Breast Pain and Menopause: When to Seek Help
Breast Cancer Awareness Month has drawn to a close, but the time to be paying attention to the health of your breasts isn’t just during October, it’s all year round. While breast cancer is more treatable and has a higher survival rate than ever before, it’s still best to catch it as early as possible, meaning you should be extremely conscious of any potential symptoms, including pain and changes in your breasts.
The symptoms of menopause and the signs of breast cancer can occasionally overlap. As your body enters the early stages of this transition, changes to your breasts are common, and it can be hard to tell what’s normal and what is a cause for concern. To be safe, it’s best to make sure you get your regular mammograms and perform your monthly self-exams. These are some normal breast-related symptoms of menopause, and some other ones that should warrant a check with your doctor!
Normal Menopause Symptoms
Pain or Tenderness
Any time your hormones get out of balance, whether for an oncoming period, a new pregnancy, menopause, or a whole host of other reasons, your breasts can feel sensitive and sore. During menopause, it becomes less predictable than it was with PMS. Take note of any pain or tenderness for good measure, but unless it’s severe or persistent, it’s usually not anything to worry about!
Changes in Size and Shape
The dropping levels of estrogen in your body as you enter menopause can affect the size, shape, and look of your breasts. You may notice that they lose density and fullness, and they may appear to be a completely different size or shape than they were when you were younger, especially if you’ve breastfed children in the past. These changes are normal and many women experience them during menopause.
Lumps or Masses
Feeling a lump or mass in your breast is enough to get any woman’s heart racing, but not every lump means cancer. Cysts are a common cause of breast lumps and are nothing to be concerned about, especially if you’ve been performing your monthly self-exams over the years and you know that you’re prone to this kind of mass. Lymph nodes also might feel like a small lump but are perfectly normal. However, other kinds of lumps can be dangerous– keep reading below to learn how to tell the difference.
Talk to Your Doctor
Hard or Fixed Lumps
Lumps in your breast that are soft, have defined margins (i.e. edges that are regular and easy to feel) and are mobile, meaning they can be moved around by touch, are usually benign and not dangerous to your health. You should still discuss them with your doctor if they concern you, but they don’t typically indicate cancer.
Lumps that are hard, have irregular borders, and are fixed (meaning they can’t be easily moved by touch) can be signs of breast cancer. If you find a lump, mass, or growth in your breast that fits this description, you should inform your doctor of it right away.
Nipple Changes or Discharge
Changes in the shape and size of your breast are normal during menopause, but you should be very aware of changes in your nipples, particularly if your nipples invert suddenly (or start pointing inwards when they used to point out). Unexplained nipple discharge is also a sign that something is amiss and should be discussed with your doctor.
Skin Changes
A skin effect called “orange peeling” is a common sign of breast cancer. This means that the skin on a particular area of your breast takes on a dimpled appearance, like the skin of an orange. This is something you should look out for when you perform your regular self breast exams. You should also keep an eye out for any redness, rashes, or irritation on the skin of your breasts. Some kinds of cancer won’t cause a lump but will present with these symptoms instead, and any unexplained skin irritation on your breasts is something to tell your doctor about.
Lopsided Size or Shape Changes
For the most part, as long as changes in the size, shape, and appearance of your breasts are symmetrical, they’re not anything to be too worried about. However, if you notice a sudden change like a swelling or shrinkage of the breast on one side but not the other, it’s definitely something to make a note of and get checked out.
The changes that occur in your body during menopause are easy to get scared by. It’s a time when a lot is shifting and altering, and it’s only natural to be concerned about your health. However, if you keep in mind what’s considered a normal breast change and what’s not when it comes to menopause, it should help to set your mind at ease. If you want to learn more about women’s health and taking care of yourself during menopause, continue to read our blog here at Renewed Vitality!
Hormones are responsible for nearly everything that goes on in your body. They are the courier service that delivers messages to every organ and system, letting it know how to function and what to do and when. When you have a better understanding of these hormones, what they are, and how they work, you can come into a better understanding of your body and health as a whole! With that goal in mind, let’s keep learning about the many different hormones in the human body, focusing on progesterone.
What is Progesterone?
Progesterone, like testosterone and estrogen, is a sex hormone. This means that its primary functions have to do with the reproductive system and sexual health.
Similar to estrogen, progesterone is considered a largely “female” hormone, because its most vital functions are in the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. However, both men and women have some amount of progesterone in their system, just like estrogen and testosterone! In males, the levels of progesterone are simply much lower than in females.
