One way of treating menopause symptoms that still remains very effective till date is using the Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).
According to clinical research, this treatment stands as the best standard when it comes to treating bio identical hormones in women.
However, this treatment is not advisable for every woman as it comes with substantial risk via various dangers associated with the treatment option.
For example HRT is known to further increase the risk of breast cancer, also the risk of having stroke, heart disease and at most time’s ovarian cancer.
This is one big reason women prefers to go for alternative treatments like the use of menopausal supplements.
The hormone replacement therapy medications used to be the standard treatment for treating women with hot flashes and other menopause symptoms and also believe to have a long term benefits of preventing heart diseases.
But a recent clinical trial found that HRT truly pose more danger than the gains mostly among older menopausal women, as this anxiety grew, doctors became less keen to prescribing it to women.
PROS
While the debate on the risk and likely side effect of HRT still lingers, the fact still remains that this treatment does offer significant help in fighting the symptoms of osteoporosis and menopause.
Even the FDA also recognizes these benefits in spite of the risks this therapy might bring to certain women.
To date, HRT is still believed to be the best treatment for chronic symptoms of menopause. Also this remedy is considered to be highly effective in preventing osteoporosis as well.
Hormone replacement therapy is not the solution it was once supposed to be some years back, back then using this therapy, people believe it does help with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other conditions which have now confirmed to be ineffectual.
Still it’s very effective in treating acute menopause symptoms specifically during both the pre and post conditions. This is a longed-for respite to many women around the world.
What natural alternatives to hormone replacement therapy are there?
Women who resolve not to use the HRT may want to decide on varieties of natural alternatives that may aid with their menopausal signs.
For instance, the black cohosh root may offer some relief from hot flashes with probable fewer side effect compared to using estrogen, also cream made from wild yam extract (progesterone) has been found to treat hot flashes and vagina dryness.
Be certain to get your doctors go-ahead before you try out this alternative remedies as some supplements do interfere with prescription medication, or may affect people with medical conditions
Let’s discuss 2 well known alternative treatments:
- Soybeans
Preliminary studies conducted in the United States shows that Japanese women who eat large quantities of soybeans suffer fewer hot flashes to women in the west.
Such foods like soy milk, roasted soy nuts, tofu etc., are good examples of foods that can help with menopause symptoms. Specialists warn against using soy powder until further research is done.
- Black Cohosh
In Germany, the German’s ministry of health has ratified black cohosh herb for the treatment of hot flashes. A new study on women with menopause symptom found out that: 80 women who took the herb for 3 months cut their average number of hot flashes from five a day to just one.
Nevertheless the National Institute of Health found out from their clinical trial that there is no difference between women who took a black cohosh and those who took the dummy pill when it comes to how many hot flashes they had.
Also research published in the journal Menopause in 2008 shows that this herb had no effect on symptoms such as vagina dryness.
The National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says there is no enough evidence to conclude that black cohosh really does relieve women of menopausal symptoms.
Although many study centers are still looking at other health benefits of this herb, black cohosh root is still been regarded by herbal medicine practitioners as an effective remedy for various menopause related symptoms
Are these treatments safe?
Many natural treatments are seen as nutritional supplements rather than drugs and thus the government regulations are very relaxed on such remedies as prescription and over the counter medications.
So nobody can say for sure how safe these remedies are, but these substances have been in use for years by herbal practitioners as unconventional treatments but haven’t been widely studied.
Yet as traditional drugs many of these substances are deemed powerful and dangerous and because there is no much facts on these substance, it makes it difficult to really know how much to consume to feel better
But then if you need to take alternative medicine to Hormone replacement therapy, the effect might take a while like 12 weeks before the effects kicks in, so it’s advisable to be patient if you decide to go the alternative route.
Again, if you want to use this alternative remedies, its smart enough to consult your doctor or a qualified herbalist before using.
Such move might result in your doctor to endorse one that is appropriate for you (although some medics might frustrate you from using these alternative herbal remedies altogether).
Also make sure you relate with your health care provider on any health issues that you are having prior to using the supplement, as some herbal medication do conflict with some doctors drugs which might at the long run cause more problem than you start off with.
What else to do to ease menopausal symptoms
To ease menopause symptoms in women it is advisable to eat low-fat, calcium rich diets, you also need to stop smoking and if you take alcohol, you need to drink in moderation and also do some exercise regularly.
These are some of the most important steps to take to ease the effect of menopause symptoms.
