How common is it?
Every woman will go through menopause at some stage in their life. The average is 51 years, but it can be earlier or later. Menopause is actually the last day of your final period, after this you are post-menopausal and prior to this peri-menopausal. Some women experience menopausal symptoms for 5-10 years prior to their final menstrual period. Premature menopause or ovarian insufficiency can occur before 40 years of age due to natural causes or medical treatments.
Peri-menopause is not diagnosed with a blood test despite many vulva owners thinking it is. Diagnosis is made on symptoms and treated as such. It is important to acknowledge this as a normal occurrence and not a pathology however this does NOT mean you have to "grin and bare" the unpleasant symptoms. Help is available. Melissa at RSHC can assist with this issue.
Causes
Cessation of oestrogen and progesterone declines, eventually ceases and ovulation no longer occurs.
The following list summarises many of the most common physical symptoms
There are solutions!
The good news is that there are many treatments for menopausal symptoms, and most women will find a solution that works for them.
Treatments include:
What to expect when you have an appointment
Expect to be asked lots of questions. You may also require a physical examination, including that of the genitals. Following a thorough assessment, options will be discussed. Often women require a combination of treatments which may include lifestyle changes, medication, medical tests, physical treatments such as the THERMIva and sometimes referral to a gynaecologist.
For more information, please see fact sheets from the Australasian Menopause Society and Monash University.
Our Locations Why do we have so many locations and online services available?
This enables us to serve you better and closer to your home or work. We don’t want distance to be a barrier to access. We apologise if this is confusing, if you have any difficulty, please email admin@rshealth.com.au with preferred location and practitioner.