Dr. Sangeeta Chakraborty

While menstruation is definite proof that a woman can bear children, menopause is, as the name suggests, a pause in the fact. Meaning that the woman experiences a permanent stop in her periodic cycle and will further be unable to bear children. It is a difficult time for women, apart from dealing with the fact that they will not be able to reproduce further, there also arises a variety of complications. The realisation can hit hard and women often experience depressive episodes and numerous hormonal imbalances. Keeping that in mind, menopause is also different for different individuals and there is no one magic cure for it.

Every individual experiences a series of changes and requires different treatments because there are 3 different types of menopause and all of those require separate attention. That being said, there are a few common symptoms that show up and here are a few ways that you can deal with them:

1. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): This a slightly dicey method for the complications it may or may not carry in its wake but it is quite effective for a lot of people. Basically what this procedure entails is that your body will be supplied with hormones (oestrogen) the production of which has depleted, from the outside in the form of tablets or a gel so as to counter the hormonal imbalances. There are two kinds of HRTs; one is for women who have retained their wombs, it is called “Combined HRT”. The individual is supplied with two kinds of hormones, oestrogen, and progesterone. And the other kind is the “Oestrogen only HRT” which is for women who have had a hysterectomy. This treatment should be strictly observed by your gynaecologist and any discomfort felt should be reported back immediately.
2. Dealing with hot flushes: This is something all women suffer from as soon as menopause hits or from even before as they are reaching towards it. It is also accompanied by night sweats. To deal with both, it is advised that you wear cotton or similarly light clothes, take cool showers, rest and relax as much as possible, include an exercise regime in your daily life or even yoga, hydrate yourself, and avoid drinking, coffee, and very spicy food items. They may act as triggers.
3. Treating vaginal discomfort: If you experience vaginal discomfort such as dryness or excessive itching, contact your doctor immediately as you may have to start HRT or lubricants-containing oestrogen. Apart from that, to fend off dryness you could also use vaginal lubricants to soothe the painful sensations.
4. Treating osteoporosis: Due to the lowered levels of oestrogen in the body, women who have reached menopause are more prone to suffering from weak and brittle bones, also known as osteoporosis. Taking vitamin supplements as well as including different kinds of fruits and vegetables and yogurt in your diet is absolutely essential to combat this along with exercise.