Menopause is a natural transition that all women go through, marking the end of the reproductive years. The years leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause, is when hormone levels become erratic and women may start experiencing symptoms.
The average age for menopause is 51, but it can happen anytime between the ages of 40-55. During this transition, the ovaries produce less of the key hormones - estrogen and progesterone. This drop in hormones causes changes throughout the body, from hot flashes to vaginal dryness, sleep problems, mood changes, and more.
While menopause is inevitable, the array of bothersome symptoms does not have to be. At Optimal Hormone Wellness Center in Orlando, we specialize in customized menopause treatment plans to help women find relief. With the latest medical advancements, women can restore hormonal balance, minimize menopause symptoms, and continue to thrive during this new stage of life.
To understand menopause treatment, it helps to first understand the role of key hormones.
Estrogen is responsible for maintaining the health of tissues in the breasts, uterus, bones, heart, brain, skin, hair, bladder, and more. As estrogen levels decline during menopause, many tissues that depend on this hormone are negatively impacted - hence the wide variety of symptoms that can occur.
Benefits of estrogen:
Progesterone works together with estrogen to regulate the menstrual cycle. In addition to preparing the body for pregnancy each month, progesterone has other important roles:
Benefits of progesterone:
Both estrogen and progesterone are essential for a woman's health and wellbeing. When these hormones decline around menopause, it can have profound effects throughout the body. The good news is that through bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), we can restore levels back to optimal ranges.
While each woman's experience is unique, these are among the most bothersome menopause symptoms that bring women into our Orlando clinic:
Hot flashes are sudden feelings of intense warmth in the face and upper body, sometimes accompanied by flushed skin and sweating. They typically last 1-5 minutes.
Hot flash triggers: - Stress - Warm environments - Caffeine - Spicy foods - Alcohol - Smoking cigarettes
As estrogen drops, the vaginal tissues lose elasticity, lubrication declines, and the vaginal pH changes. This can cause irritation, dryness, inflammation, burning, painful urination, light bleeding after sex, and discomfort during intimacy.
The midlife metabolism slows down, while lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, and stress influence weight. But hormone imbalance also directly impacts fat storage and distribution in the body. Declining estrogen is linked to increased belly fat in menopausal women.
From night sweats waking you up, to anxiety and hormonal shifts disrupting sleep cycles, sleep struggles are common around menopause. Lack of sleep then exacerbates other symptoms like fatigue, mood changes, and brain fog.
Research shows a strong correlation between menopause hormonal changes and mood disorders in women with no previous history of mental health issues. Estrogen and progesterone help regulate mood, stress response, and overall emotional wellbeing.
Keep in mind that duration and severity of symptoms varies significantly among women. Some may struggle with multiple moderate to severe menopause symptoms for a decade or more during perimenopause and postmenopause. Others seem to sail through menopause with few issues. Genetics, lifestyle factors, and the age of onset of menopause all play a role.
We cannot overstate the importance of seeking timely evaluation and treatment when menopause symptoms interfere with your quality of life. Here’s why:
Bone loss accelerates. Up to 20% of bone density can be lost in the first 5-7 years after menopause due to estrogen deficiency, increasing osteoporosis and fracture risks.
Heart disease risk climbs. Your cholesterol profile can worsen after menopause, while the cardioprotective benefits of estrogen diminish. Within 10 years of menopause, heart disease becomes the 1 killer of women.
Urinary health declines. Weakened pelvic floor and vulvovaginal tissues can lead to urinary incontinence, frequent UTIs, and painful sexual activity.
Mental health suffers. Mood disorders, poor sleep, hot flashes, brain fog, and other menopause symptoms can seriously undermine women’s mental health and wellbeing.
The good news is menopause treatment can effectively minimize symptoms, reduce long-term health risks, and help you continue thriving during the menopausal transition.
At Optimal Hormone Wellness Center, we specialize in getting to the root cause of patients’ menopause issues and crafting custom treatment plans. Call today to schedule your consultation.
Studies show that practicing yoga can help reduce many unpleasant menopausal symptoms. Certain yoga poses help regulate hormones, improve sleep, reduce anxiety and hot flashes, and increase bone health during this transitional time. Yoga provides a drug-free way to find relief through gentle movement and mindfulness.
