Surviving Menopause Symptoms

Women dread menopause. There are a variety of reasons for this. Not only must they deal with the psychological aspects of not being of "child-bearing" age anymore, women must also navigate through the arduous symptoms involved in going through "the change". Night sweats and hot flashes are famous among females in their 40's and 50's. But even more distressing than the night sweats and hot flashes are problems with weight gain, depression, irritability, moodiness, vaginal dryness, lack of libido, and a host of other problems associated with menopause. Dealing with all of these symptoms can be extremely overwhelming, no matter who you are.

Finding a way to put up with the symptoms of menopause or diminish them is important to most women. There are some herbal and homeopathic treatments out there to help women cope with certain symptoms but few herbs or homeopathic remedies exist to cure all of the problems in one fell swoop. However, for women who are dealing with a particularly pesky symptom, these herbal and homeopathic treatments can be remarkably helpful.

Synthetic hormones, which are artificially created, have been in use since the 1930's to help women deal with their hormonal changes. Unfortunately, synthetic hormones have been correlated with a host of very negative and undesirable side effects (like breast cancer). Though some women still take the risk and go ahead and use synthetic hormones to cope with menopause, there are other, less risky options available.

Bioidentical hormones are derived from plants, and developed to be identical to those produced by the human body itself. They have been proven useful to help alleviate the symptoms of women going through menopause. Using bioidentical hormones in treatment often takes care of all the symptoms related to menopause rather than chipping away at the problem one symptom at a time. Women often feel rejuvenated and young again. As a result, they feel as though they can enjoy their golden years rather than dreading them.

Dealing with the harsh symptoms of menopause is not easy. Luckily, many women have found relief using different forms of treatment to calm these symptoms. While herbs, homeopathic treatments, and synthetic hormones have been in use for some time to allow women to cope with menopause, bioidentical hormones are a more natural approach. The health repercussions of menopause can also be avoided to keep older women looking and feeling healthy for many years into their future.

Anxiety Disorders And The Menopause Link

In today's society women struggle to survive and do more than they are able to, at work and at home. The demands, especially at work, are increasing and more is being demanded of you. Maybe you are also experiencing relationship issues or coping with other persistent problems (children, aging parents, etc).

Many women will experience extreme nervousness, generalized anxiety and sometimes full-blown panic attacks during menopause. For millions, these feelings are overwhelming and can interfere with their daily activities. Anxiety attacks refer to a combination of negative emotions including extreme fear and worry, often accompanied by physical sensations such as palpitations, chest pain, dizziness and shortness of breath. If you have not been correctly informed, anxiety attacks can indeed be terrifying. It is important that you know about and understand the hormone-based causes.

What causes Anxiety attacks during menopause?

The causes for anxiety attacks are divided into psychological and physical. However, physical causes (hormone imbalances) are primarily responsible for this issue in menopausal women.

o Psychological causes for Anxiety attacks

Here we have the ones related to uncommon disorders- rare hereditary diseases provoked by chemical imbalance in the brain, and those related to life stresses, fatigue, etc. If these cannot be controlled, your emotional stability is lost, culminating in anxiety attacks. However, these cases are temporary and anxiety attacks usually stop when the stressful event is over.

o Physical causes for Anxiety attacks

Hormonal imbalance is the main cause for anxiety attacks during menopause. Sometimes a trigger is something external, such as very loud noise. At other times, the feelings will seem to appear out of nowhere, without explanation or warning.

Estrogen hormones have a great effect on your mental state, as they regulate the levels of cortisol- the hormone that produces stress and anxiety. Thus, if your estrogen drops, cortisol cannot be controlled, leading to producing more stress and anxiety. Also key is the health of your adrenal system. The adrenals can normally assist with hormone production; however if your adrenals have become severely fatigued, you may not be properly manufacturing enough estrogen, DHEA and progesterone. Without proper levels of these hormones, even a small stress event can rapidly escalate into an anxiety attack.

What do I do about Anxiety attacks during menopause?

The most important step in relieving your anxiety is to find out whether your problem has a psychological or physical nature. If there is an extreme psychological disorder, you may need to be treated by a psychologist or other trained mental health professional. There may be a legitimate need for prescription medications to control the symptoms.

You may ask yourself "Why is this happening to me?" because maybe you have never experienced an anxiety disorder before and taking antidepressants or anxiety medication is a concern to you. There are alternative treatments available in many cases. Work with your doctor to explore all possible health issues. Hormone testing should reveal any imbalances, which can usually be corrected with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, medical massage therapy, acupuncture -- or a combination of these therapies. It will take weeks or many months to fine-tune the treatment, but you have a great chance of full recovery.