What Does Progesterone Do?
Progesterone plays a big role in the formation and function of the endometrium, or the lining of the uterus. This lining is what builds up throughout the month and then sheds during a period if a woman does not become pregnant, and it becomes the placenta if a fertilized egg implants and the woman becomes pregnant. Rising progesterone levels cause the endometrium to thicken in preparation for fertilization and implantation, and if this doesn’t occur, progesterone levels drop off, causing the shedding of the endometrium and the monthly period.
If a fertilized egg does implant, progesterone also plays a role in the early stages of pregnancy. It helps to encourage the endometrium to form the placenta, stimulating blood vessels so that it can nourish the growing fetus. Progesterone levels stay high throughout pregnancy, preventing any more eggs from being released, and it also is one of the hormones that stimulates lactation after the baby is born.
In men, progesterone plays a role in the regulation of testosterone levels and the formation of sperm. It also has an impact on mood, sleep, libido, and bone density!
Where is Progesterone Made?
Most sex hormones are made in the primary sex glands– the ovaries for women and the testes for men. This is partially true of progesterone, however, it’s a bit more complicated.
In males, progesterone is just produced in the testes. In females, it’s actually produced in a temporary gland called the corpus luteum. Here’s what happens. Inside the ovary, a structure called a follicle releases the egg into the fallopian tube, where it is either fertilized or dissolves. After the follicle releases the egg, it forms the corpus luteum. This is the gland that produces progesterone to help the uterine lining thicken up in preparation for a potential pregnancy. When the egg isn’t fertilized and breaks down, the corpus luteum breaks down too, and progesterone levels fall, causing the period to happen. Basically, each time you go through a menstrual cycle, your body is creating, using, and breaking down a new gland!
If a woman does become pregnant, the corpus luteum doesn’t dissolve. Instead, it keeps pumping out progesterone to create the placenta. Eventually, once the placenta is large and developed enough, it starts to create progesterone on its own, becoming the major producer of this hormone in the body throughout pregnancy to keep the fetus nourished and prevent both ovulation and premature uterine contractions that might cause early labor.
What Happens if You Have Low Progesterone?
Low progesterone is often associated with fertility problems and trouble conceiving or carrying a pregnancy to term. If you aren’t pregnant but you have low progesterone, you might have irregular periods, headaches, mood swings, mood difficulties like anxiety or depression, trouble sleeping, or hot flashes. If you are pregnant and you have low progesterone, you can be at risk for ectopic pregnancy, preterm labor, or miscarriage.
Progesterone levels, like estrogen levels, also drop off as you age and begin to enter menopause, and this decrease in progesterone is associated with the common symptoms of menopause, like night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood swings.
What Happens if You Have High Progesterone?
High progesterone levels aren’t often seen outside of pregnancy, but they are to blame for some of the common unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy, including nausea, breast tenderness, and fatigue.
If you do have high progesterone levels when you’re not pregnant, you may notice these symptoms, as well as anxiety or depression, low sex drive, or bloating and weight gain. These elevated levels might be due to hormonal birth control that you’re taking, or it could be a sign of an ovarian cyst or another abnormality with your reproductive system. If your blood work shows high progesterone levels without any other explanation, your medical provider should discuss these possibilities with you.
What to Do About Progesterone Imbalances?
The most common reason people have trouble with progesterone imbalances is menopause. The dropping levels of this hormone can make life extremely difficult for some women! If this is true for you and you’re interested in feeling better, hormone replacement therapy might be the right path for you. Make sure you contact the team at Renewed Vitality to learn more!
You love your partner, through thick and thin, through good times and bad. However, when your spouse is going through menopause, you might find it puts a strain on your relationship. This is incredibly common! Like other stages of a long-term relationship, menopause brings huge shifts for your partner and the ways in which you interact, and it’s perfectly normal to struggle with the transition.
With tensions running high, it might seem like the smallest things you say can upset your spouse. However, from their perspective, certain remarks are not small at all! There are some things that you should definitely avoid saying to your partner when they’re going through menopause. It will help to show that you understand and respect what they’re dealing with, and keep things positive. Here are a few of them to be aware of!
Aren’t You Too Young for That?
Menopause is something that’s associated with growing older, so it might surprise you to hear that your partner is beginning to go through it at a younger age than you thought they would. Menopause tends to occur on average between the ages of 45 and 55, but it is possible for it to happen sooner.
