Menopause Symptoms: Eight Ways to Help You Get Relief

Menopause and perimenopause mean different things to different women. Some breeze through it with few signs and symptoms. Others experience uncomfortable, and even distressing, physical and emotional changes.

"The advisability of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopausal symptoms is still hotly debated," reports Vivien D'Andrea, M.D., internist with Camino Medical Group (CMG). "Most experts agree it is safe for women with severe symptoms to use hormones in small amounts for short periods of time. However, HRT should not be used as a standard preventive measure for all menopausal women."

Dealing with the symptoms of menopause is challenging because there's nothing that has been proven totally effective. If you are having serious symptoms - such as more than 10 hot flashes a day, severe mood swings, insomnia or night sweats that drench the bed - talk with your doctor.

Dr. D'Andrea suggests trying these options for milder symptoms:

• Estroven: An over-the-counter soy product taken in tablet form to relieve hot flashes.
  
• Black cohash: Available over-the-counter in pharmacies and health food stores, this tablet may help with hot flashes and night sweats.
  
• Exercise: Increased physical activity has been shown to decrease hot flashes.
  
• Layered clothing: Wearing layers that can be removed may also help you tolerate hot flashes.
  
• Portable fan: Using a fan can help cool you during hot flashes.
  
• Attitude: Menopausal symptoms are real. If a woman has a positive attitude, she will be able to deal with them more effectively.
  
• Lubricants: Products like KY Jelly or Replens can help with vaginal dryness. Some vaginal estrogen products have also been shown to be safe.
  
• Rediscovering romance: If you are experiencing decreased interest in sex, it may help to talk with your partner, take steps to avoid discomfort during intercourse, and do things to rekindle your romance.

Various herbal medications such as those listed in bullets 1 and 2 above have been recommended to lessen the effect of menopausal symptoms. Dr. D'Andrea reports few studies have shown herbs to be more effective than a placebo (a substance with no useful medicinal content), however individual women say herbs help them and are enthusiastic about the effect.