Menopause Symptoms and Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy is one of the treatments offered for menopause symptoms. Two published statements on it come first here, then three articles that take the next questions.

What two health sites say

A page on my.clevelandclinic.org notes that there are treatments available to help with symptoms of menopause, like hormone therapy, medication or lifestyle adjustments. The medlineplus.gov page on the topic states that lower hormone levels during menopause can cause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, vaginal dryness and pain during sex, and that hormone therapy may help relieve these symptoms.

The page at my.clevelandclinic.org lists hormone therapy beside medication and lifestyle adjustments, and the medlineplus.gov page words its benefit as something that may help. The womenshealth.gov site keeps general pages on the topic, including its menopause overview and its menopause basics page.

Questions to ask before starting treatment

Ask which of your symptoms the treatment is meant to address and how you will know whether it is working. Ask what the alternatives are, including the medication and lifestyle adjustments named above. Ask who will review the plan with you afterwards, and what changes they would want to hear about.

Further reading on menopause

• Hormone Therapy Choices for Menopause looks at the options once you have decided to talk about treatment.
• Pelvic Floor Changes After Menopause covers the pelvic floor after menopause.
• Pelvic Support Problems in Women takes the wider question of pelvic support.