What to Expect When Going Through Menopause

Many women dread the idea of oncoming menopause, but it is completely manageable with the right information and treatment.

Menopause is scientifically described as the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the ovaries, meaning the woman no longer ovulates. Menopause typically occurs during the late 40's or early 50's, representing the end of the woman's fertile years. Menopause itself occurs when a series of natural biological changes cause the ovaries to stop producing the hormone estrogen. Menopause can occur naturally or as a result of a hysterectomy.

Hysterectomies cause what is called surgical menopause. Surgical menopause is slightly different from natural menopause. With both types of menopause, women experience hot flashes; night sweats, irritability, mood swings, and decreased sex drive. Symptoms of surgical menopause are typically more severe, but are dependent on the individual woman.

Natural menopause is broken into three stages: perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause. Preimenopause occurs when estrogen production begins to slow. Women experiencing preimenopuase have symptoms such as erratic periods, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness. This stage usually occurs during the late 40's.

Menopause is characterized as the passing of the final menstrual period. After a full year of no menstrual activity, a woman is considered to have gone completely through menopause. Postmenopausal is the final stage of life after the final period.

There are also many health implications that increase after menopause. Women that have gone through menopause are at a much higher risk of developing osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, and coronary artery disease.

Though menopause is unavoidable, there are some types of treatments that make it much more manageable. Hormone replacement therapy is a form of treatment given to women that have received a surgical hysterectomy. These hormones help the body continue to produce estrogen and delay t he onset of menopause. Hormone therapy usually consists of progestin and estrogen. Hormone therapy was first developed as a tablet, but is now available as a gel patch, skin spray, and implant. Hormone therapy relieves patients from hot flashes, vaginal dryness; improve sleep quality and joint pain. It is also extremely effective in preventing bone loss and osteoporotic fractures.

Tibolone is a non-hormonal therapy that has also been proven to aid against hot flashes and some pharmaceutical relief. Tibolone is a popular alternative to hormone therapy and is a natural ingredient in Mexican yams. With these treatments women are able to effectively manage menopause and continue living life in a normal manner.

Understanding Endometriosis Hip Joint Pain

Millions of women in America, and all over the world, as much as 5 to 10% of the female population, suffer endometriosis and hip joint pain can be one of the symptoms. So it is important to be aware of endometriosis signs and symptoms and the various treatment options that can help alleviate endometriosis hip joint pain.

While some women may have endometriosis and feel no different than their peers, most women with endometriosis suffer progressively worsening pain in line with their monthly periods.
The common symptoms of endometriosis are pelvic tenderness, heightened pre-menstrual syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, dysmenorrhea (pain before and during periods), painful urination, and pain during sexual intercourse, chronic fatigue and cramping among many others.
Hip pain or pain that radiates from the buttock and down the leg are common in women where endometriosis has effected the sciatic nerve. Also, endometriosis in the groin area can feel like hip pain.

On occasion endometrial adhesions can restrict the hip ligaments, causing pain and limping. Hip joint pain that worsens in a cyclical fashion in line with the menstrual cycle will usually be caused by endometriosis.

Endometriosis is characterized when endometrium cells, similar to the tissue that lines the womb or uterus, attaches itself to other organs found in the abdomen and around the hip joint. The reason behind this is still not entirely understood.

At first, it was hypothesized that endometriosis occurs due to a condition called retrograde menstruation, where menstrual blood flows backwards into the pelvic cavity instead of out of the body. This has largely been discounted however, as it has been found that most women experience retrograde menstruation without necessarily developing endometriosis.

More recent research has shown that the condition may possibly be an immune response towards the spreading of endometrial cells. Some studies have also discovered genetic links with regards to endometriosis. However all studies have been inconclusive regarding the actual cause of the disease. Further research is still being conducted to find its etiology.

Because the extent of endometriosis varies very widely among its sufferers, treatment options are also varied. The effectiveness and safety of these treatments should be subject to careful evaluation as a lot of them have side effects that you should be aware of.

Some sufferers may be given medical treatment, however these can cause premature menopause or can stop ovulation. Some women may just opt to relieve the hip and pelvic pain caused by endometriosis using pain killers either taking over-the-counter drugs or stronger prescription pain medicine.

Conservative surgery is also an option. This type of treatment aims to surgically destroy or remove endometriosis and return the effected organ systems to their original state as much as possible.

