The Time of Your Life

October 18^th is World Menopause Awareness Day – a day designed to increase awareness of the issues women face during the years spanning the menopause.  Menopause is a subject that many women find it difficult to talk about openly so it is helpful to have a day when experts and medical professionals can give publicity to advances that are being made in the treatment and management of menopause symptoms.

Menopause is not an illness, it’s a natural phase, like puberty, that every woman goes through.   Like puberty, some women pass through it with minimal symptoms but others experience intense and frequent symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings, weight gain, migraines and depression. 

For women who find the impact of menopausal symptoms on their health, their work and their relationships is unacceptable they may seek medical assistance through hormone replacement therapy or anti-depressants but these can have unpleasant side effects.  There are also potential health risks in taking these medications.

There is a range of complementary therapies that can help to mitigate symptoms and support women’s health through this period.  Among these, hypnotherapy has been shown to be particularly effective in helping women who experience hot flushes, particularly when hypnosis includes visualisation of cool images. 

Hypnotherapy techniques can also be used to help with weight control, sleep issues, mood swings and to manage stress and they are free of side effects.  Women can be taught self-hypnosis so that they can take control of their symptoms.  Hypnosis recordings can also be very effective.

The important thing for any woman considering her options for managing menopause symptoms is to be well-informed about the risks and benefits of the treatments available.  You can find more advice at http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Menopause/Pages/Treatment.aspx