Telling someone they’re too young for menopause can feel like a well-meaning compliment, but for many women, it’s just a painful reminder that they’re aging. Menopause can be difficult mentally and emotionally as well as physically, and it’s kindest to tread lightly around the subject of age during this time. Your partner might be feeling sad about getting older without you realizing!
It’s Freezing in Here!
Hot flashes are the classic symptom of menopause. Everyone hears about them, every woman dreads them, and everyone who experiences them knows what a pain they are. They can strike at any time, interrupt your sleep, and make you wildly uncomfortable in the most inconvenient moments. When your partner is having a hot flash, she’s sure to be stressed, sweaty, and altogether miserable.
In these moments, the most considerate thing to do would be to avoid pointing out the hot flash unless she mentions it herself, and don’t make any comments about the temperature. If she’s turned up the AC and you’re cold, grab a sweater without making a big fuss. Complaining about the temperature might only make her feel worse!
Did You Gain Weight?
Menopause can lead to a lot of physical changes in a woman’s appearance, including weight gain, hair thinning, changes in body or facial hair, or changes in breast volume. Simply put, your partner is likely to be especially sensitive about her looks at this time, and off-handed comments might strike a little deeper than you intended them to.
If you notice a change in your partner’s appearance like thinning hair or weight gain, it’s best to keep any observations about it to yourself. Instead, focus on pointing out the things you find beautiful about your partner that she can feel confident about. Remind her that you find her attractive and sexy– a small compliment can go a long way!
You’re Lucky Your Period is Gone!
It seems like the one upside of menopause: no more dealing with a period each month! While this is true and it’s something many women consider to be a silver lining during menopause, it might upset your partner to have it pointed out.
For one thing, losing your period is just another reminder that you’re getting older, something few women are particularly excited about. It might also be saddening for some women to know that they’re out of their childbearing years– they may have wanted a bigger family, or never got the chance to have children when they wanted to. If your partner mentions being grateful that her period is gone, it’s great to join her in rejoicing, but otherwise, it might be best to avoid mentioning it. You never know what might be on her mind when it comes to changes in her body.
You’re Not in the Mood Again?
Changes in your sex life are a major source of relationship strain during menopause. The hormonal changes this transition brings are likely to affect your partner’s libido, as well as how comfortable and enjoyable sex actually is for her. You might find that you’re suddenly having much less sex than you used to, leaving you feeling frustrated and distant.
This is shaky territory. Guilting your partner or complaining about her lower sex drive or physical changes is never something you want to do. At best, it’s rude and inconsiderate, and at worst, it borders on coercing her into sex. However, you’re not wrong to feel lonely or upset with this change in your relationship! Those feelings are normal and worth fixing. Find a time to calmly and kindly talk to your partner about the shift in your sex life. Acknowledge her struggles and that you know this isn’t her fault, and lay out how you’re feeling and that you want to work together to fix the problem. Cooperating on finding a solution can result in your relationship coming out even stronger on the other side!
Menopause doesn’t have to mean that your relationship with your partner turns sour. It’s a period of change like others that you’ve gotten through together, and with plenty of open communication, love, and support, you’ll get through this one, too. If your partner is really struggling with the symptoms of menopause, hormonal replacement therapy might be a good way for her to find some relief. You can both learn more from Renewed Vitality today!
Menopause is a process that every woman goes through when she reaches a certain age. It’s completely natural and normal. It’s also annoying, disheartening, and at times can feel a little embarrassing. Just because it’s something that’s supposed to happen doesn’t mean that it’s easy to deal with!
Additionally, for a long time in our society, periods, menopause, and women’s health in general was something that wasn’t meant to be discussed in public, and even talking about it among your female friends was shaky ground. It can be hard to break that habit! However, as we all get more open discussing our reproductive health, there are a lot of benefits to be gained by talking to your friends about going through menopause, especially your female friends of a similar age who are in the same boat! Here are some of the reasons to have those conversations.
Feel Supported
If there’s one thing you can learn from talking to your friends about menopause, it’s this– you’re not alone! Every woman goes through this process, and the struggles and challenges you’re facing, while they aren’t much fun, are normal and not something to be scared or ashamed of. Talking to people who understand what you’re going through can be a huge benefit to your support system. After all, your family members or friends who don’t have a frame of reference are helpful, but they can’t fully relate. The feeling of mutual support that you can get from talking to your friends about menopause is something very valuable.
