What is menopause?
Menopause happens when you stop getting your menstrual periods and can no longer get pregnant. Though many people refer to the months or years leading up to your last period as menopause, this time is actually a transitional phase called perimenopause.
During perimenopause, your hormone levels decline. This decrease in estrogen and progesterone causes a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms associated with menopause.
When does menopause happen?
You’ve officially reached menopause once you’ve gone 12 months without a menstrual period. This often happens in your 40s or 50s, but the average age for menopause in the United States is 52.
How can I tell if I am starting the transition to menopause?
Perimenopause, or the transition to menopause, may begin any time in your mid- to late 40s. Most women experience perimenopause for about four years before their periods stop permanently.
During perimenopause, hormone fluctuations may cause a variety of symptoms, including:
- Hot flashes
- Irregular periods
- Insomnia
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Mood swings
- Difficulty focusing
- Memory problems
- Weight gain
Symptoms of menopause can disrupt your sleep, romantic life, and overall well being. Dr. Kerr works with you to develop a personalized plan to manage your unique menopause symptoms.
How do you treat menopause symptoms?
If menopause symptoms are interfering with your quality of life, Dr. Kerr can help. She spends time with you discussing your particular symptoms and medical history before recommending the best course of treatment.
Many women experience unpleasant symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, low energy, painful sex, and urinary incontinence that result from the hormonal fluctuations of menopause. These problems can negatively affect your self-confidence and intimate life, but Dr. Kerr has a wide array of solutions, from lifestyle changes in mindfulness, diet and exercise, non-hormonal and science-backed safe and natural remedies to pharmaceutical and bioidentical hormone therapies.
She also offers nonsurgical vaginal revitalization with Votiva FormaV and FractoraV. These treatments safely and effectively improve the resilience of vaginal tissues by helping your body produce new collagen, elastin, and blood flow to the pelvic floor. Votiva is the only FDA-approved non-invasive therapy for research-based, clinically-proven improvement in stress urinary incontinence and dyspareunia (pain during sex) regardless of a woman’s age, hormonal status, childbirth history, or past pelvic surgery history. Patient outcomes include significantly more resilient, elastic, hydrated, as well as more youthful-looking vaginal and labial tissue.
To find out how you can move through the stages of menopause with ease and grace, call the office of Mary Kerr, M.D., Inc., or book an appointment online today.
