On Monday, in San Diego, California, at ENDO 2010, The 92nd Annual Meeting & Expo, The Endocrine Society submitted it’s Scientific Statement on menopausal hormone therapy. The Scientific Statement gave extensive, unbiased assessment of the benefits and risks linked with menopausal hormone therapy (MHT).
MHT now is the term used for the use of hormones for treatment of menopause instead of HRT, hormone therapy replacement. The main purpose for starting MHT is for treatment of hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. MHT includes using one or more medications devised to boost levels of estrogen.
During the 1990’s, MHT was constantly being used to treat menopausal symptoms and reduce heart disease risk. The W omen’s Health Initiative(WHI) study, which was a study done to establish whether MHT safeguarded against heart disease and if it did or did not increase the risk of breast cancer, reports were that MHT had caused a heightened risk of heart disease, stroke and breast cancer.
New evidence now suggests that information from WHI did not consider a key factor in determination, the time after onset of menopause when MHT was started. The importance of this element in determination the safety and efficacy of MHT incited The Endocrine Society to issue the Scientific Statement.
Richard Santen, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Virginia and chair of the task force that issued the statement, had stated that before the WHI, MHT was conceived to prevent heart disease, fractures, memory loss, and dementia along with diminishing distressing menopausal symptoms. After the reports from WHI of heightened health risks linked with MHT, the use of MHT went down by 80 percent. New evidence now show that these health risks do not pertain to all women using MHT and that MHT possibly could be beneficial to some women.
New evidence now indicates women starting menopausal hormone therapy briefly after the onset of menopause at ages 50-59 react differently than women starting MHT after age 60. Women in the short term group using MHT for five years experienced a 30 – 40% decrease in mortality, no added risks of heart disease and 90 percent reduction of menopausal symptoms like hot flashes.
Santen went further to state that some women in the short term group did develop breast cancer but only with the combination of estrogen plus progesterone, with with estrogen alone. This possibly could of occurred due to stimulation and uncovering of very small, undiagnosed breast cancers, rather than causing these cancers anew.
He went on to state that it is essential to remember that most women thinking of MHT are between the ages of 50 and 55 and in this group MHT could have benefits. Physicians and patients need to evaluate the use of menopausal hormone therapy based on evidence appropriate to the 50 – 55 year old and the therapy should be individualized on symptoms and underlying risks of breast cancer and heart disease.
“Post Menopausal Hormone Therapy: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement” will be published in the July 2010, issue of “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism”.
Currently about 36 million in the United States have been through menopause. The onset of menopause differs from person to person. Some women go through menopause without noticing hardly any change at all. Unfortunately, for other women it is disturbing and upsetting. Estrogen and progesterone influence essentially all tissues in the body and everyone is affected by this differently. More women today are using alternative medicine to relieve menopause symptoms. Some of the alternatives are listed below:
Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture
There are no hormones in Chinese medicine however, they do relieve menopause symptoms. They provide of ying, yang, qi and blood.
Chinese medicine does not view menopause as a disease or single condition. Acupuncturist will treat each patient as to their symptoms.
In 2002 a pilot study in England, verified that acupuncture decreases the frequency and degree of hot flashes. The United Nations World Health Organization has approved acupuncture as a treatment for symptoms associated with menopause.
Bach Flower Therapy
Bach flower therapy for menopause uses homeopathically prepared plants along with a flower base specifically made to give relief for various symptoms. One blend is Argrimony blend that aides in providing calming effect to worries which could lead to quarreling. In menopause fear and anxiety are some of the symptoms.
Bach flower has numerous different blends available for menopause. The blends are matched to your various symptoms and needs.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback aides you in learning to gain control in the middle of hot flashes. Biofeedback is said to help a woman control her hot flashes.
Chiropractic
Along with an abundance of emotional and physical symptoms which include severe back pain and discomfort. Chiropractic care can elevate the problems. The treatments vary from patient to patient dependent upon what is right for the patient. Most chiropractors use their hands to perform treatments, however, other treatments can also be used such as heat, ultrasound and electrotherapy.
Sources:
Medical News Today
Menopause Insight
Dr. Shen
Acupuncture America
Menopause At Oz
Mother Nature
Chiropractora
