Naturopathic Treatment for Menopause – what’s the difference?
Menopause marks the time in a woman’s life when menstruation ceases and she is no longer fertile or able to conceive. Menopause is a completely normal and natural stage of a woman’s life usually occurring around the age of 52.
While the menopause transition can be a welcome one for a number of women, there are plenty more who experience difficult menopausal symptoms, and significant discomforts such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mental confusion, depression, mood swings, thyroid problems, weight gain, decreased libido, and vaginal dryness.
The most common of these menopause complaints, hot flashes (intermittent, sudden, and overwhelming sensations of heat throughout the body) – affect approximately 75% of women passing through menopause, and can sometimes last for several years.
Typical Treatments For Menopause
In Vancouver, treatment for menopause generally consists of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which is an amalgamation of estrogens and a progestin (a synthetic substance with progesterone-like effects) used to lessen many menopause difficulties such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is also said to help decrease a menopausal woman’s risk for osteoporosis and other bone-related disorders.
However, the benefits of hormone replacement therapy do not come without risk. Hormone replacement therapy has been associated with a number of severe side effects including depression, breast tenderness, weight gain, as well as an increased risk for breast cancer, stroke, heart attack, and gall bladder disease. It also can promote the formation of blood clots in smokers.
A woman’s hormones are in a delicate balance and as such, great care and scientific evidence are necessary to maintain optimal health and hormonal equilibrium. Electra Health’s downtown Vancouver Naturopathic doctors offer multiple menopause therapy alternatives to hormone replacement therapy.
Naturopathic doctors can provide noninvasive hormone testing, often through a simple saliva sample, as an accurate way to determine hormone imbalances within a woman’s body. Hormone testing is important for Naturopathic doctors to be able to prescribe the appropriate course of treatment, including:
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)
Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy may be a recommended Naturopathic treatment for menopause problems based upon results of a hormone test. Bioidentical hormones are believed to be much safer and much more natural than traditional pharmaceutical hormones and synthetics, as bioidentical hormones are identical to those that are produced within a woman’s body. Synthetic hormones don’t replicate your own body’s hormones, so receptors do not recognize them as quickly and as accurately as bioidentical hormones. In many cases, women who receive traditional pharmaceutical hormones report poor results from these synthetic treatments.
Alternatively, many Naturopathic doctors and patients agree that bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is the mainstay of menopause treatments. Your Naturopathic doctor will thoroughly assess your menopause condition and symptoms, prior to recommending a precise dose of bioidentical hormones.
Myers’ Cocktail Therapy
From a Naturopathic perspective, there are several nutritional supplements that are effective at relieving hot flashes and other menopause symptoms and difficulties, including the potent vitamin-mineral combination in a Myers’ Cocktail which includes magnesium, calcium, vitamin B12 (hydroxocobalamin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B5 (dexpanthenol), vitamin B complex and vitamin C.
Naturopathic doctors who administer the Myers’ Cocktail intravenously have found it very useful for treating a variety of menopause complaints, including hot flashes and weight gain, as well as mitigating the effects of other medical problems including migraine headaches, fatigue, allergies, heart disease, acute asthma attacks, fibromyalgia, infections, and other conditions.
Menopause Treatment in Vancouver
Electra Health’s downtown Vancouver Naturopaths treat menopause safely and naturally. Naturopathic treatment of menopause is firmly established on clinical and scientific evidence. Our Naturopaths use only the most advanced therapies available to help keep you feeling your best. Our Naturopathic doctors have extensive training in women’s menopausal health and specialize in treating menopause naturally. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy and other natural solutions can help you to achieve optimal health in every area of your life.
If you would like to know more about our menopause therapy treatments, please contact one of our Naturopathic Doctors.
