Menopause is a natural process and inevitable stage of life for women, and they generally come to expect it. However, for family members and partners this change in their loved one can be daunting and confusing. Menopause can manifest in a variety of symptoms, both physical and emotional, and will require empathy and support from partners.
This article will explain the ways in which you can properly support your partner through the menopause to ensure the process is as painless as possible. You will be able to understand what is happening through all stages of the menopause, identify the types of menopausal symptoms to look out for, and know the best steps to getting a diagnosis and a treatment plan.
What is the menopause?
The menopause is the point in a woman’s life at which she has not had a menstrual cycle for over 12 months. Generally, the menopause happens between the ages of 45 and 55, as her ovaries reduce the production of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, preventing the creation of eggs for reproduction.
As these hormones fluctuate and decrease, your partner will experience any one of the following symptoms which can vary in intensity and severity.
- Irritability
- Low sex drive
- Hot flashes (where a woman will feel overwhelmingly hot and sweaty for bouts of time)
- Brain fog and forgetfulness
- Weight gain
- Loss of breast tissue
- Vaginal issues (such as dryness or itching)
- Urinary tract issues (often caused by vaginal dryness)
- Sleep problems
- Dry skin
- Mood swings
While your partner experiences this, it is wise to be respectful and patient with her, she cannot control such changes and menopausal symptoms can have a real negative impact on a woman’s mental health.
How to be supportive through menopause
The best ways to support your partner through menopause are generally through basic gestures of respect and understanding such as asking how you can help, having patience in moments of irritation, and allowing them to control the house temperature.
It will also be beneficial for you to offer to help fulfil tasks and chores where it is too overwhelming and offer to massage sore muscles where required.
Importantly, it would be wise to avoid commenting on changes in appearance; weight gain is notoriously tricky to avoid and even harder to lose past the menopause. That is because as estrogen decreases, so does the body’s ability to regulate its metabolism. A woman will be well aware of the changes her body is going through naturally, and partners would do well to remember that it is largely out of her control. Encourage family-wide healthy eating but allow her some chocolate where needed.
However, supporting your partner through the menopause also includes helping her look for solutions where the symptoms are unmanageable and life changing. The first step involves an official diagnosis from a clinical health practitioner. What follows can help women overcome their menopause symptoms.
Hormone Replacement Therapy for Menopause
A very popular and effective solution for unmanageable menopause symptoms is Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) treatments. It is a treatment that replaces the hormones that are lost in the menopause, thus reducing symptoms and alleviating the changes and pressures on a woman’s body. HRT comes in many forms; from creams, tablets, and gels, to estrogen, progesterone and DHEA.
At Bodyline Clinic, we offer a personalised approach to diagnosing, treating, and supporting women through the menopause, achieving life changing results. We are menopause specialists offering a holistic and supportive journey from perimenopause, during the menopause through to post menopause. Bodyline’s unique approach with our personalised M Plan will allow menopausal women to embrace this phase of life and get back to feeling like themselves.
We offer a holistic approach to HRT for menopause, by providing support and guidance throughout our treatment plans. Your partner can rest assured that we can answer questions, offer sound guidance, and use a wealth of knowledge for her benefit. If you’re wondering when your partner should begin with HRT, or want to find out more about the process to support your partner through the menopause, call us today on 0800 995 6036!