Exchange Coping Tips
Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, fatigue– the list of unpleasant symptoms of menopause goes on. Again, while they’re normal and to be expected, they’re a complete pain! Talking to your friends who are experiencing the same symptoms can be hugely helpful in dealing with them. They may have methods and tips that you never thought of that make these annoyances much easier to cope with. Maybe one of your friends puts a facial mist in the fridge for hot flashes, or another has found the perfect method for dealing with night sweats. Collaboration is the name of the game when it comes to friends helping each other through this tough time.
Appreciate Aging Together
It can be tough to look for the silver lining during a process that doesn’t feel very fun, but the truth is that there’s a unique beauty in every stage of life that you get to experience, including this one. You and your friends are changing physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially, and there are upsides and downsides to those changes, but they’re all worth appreciating. Being able to get older and experience this point in your life is a gift, and talking to your friends and hearing about their experiences can help you to find the positives and appreciate aging alongside each other!
Practice Communication
During menopause, your relationships with people in your life– like partners, family members, or children– might get a little bit strained. You’re under a lot of stress that they don’t have the ability to fully understand, and it can lead to arguments and tension. When you talk to your friends, however, you’re talking to people who are in the same boat, and who understand the difficulties! Things like mood swings and general annoyance at the process of menopause are common, and talking to your friends can be a good way to practice communicating what’s going on and stating what you need. When you can carry these skills over to the other relationships in your life, you might be surprised at how the strain eases up!
Normalize the Transition
The more we openly talk about things like menopause, the more normalized and accepted they become in society. This makes it easier for women to learn what’s common and what’s uncommon, and makes resources that ease the difficulties of menopause, like hormone replacement therapy (HRT), much more accessible! You might’ve heard in chatting with your friends that HRT can lessen the symptoms of menopause and make the process easier to cope with, and that can be available to you at Renewed Vitality in Wyomissing, PA. Check out our hormonal services today to learn more!
Menopause is one of the biggest physical changes that a woman will go through in her life. It’s a shift in everything you’ve gotten used to about your body over the last few decades, and it’s going to be a big adjustment to deal with! However, with menopause, you get to have the benefits of foresight. You know this change is coming, and that gives you the opportunity to work on preparing yourself so that it’s easier to deal with.
Preparing yourself ahead of time for menopause can have a good deal of positive impact on both your mental and physical health during the process. Here are some of the ways that you can do this!
Educate Yourself
When it comes to menopause and your hormonal health, knowledge is power, and learning what to expect ahead of time can make the process much easier to deal with. Most people know about how menopause deals with the stopping of your period and symptoms like hot flashes, but other signs, symptoms, and side effects are less-well discussed, like weight gain, vaginal dryness, hair loss, or urinary problems. Being aware of the possibilities of these symptoms can help you to be less scared and concerned if and when they show up, and you can prepare coping strategies to deal with them ahead of time.
Set Up Healthy Habits
Because menopause heavily affects your hormones and your hormones affect nearly everything in your body, heading into menopause can mean serious physical changes are at hand, not all of them good. Struggling with your weight, dealing with low bone density, and living in fear of cardiovascular problems are all things that can happen as you age and your period stops, but a healthy lifestyle that includes lots of nourishing foods and exercise and limits things like drinking and smoking can help to counteract these symptoms.
It’s never too early to start taking good care of your body, but it’s also never too late. Even if you feel like you have a while before menopause is upon you, or you feel like you missed the boat to prepare, try to work in some healthy habits anyway. They’ll pay dividends when you’re on the other side of this process!
Find a Doctor You Trust
Dealing with the symptoms of menopause is not something that you have to do without help. On top of having a good support system of friends and family around you, it’s important to have a strong and trusting relationship with a doctor that you can turn to for help when you need it.
If you don’t feel comfortable and confident with your doctor, that might be a sign that it’s time to look for a new one. When you find a doctor you like, discuss your concerns with them! Bring up symptoms you’re particularly worried about experiencing when menopause arrives and ask advice for coping. Your doctor may be able to help you alleviate unpleasant symptoms.
Develop Stress Coping Skills
Chronic stress is never good for your health, but particularly during and after menopause, it can be especially detrimental, with effects on your blood pressure and your heart health. While reducing the sources of stress in your life can be beneficial, sometimes your stressors are unavoidable. Building coping skills to help you deal with this stress can make a big difference in your health during menopause.