This is done in hope of relieving the hip joint paint associated with the condition as well as the infertility that can result from it. Most surgeries, especially those in the U.S., are done using a laparoscope, making the procedure minimally invasive.

Alternative treatments have also shown a lot of promise and anecdotally have been successful for a number of women. Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments like acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatments can provide relief. Also, acupressure and aromatherapy can be used to alleviate symptoms. Even you diet can make a big difference to your symptoms.

Keep reading to sign up to our free Endometriosis newsletter where you can discover more about the natural ways of treating endometriosis symptoms.

Endometriosis hip joint pain is not a laughing matter. If you experience some of the symptoms that you've learned about here, it's best to consult with your gynecologist to address the matter immediately. It is also wise to go to your doctor periodically to keep your reproductive health in check.

Herbal Remedies and Vitamins For Menopause - Relief in a Jar

Whether shopping on-line or at your local drug store, you will undoubtedly find a large assortment of herbal remedies (menopause relief in a jar, so to speak), vitamins for menopause and combos that supposedly provide everything that a woman needs for a "healthy menopause". The question is which one to choose. Choosing a health supplement of any kind can be difficult.

The Federal Trade Commission advises that while the benefits of some health products are well documented, others have no proven benefits and may even be dangerous. It is the responsibility of the health supplement manufacturers to insure that the products they sell are safe. These are general statements that apply to all health supplements, but apply to herbal remedies, menopause treatments and vitamins for menopause, as well. It is the consumer's chore to evaluate the effectiveness of these remedies by "giving them a try" or by researching the product ingredients.

This brings up one way that a consumer can spot a questionable product. Manufactures that are confident in the quality and effectiveness of their products will provide a detailed list of ingredients. The best manufacturers will even provide information supporting the use of the ingredients for any given condition. Manufacturers that make broad, non-specific statements concerning ingredients are either unsure about what the product contains, unsure about the products effectiveness or trying to mislead the consumer by insinuating that the product contains substances that are actually not included.

Let's look at an example of what to avoid, without giving any brand names. One internet company that sells vitamins for menopause makes this statement, "formulated to deliver essential vitamins and minerals, as well as menopause discomfort relieving herbs and isoflavones." Sold under the heading "herbal remedies menopause", this product apparently contains no herbs of any kind. The list of ingredients includes a number of vitamins, but no herbs and no isoflavones. Apparently this company is hoping that the consumer will read the description, but not the list of ingredients.

None of this is meant to be discouraging. There are a number of effective herbal remedies; menopause relief (even in a jar!) is available. And, most health care professionals recommend specific vitamins for menopause health, when used in conjunction with a healthy, well-balanced diet and regular exercise. You may wonder why exercise is so important. You may think that if you take a calcium supplement you are protected from osteoporosis (a weakening and thinning of the bones), even if you do not exercise regularly. If you think this way, then you are wrong. Certain activities (or lack of activity, in this case) and substances have a canceling effect on vitamins and minerals. Lack of exercise cancels out the positive benefits of calcium supplementation.

The commonly recommended minerals, dietary supplements and vitamins for menopause or the years leading up to menopause are calcium, vitamin A, C, D, E, K, B-complex, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, potassium, fiber, isoflavones and phytoestrogens.

Isoflavones are actually a well-researched form of phytoestrogens, but are sometimes listed separately. Phytoestrogens are simply plant compounds that have an "estrogen-like" effect on the body. Lessening levels of estrogen in a woman's body are believed to cause both PMS and menopause related symptoms. The most common sources of isoflavones are soy and red clover. Soy, as you probably know, is a food. Red clover can usually be found under the heading "herbal remedies menopause", except in the case of the product mentioned above.

Dietary guidelines from the USDA recommend that people should get most of their vitamins and minerals from the food that they eat, but that in certain cases supplementation may be necessary. Specifically related to vitamins for menopause are the recommendations that people over the age of 50 should add B-complex and D supplements or foods that are fortified with these vitamins. Vitamin D is necessary for the body to efficiently absorb calcium, as is phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, iron and vitamin C.

When it comes to other products usually sold in the "herbal remedies menopause" section of your local drug store, black cohosh will almost certainly be there. It was used historically by Native Americans to correct hormonal imbalances. Scientific studies in the nineties and the following years confirmed that it was a safe and effective alternative to hormone replacement therapy. It is not always promoted or recommended by doctors, partly because the quality of the product that a patient may purchase cannot be controlled, partly because the safety of long term use is unknown, but mostly (I think) because most doctors know very little about herbs and other natural products. Example: An article written by a doctor for a popular medical website states in the first paragraph that isoflavones may be effective for relieving the symptoms of menopause. In the last paragraph she lists a number of herbal remedies, menopause treatments and vitamins that have little evidence to support their use. Among them is red clover, which is one of the best known sources of isoflavones.

