Menopause (Climacteric): Alternative Treatment

Hormone therapy is not the only way to treat menopausal symptoms. We present below some alternative methods that can ease your menopause.

Alternative treatment for menopausal symptoms

Although, on average, women are satisfied with the medical care they receive, there is one exception: the advice and the offer of alternative cures and remedies to treat menopausal symptoms. Nearly one-third of women are dissatisfied with their physician’s services in this area. During their regular practice activities, physicians often cannot afford the time to respond to the special need of menopausal women for consultation. For this reason, supplementary services must be created to meet women’s need for individual, medically competent, holistic advice and care. The causes of menopausal symptoms are as varied as the solutions. These depend on the following factors, among others:

  • The nature and intensity of the complaints
  • Risk factors for osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease.
  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Which treatment alternatives the woman prefers or rejects

A conscious lifestyle can help

The most important success factor is to make women aware that they are responsible for their own health and can do something about it independently. Recommendations on a conscious lifestyle, i.e. eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and avoiding stress, should therefore form the basis of all therapeutic approaches. A healthy and wholesome diet can not only help alleviate discomfort, but also prevent osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease.

Sport against complaints in the climacteric

Physical exercise has equally beneficial effects: Just 30 minutes of swimming or cycling two to three times a week relieves hot flashes and sweating, boosts the immune system and improves sleep. Exercise helps to combat many of the side effects of menopause. Muscles and connective tissue can be tightened, bone metabolism stimulated and obesity prevented. A lot of exercise can slow down the degradation processes in the organism. However, before you get up to sports activity, you should undergo a medical examination to determine your physical capacity.

Natural medicine options

Numerous options from the fields of naturopathy and conventional medicine alleviate vegetative symptoms. In the foreground are alternative methods such as phytoestrogens and plant preparations. But also homeopathic remedies as well as orthomolecular medicine bring the desired relief.

  • The doctor may prescribe estrogen-containing drugs that relieve the symptoms.
  • Sage tea inhibits perspiration and can thus be used against the unpleasant hot flashes.
  • Alternating foot baths help against circulatory problems, insomnia or hypertension: put the feet in warm water for 5 minutes, 30 seconds in cold water, warm water for 5 minutes; then again 30 seconds in cold water. Then dab the feet and put on warm wool socks!
  • A healthy, balanced diet and supply of vitamins, minerals and trace elements is particularly important in this phase of life.

Herbal medicines

In the treatment of menopausal symptoms, herbal medicines are also available today. Phytotherapy is particularly suitable for treating the immediate reactions after the cessation of estrogen production, such as sweating, hot flashes and dizziness.

  • Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) has the greatest importance in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. Climacteric symptoms usually improve after a period of use of 4 to 6 weeks. Medicines with the active ingredient of the black cohosh can incidentally also be taken together with hormone preparations, since no corresponding interactions or contraindications are known.
  • In addition to Cimicifuga, St. John’s wort (Hyperici herba) plays an important role in the treatment of mental complaints. It relieves anxiety, tension and depressive moods. The effect sets in only after about one to two weeks.When taking St. John’s wort, intense sun exposure should be avoided, especially for fair-skinned people, due to a possible photosensitizing effect.

Homeopathy for menopausal symptoms.

Homeopathic remedies are also successfully used in the treatment of menopausal symptoms, most often Acidum sulfuricum, Aristolochia, Cimicifuga, Lachesis and Sepia, respectively. An initial worsening of the symptoms does not have to occur, but on the other hand it is a good sign for the therapy and means that the appropriate remedy has been found for the patient.

Bach flower therapy for mental harmonization.

Bach flower therapy causes a mental harmonization between the core of the patient and his daily behavior at the personality level. The flowers are selected depending on the patient’s state of mind. Physical symptoms, on the other hand, do not play a role.