Why Does Menopause Cause Such Uncomfortable Symptoms?

From sleep disturbances to hot flashes to everyday irritability, menopause can cause a host of inconveniences starting between ages 45 and 55. 

Though many women reach menopause without noticing many changes beyond the cessation of their menstrual periods, others experience extreme discomfort as they approach this new phase of life.

Our specialists at The Association for Women’s Health Care, located in The Loop in Chicago and Northbrook, Illinois, offer hormone replacement therapy to help you adjust to your body’s changes in menopause. 

Plus, we can provide additional services to target individual symptoms. You might need assistance dealing with these challenges leading up to and during menopause:

• Vaginal dryness
• Mood swings and irritability
• Hot flashes
• Dry skin
• Urinary incontinence
• Osteoporosis

So, what’s at the root of all of this discomfort? You can thank two specific hormones.

About estrogen and progesterone

Estrogen and progesterone are the two female reproductive hormones. Your ovaries produce them, but as you get closer to menopause, their production slows down significantly. 

Since these two hormones are responsible for many bodily processes and reactions, a change in their levels doesn’t often come without discernible changes in how you feel. 

Consider some of estrogen’s key responsibilities:

• Sexual growth and development
• Mood regulation
• Brain function
• Menstrual cycle
• Vaginal health

Already, you can draw some comparisons between the roles of estrogen and the symptoms commonly encountered during menopause. Mood swings, for example, are often linked directly to fluctuations in estrogen, since the hormone helps with mood regulation. 

As for progesterone, it plays important roles related to:

• Sexual development
• Appetite stimulation
• Kidney function
• Bone density
• Blood pressure regulation

Before eventually leveling out during menopause, these hormones fluctuate dramatically during a period called perimenopause, which comes just before menopause. That’s when many women experience their most intense menopause-related symptoms. 

How hormone replacement therapy helps

Not all women entering menopause need any clinical assistance. But if menopause symptoms are having a significant impact on your quality of life and comfort, consider hormone replacement therapy. 

While undergoing hormone replacement therapy, you take synthetic or bioidentical forms of estrogen or progesterone to give your faltering hormone production a boost. 

By intervening to regulate these hormones, you can enjoy fewer symptoms, less discomfort, and a lower risk of experiencing osteoporosis. Research indicates that women can lose up to 20% of their bone density during menopause, putting them at a much higher risk for fractures and the pain that comes with them. 

Reach out for help today

Don’t let the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause get the best of you. If menopause symptoms significantly affect your sleep, mood, or comfort, call us at The Association for Women’s Health Care, or book an appointment online today.