Home Remedies For Vaginal Dryness - Effective and Safe Natural Treatment

When vagina is not properly lubricated then this condition is called vaginal dryness. Due to this problem lovemaking also becomes less pleasurable and our daily activities also become uncomfortable. It is most common during the period of menopause and it is also the common cause of painful sex. This problem is very common among the old women and it also affects the women of all ages.

Some of the common symptoms of vaginal dryness include itching, dryness, a feeling of pressure, pain or light bleeding with sex, irritation, burning and also pain or light bleeding with sex.

Vaginal discharge is caused by a variety of conditions. If exact cause of the vaginal dryness is known then it becomes easy to find out its exact solution. Some of the common causes are decreased in estrogen level which usually occurs during the period of menopause, chronic yeast infection, douching (a process of cleaning vagina with a liquid preparation as it causes an inflammation and also disrupts the chemical balance), vaginal bacterial infection, and certain medications for the problem like cancer, allergy, ulcer, blood pressure and antidepressant. The other cause of this problem includes vaginal trauma, sexually transmitted disease and also benign or malignant tumor.

Various treatments are available for this problem like skin patch, cream, oral supplements and also some home remedies. You can enjoy the lovemaking by the help of lubricants and moisturizers.

You must not use yoghurt, hand lotions, soaps, vinegar or bubble bath to get relief from the discomfort caused by the vaginal dryness. These products may not ease your problem but at the same time increase irritation and cause infection.

Home Remedies for Vaginal Dryness

1. Make a habit to drink 8-10 glasses of water per day as it will fight against the dryness of vagina.

2. For the lubrication of vagina, aloe vera gel, saffron, ashwagandha must be taken with the milk in right proportion. It is very effective remedy for reducing the problem of vaginal dryness. Aloe due to its valuable moisturizing properties keeps the female reproductive organs hydrated and youthful.

3. Take a glass of water and add a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds and allow it to boil for 10-15 minutes. It will keep our system healthy and also increases the libido of a person. It also maintains the level of blood sugar.

4. To treat the dryness herbal oils is another way to lubricate the vagina.

Herbs for Endometriosis Treatment - Essential Herbs To Control Endometriosis Symptoms

Endometriosis is a condition in which the endometrial cell grows and implants on other tissues other than the uterus. These implants can grow in any part of the body such as in the pelvis, fallopian tube, bladder, bowel and ovaries. In rare cases, they can also grow in the lungs, thorax and armpits. As in normal menstruation wherever these implants grow, they respond to hormonal changes and bleed. But when they grow in other parts of the body apart from the uterus, there is no exit for the blood to get out of the body and therefore they are trapped inside the tissue. This can cause severe pain as the blood dried up and form cysts.

For treating this health condition, doctors normally prescribe synthetic hormones, oestrogen, usually in the form of birth control pills. But this approach does not always produce the desired outcomes for certain groups of women that are taking this kind of medications. In some instances, there were reported cases of side effects by the women using these synthetic hormones.

Therefore, to treat this health condition, herbal remedy should also be considered. The reasons being that these herbs are readily available in most health stores, they are inexpensive and most importantly they do not cause any side effects. Certain medicinal herbs can be used to control the symptoms of this condition. Some of these herbs contain natural elements which are similar to the synthetic hormones used for treating endometriosis.

The followings are some of the herbs which can be used to control the symptoms of endometriosis;

1). Dandelion Tea

This herb is very important because it helps to suppress the pelvic pain normally experienced by those suffering from endometriosis.

2). Colic Root

This herb helps to suppress the pain originating from bowel movement. It also reduces the painful cramps associated with menstruation, particularly for women suffering from endometriosis.

3). Vites Agnus Castus

This particular herb performs multipurpose function. It helps to treat various kinds of reproductive problems in women, and also helps to reduce the pain and cramping symptoms that normally accompany endometriosis.

4). Black Cohosh

This herb can help with endometriosis. They are useful for maintaining the oestrogen level. This is a hormone which causes endometriosis when it is abnormally produced in the body.

5). Flaxseed

This herb is very rich in lignans which are believed to help control endometrial cancer.

In addition to herbs for endometriosis treatment, you should also maintain a proper intake of nutritional supplements such as vitamins B, C and E, zinc, iron, magnesium and folic acid. They can help to improve the symptoms of endometriosis.