormones: oestradiol, oestrone and oestriol. Estrogen causes women's sexual development during puberty: it is needed to develop breasts, have periods and get pregnant. Estrogen is also thought to affect women's health in other ways. It may influence their mood, cholesterol levels and how their bones grow. Men have very low levels of estrogen in their bodies, but doctors aren't completely sure what it does. Estrogen is an important ingredient in most types of contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy.

estrogen, you run a high risk of getting cancer in the lining of your womb. If you still have your womb, you will be prescribed another hormone called progestin to protect against this cancer.
A drug called tibolone helps with hot flashes and night sweats, and can increase your sex drive. Like HRT, tibolone slightly increases your risk of some serious side effects. This drug has not yet been approved for use in the United States.
We don't know whether phytoestrogens (plant estrogens found in some foods, such as soy) help with symptoms of menopause. There's not much research on herbal remedies either.

This information was last updated on Apr 09, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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