Hormone replacement therapy and herbal treatment with dong quai may reduce menopause symptoms

Menopause is the point in a woman’s life when her period stops. Menopause is characterized by a reduction in the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone usually between the ages of 45-55.

Menopause becomes official when a woman has not had her menstrual cycle for twelve months in a row. Menopause symptoms are varied and include hot flashes or feeling warm in the face, neck and chest, sleeping problems, night sweats, mood changes and irritability similar to those experienced with PMS, urinary problems, weight gain, hair thinning or loss and others.

Many women choose to treat their menopause symptoms with estrogen replacement therapy or hormone replacement. This treatment helps reduce hot flashes, slow bone loss, and decrease mood swings and depression. However, hormone replacement can have adverse affects on your health, such as blood clots, heart attacks, breast cancer, strokes, and gall bladder disease. So you will want to discuss this option thoroughly with your doctor.

There are also numerous herbal menopause treatments that may help reduce symptoms. Most of them use plant hormones that are similar to those found in the female body. However the risks involved in taking these are not known, and you should be careful when choosing an herbal menopause treatment for your menopause symptoms.

Perimenopause is another area of concern for women between 35-50. Perimenopause or pre-menopause on average lasts about six years and is a period when the levels of estrogen gradually decrease. Many symptoms that are experienced during menopause are also experienced in perimenopause, as well as other symptoms such as unpredictable periods, lighter or heavy flows, weight gain, headaches, and increased number of yeast infections. One natural supplement that is said to greatly reduce symptoms during perimenopause is dong quai. It is said to regulate the menstrual cycle. However, before starting to take this supplement you should consult your doctor.

Learn more about how herbal menopause treatment may help treat symptoms of menopause.