Our clinic follows principles of functional and regenerative medicine to identify root causes of hormone dysfunction and symptoms on an individualized basis. We then leverage the latest medical advancements to restore optimal hormonal balance and vibrant health.
Here is an overview of our step-by-step process:
We check the following hormone and health markers using blood, saliva, urine, or tissue samples:
We dig deeper through additional specialized testing and exams to uncover potential causes of hormone dysfunction, including:
Our doctors review test results along with your symptoms and health history. We then pinpoint root causes specific to your situation that may be throwing your hormones off balance.
Treatment plans are tailored to your unique hormone requirements and presenting symptoms. We leverage a variety of therapies:
Potent plant-derived hormones are identical on a molecular level to the estrogen, progesterone and testosterone produced in the female body. BHRT can restore optimal hormone levels.
Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, botanicals and other supplements help address nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, microbiome imbalance, stress, and other issues that may underlie hormone dysfunction.
From meditation apps to yoga studios, we provide tools to counteract stress-induced cortisol spikes that disrupt endocrine function.
Exercises can reduce urinary incontinence, pain with intercourse, prolapse risk and other pelvic floor problems aggravated by menopause.
Additional therapies like prescription medications, peptide injections, laser treatments or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may also be incorporated depending on your case.
Follow-up testing and visits ensure hormone levels are optimizing and treatment plans are working. We partner with you to find the ideal balance of therapies to meet your menopause treatment goals.
Bioidentical hormones have the same molecular structure as the hormones produced naturally in a woman’s ovaries and adrenal glands. The body recognizes these hormones as identical to your own, which allows optimal hormonal signaling and function.
There are structural differences between bioidentical and traditionally prescribed synthetic hormone medications. Synthetic hormones tend to over-stimulate tissues via improper signaling. Over time, this increases health risks.
In contrast, plant-derived bioidentical hormones work harmoniously at the cellular level to restore balance. Randomized trials show bioidentical hormones are as effective as conventional hormones for relieving menopause symptoms, with fewer side effects and lower long-term health risks.
Benefits of bioidentical hormone therapy include:
We prescribe progesterone, estradiol and/or testosterone as clinically indicated based on each woman's lab testing, symptoms and health goals. Dosing methods include oral tablets, sublingual drops, topical creams, patches, pellets, rings and injections. This allows precision customization.
Safety is also optimized through careful monitoring during treatment. Follow up blood tests help ensure you reach and sustain optimal hormone levels - not too high or low. We also track your symptom response and side effects (if any) at regular visits. The dosage or delivery method can be adjusted over time as needed.
While results vary due to factors like genetics, diet, lifestyle and duration of hormone deficiency, most women find significant relief with bioidentical hormone therapy. It is safe for many years when properly managed.
We provide all our menopause patients with evidence-based lifestyle recommendations designed to ease this transition and support treatment results:
Nutrition: An anti-inflammatory diet high in phytoestrogens, fiber, omega 3’s, and micronutrients can help minimize symptoms. We offer personalized nutrition plans.
Fitness: Regular exercise boosts mood, sleep, heart health, weight management and balances hormones. We suggest patients work with our onsite personal trainers or attend local yoga studios.
Stress management: From meditation to counseling, stress reduction is key for balanced endocrine function. Useful Orlando resources include mindfulness apps and massage therapy.
Routine health exams: Getting annual physicals, recommended cancer screenings, bone density scans and other preventative care is especially important during the menopause transition.
Localized estrogen: We often recommend patients try over-the-counter, topical estrogen creams to restore vaginal pH and moisture if struggling with painful intercourse or atrophy. These low-dose treatments avoid systemic absorption.
Support groups: Speaking with other women going through menopause can help you feel less alone. Optimal Hormone Wellness Center hosts a monthly menopause support group meeting.
From the climate to health resources, Orlando’s environment can significantly impact the menopause transition. Here's how we advise preparing:
If you are struggling with moderate to severe menopause symptoms, finding an experienced hormone specialist is key. Look for the following credentials and services:
Optimal Hormone Wellness Center meets all the above criteria for comprehensive menopause treatment in Orlando. Our functional medicine doctors have supported thousands of women through menopause. Let us help you chart a course to feeling your best!