Consider HRT
Sometimes it’s possible to deal with the symptoms of menopause on your own, but if you’re finding yourself struggling, hormone replacement therapy might be helpful, relieving bothersome symptoms and helping you to feel comfortable and in control again. If you’re interested in learning more about hormone replacement therapy, make sure to contact us at Renewed Vitality.
There are dozens of different hormones in the human body. These so-called “chemical messengers” are responsible for triggering the various processes and rhythms throughout your body over the course of your life, from your circadian rhythm to your hunger levels to a woman’s menstrual cycle. These small little chemicals play a vital role in the way your body functions because of this!
Of the many different types of hormones, one of the most talked-about ones is estrogen. Most people know that it’s a hormone that has to do with the female reproductive system, but how much do you actually know about estrogen beyond that? At Renewed Vitality, we’re the hormone experts, and so we’re giving you a crash course in what you need to know about estrogen!
What is Estrogen?
Estrogen is one of the sex hormones, meaning it’s involved in your sexual and reproductive systems. It’s commonly thought of as a specifically female hormone, but that’s not entirely true! While women have estrogen in much higher levels in their bodies, men have it as well, and not having it can cause problems to their health. While it performs more functions in a woman’s body, estrogen can be found in the endocrine systems of all healthy humans.
What Does Estrogen Do?
Estrogen is a vital component in female sexual maturity. Levels of this hormone begin to rise as a young girl enters puberty, and it causes the changes associated with that point in development, such as breast growth and the start of the period.
In adult women, estrogen plays a major role in the menstrual cycle. Rising levels of the hormone stimulate the ovaries to produce the egg, and the uterus to thicken its lining. Estrogen also works to increase a woman’s chances of getting pregnant during the height of her fertile period. It thins out her cervical mucus to make it easier for sperm to enter her uterus, and it keeps the vaginal walls lubricated and elastic to facilitate sex.
Estrogen plays roles in other processes in the body as well, like inflammation, blood sugar cholesterol levels, collagen production, bone density, and mood.
Where is Estrogen Made?
The majority of the estrogen in a woman’s body at any time is produced by her ovaries. A small amount is made by other organs, like the liver or the adrenal glands, but mostly the ovaries serve this function. In men, the amount of estrogen they need is produced in the testes, the male equivalent of the ovaries.
What Happens if You Have Low Estrogen?
Low estrogen can have major effects on the entire body, not just on your reproductive system. However, not every person with low estrogen is undergoing something abnormal. Menopause is a natural process that every woman goes through, and during it, estrogen levels will drop significantly. This is associated with the common symptoms of menopause, like vaginal dryness, mood changes, fatigue, hot flashes, and breast tenderness. It’s also the reason many women suffer from brittle bones and bone density loss as they age– less estrogen means your bones get weaker. Menopause is not the only cause of low estrogen levels. They might also occur with fertility problems, nutritional deficiencies, or conditions like Turner syndrome.
What Happens if You Have High Estrogen?
High estrogen levels can be caused by anything from the medications you’re taking to conditions like fibroids, ovarian tumors, or PCOS. Its symptoms can include decreased sex drive, weight gain, worsening premenstrual symptoms, or irregular or missing periods.
What to Do About Estrogen Imbalances?
An imbalance in your estrogen levels can throw the functions of your entire body out of whack, making it a difficult and upsetting condition to deal with. Luckily, things aren’t completely out of your control! There are lots of treatments available to help you deal with estrogen imbalances, like the bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (HRT) available at Renewed Vitality! You can contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your estrogen levels.
Are you or a loved one feeling especially tired, moody, and hot? Or perhaps struggling with weight gain and insomnia? Especially for women in your forties or fifties, you may be experiencing perimenopause/menopause, a natural transition that marks the end of your reproductive years.
While menopause is a natural part of aging, it can also be a challenging time for many women. To help navigate this transition, below are five mistakes that are all too easy to make during perimenopause/menopause and how to avoid them.
Ignoring Your Symptoms
For many women, a common first mistake is simply ignoring their new symptoms or dismissing them as part of aging. While it is true that menopause is a natural process, it doesn’t mean you have to suffer in silence. Symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and insomnia can have a significant impact on your quality of life. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about your options. There are also many safe and effective treatments available, including our own hormone replacement therapy (HRT) options, at-home lifestyle changes, and more.
Not Getting Enough Exercise
It’s so easy to ignore exercise, but it’s essential to maintaining a healthy body and a high quality of life. Regular exercise helps maintain good health at any age, but it is especially important during perimenopause/menopause. Exercise can help you manage your weight, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and boost your mood. It can also help you sleep better, which is crucial during this time when insomnia is a common complaint. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.
