Women’s Health

Menopause Support

• Nearly every woman will go through the menopause however not everyone will suffer from symptoms. Those that do can find symptoms interfere with their quality of life and in some the effects can be devastating.
• Menopause is characterised by hormonal changes, including a decrease in oestrogen levels, which can lead to symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog, trouble sleeping, mood swings and vaginal dryness. At Umi Clinic in Petersfield, our menopause support clinicians offer a more rounded approach to menopause management, providing individual support and advice on treatment options. These include HRT, nonhormonal treatments and lifestyle changes.
• HRT is one option for managing symptoms, but it is not suitable for everyone. Our clinician will undertake a medical evaluation in order to recommend the best solution for you.

Understanding Hormonal Changes and Menopause

Menopause is a natural biological milestone that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. While every woman experiences it differently, menopause often brings hormonal changes that can affect various aspects of health, including vaginal wellness.

Dr Sarah Jenkins is here to guide you through the hormonal shifts that occur from childhood to post-menopause and explain how these changes can impact your body. More importantly, she’ll share effective solutions to help you manage symptoms and thrive through this phase of life.

It’s a common misconception that women must simply “push through” menopause—an idea rooted in outdated, male-dominated medical narratives. Thankfully, the conversation is evolving, and women are empowered with knowledge and options.

By understanding how hormones influence your body over time, you’ll be better equipped to navigate the changes of menopause and take control of your long-term health and well-being.

Hormonal Changes Across a Woman’s Life

Childhood (Pre-Puberty):

• Oestrogen and progesterone levels remain low as the reproductive system is still developing.
• Vaginal tissues are inactive and underdeveloped.

Puberty:

• Oestrogen levels rise, triggering breast development, pubic hair growth, and the onset of menstruation.
• Vaginal tissues become more active, preparing for reproductive functions.

Reproductive Years:

• Hormones fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, maintaining vaginal health, elasticity, and moisture.
• From the mid-30s, oestrogen begins to gradually decline, affecting collagen and elastin production, which can contribute to signs of aging in the skin.

Perimenopause:

• Often beginning in a woman’s 40s (though sometimes earlier), hormonal fluctuations become more noticeable.
• Oestrogen and progesterone levels decline, leading to symptoms like vaginal dryness, reduced elasticity, and thinning vaginal walls.
• These changes can cause sensations like burning, irritation, or discharge that mimic infections, even when tests show no infection.
• Perimenopause can cause a wide range of symptoms, from bloating and anxiety to joint pain and headaches. Explore reliable resources like Menopause Matters for symptom checkers and more information.

Menopause:

• Menopause is officially diagnosed after 12 months without a menstrual period.
• Oestrogen levels drop significantly, often causing vaginal atrophy – a condition where vaginal tissues become thinner, drier, and less elastic.
• These changes can lead to discomfort during intimacy and reduced vaginal lubrication.

Post-Menopause:

• In post-menopause, hormone levels remain low, affecting everything from bone health and skin elasticity to urinary health.
• Vaginal dryness and atrophy may persist but are manageable with treatments like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and vaginal moisturisers.

Caring for Your Vaginal Health

At every stage of menopause, it is essential to understand how hormonal changes affect your body. For example, vaginal tissues may become more sensitive, making you more prone to urinary infections. These changes are collectively referred to as genitourinary syndrome of menopause.

The good news is that these symptoms can be managed with the right care and guidance. Whether it’s lifestyle adjustments, topical treatments, or hormone therapies, there are options to support your health and improve your quality of life during and after menopause.

If you are experiencing symptoms or have concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional advice. Your health and well-being matter – this journey is yours to navigate with confidence.

HRT and BHRT

HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) and BHRT (Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy) are treatments that involve administering hormones to supplement, replace and rebalance the hormones that the body no longer produces adequately.

Whilst HRT are synthetic hormones to replace oestrogen and progesterone, BHRT are naturally occurring and have the same chemical structure as hormones in the body.

Bioidentical hormones are derived from plant extracts and closely resemble the molecular structure of human hormones produced by the body. Since these hormone sources come from plants, they offer a more natural form of symptom relief than the traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

It’s a common misconception that only women going through symptoms of menopause can benefit from BHRT. However, women of all ages can suffer from imbalanced hormones. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and disrupt your life and your health.

BHRT can help women who have hormone imbalances caused by:

• The menopause
• The peri-menopause
• PMS
• Estrogen dominance
• Low libido
• Organ dysfunction (thyroid)
• Organ removal (ovaries)

Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help:

• Increase energy and decrease fatigue
• Relieve hot flashes
• Eliminate night sweats
• Improve sleep
• Ease vaginal dryness and itching
• Make sex less painful
• Increase libido
• Assist with mental focus and memory
• Settle mood swings
• Aid in depression
• Lose or maintain weight

EmpowerRF for Intimate Wellness

• EmpowerRF is an advanced women’s intimate wellness platform delivering life changing women’s wellness therapies. It is designed to address a range of conditions including urinary incontinence, weak pelvic floor muscles and vaginal laxity and dryness.
• Even mild incontinence can be distressing. To help alleviate this vexing symptom, Umi Clinic uses VTone from the EmpowerRF platform. VTone is designed to provide intravaginal electrical muscle stimulation and neuromuscular re-education to revitalise weak pelvic floor muscles. The tightening action of the device can strengthen the anterior vaginal wall, usually resulting in some improvement in stress and urge urinary incontinence. Visit our Pelvic Floor & Intimate Health page for more information.
• EmpowerRF can also be used to improve the condition of the vagina, specifically the Morpheus8V and FormaV attachments. The use of radio frequency stimulates collagen production in the area, resulting in more elastic and lubricated vaginal tissues. It is a minimally, non-surgical, outpatient procedure, which means it will not take much time out of your busy schedule. Visit our Pelvic Floor & Intimate Health page for more information.
• In addition, EmpowerRF has the Tone attachment for non-invasive body-shaping. Tone works by emitting pulses for electrical muscle stimulation, targeting specific muscle groups to restore the strength of the muscle without surgery or downtime.

Blood Tests for Hormone Levels

• At Umi Clinic in Petersfield we know that a thorough approach and more choice of treatments can give women peace of mind. We use blood tests to check your individual hormone levels and produce personalised menopause treatments suited to your exact needs.
• Menopause treatment based on the results of blood tests can reduce your unwanted symptoms by replacing hormones such as oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone, which all play important roles in a woman’s body. Through these methods we aim to provide a more bespoke hormone replacement therapy for women in Petersfield, Hampshire. Are you looking for help to guide you through the menopause? Book a consultation with our team today.