Eating a Poor Diet
It’s easy to forget that what you eat can have a significant impact on your health and well-being, even affecting your symptoms during perimenopause/menopause. A diet high in processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats can contribute to weight gain, inflammation, and other health problems. On the other hand, a diet rich in whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats can help you manage your symptoms, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and feel your best.
Abandoning Sexual Activity
Perimenopause and Menopause symptoms can make previously enjoyable things very challenging for women, particularly when it comes to sexual desire and enjoyment. Hormonal changes during the early stages of perimenopause can have a significant impact on how comfortable and enthusiastic you feel about sex. With so many physical and emotional changes to navigate, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and start to withdraw from your partner as a way of coping with the transition. However, your partner may misinterpret your lack of sexual initiation or enjoyment as a lack of attraction or interest in them, which can create distance and impact their sexual confidence.
To overcome this, the first step is to have an honest conversation about the emotional and physical changes you are experiencing. Explain that it may take longer to become aroused, that dryness can cause pain and discomfort, and that you may not understand your body as well as you used to. Most partners will be sympathetic and understanding, and working together, you can start to rekindle your desire and experiment with different types of natural lubrication to make sex enjoyable, comfortable, and intimate once again.
Neglecting Your Mental Health
Perimenopause/menopause can be a stressful time for many women. You may be dealing with changes in your body, your relationships, and your sense of identity. It is essential to take care of your mental health during this time. Talk to a trusted and licensed mental health professional if you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or other emotional issues. Practice stress-reducing techniques like mindfulness meditation, yoga, or deep breathing. Connect with supportive friends and family members and join a menopause support group if you need additional support.
Perimenopause/menopause is a natural transition that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. While it can be a challenging time for many, it is also an opportunity to focus on your health and well-being. By avoiding these five common mistakes, you can manage your symptoms, reduce your risk of chronic diseases, and feel your best.
Contact Renewed Vitality to learn more about how our hormone therapy treatment options can alleviate perimenopause/menopause symptoms. Our expert team is dedicated to helping you feel like yourself again!
It’s a fact of life that things start to change drastically in your body as you age. Your joints get stiffer, your eyesight gets worse, and your hair turns gray. Some of the biggest changes, however, can come from changes in your hormonal levels as you age. These hormonal changes are called menopause for women and andropause for men. They can cause major effects in the body, not all of which are very pleasant, and occasionally these symptoms can get in the way of you living a full and healthy life as you get older. However, you don’t just have to suffer through it! Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, can be an effective treatment for the symptoms of menopause and andropause.
What is Menopause?
Menopause is the natural decline of reproductive hormone levels as a woman reaches her 40s and 50s, eventually leading to the complete stop of her menstrual cycle. Symptoms of a woman entering menopause can be things like hot flashes, chills, night sweats, mood changes, thinning hair, dry skin, vaginal dryness, and more. This is a natural occurrence in a woman’s life, but the symptoms can be difficult to cope with.
What is Andropause?
Andropause is the male counterpart to menopause– natural decline of reproductive hormone levels as a man ages. Its most common symptoms are fatigue and decreased libido, but other symptoms can include decreased muscle mass, mood changes, erectile dysfunction, depression, and other problems that can get in the way of you enjoying your life in and after middle age.
Replacement Hormones
To counteract the effects of menopause, a woman needs to increase her estrogen and progesterone levels. Estrogen does many things, including maintaining healthy blood cholesterol levels, influencing how the body uses calcium and preventing osteoporosis, and maintaining a healthy vaginal environment. Progesterone regulates blood pressure and helps to improve mood and sleep.
Treating andropause with HRT requires testosterone. Among its many jobs, testosterone regulates sex drive, bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass and strength, and the production of red blood cells.
How Can HRT Help?
Hormone replacement therapy seeks to add hormones back into your system to help boost your levels and alleviate your system. Replacement hormones can come in pill, patch, cream, gel, or spray form, or they can be given in suppository form or by subcutaneous delivery. By using natural, bioidentical hormones like the ones at Renewed Vitality, you can help to counteract the symptoms of menopause or andropause that you experience.
Hormone changes as you age can leave you uncomfortable, unhappy, and feeling like you’ve lost control of your body and your life. With hormone replacement therapy, you can have your life back again! If you’re interested in this form of treatment, be sure to contact Renewed Vitality today to get started.
