Women suffering from uncomfortable menopause symtpoms may consider a natural treatment approach aimed at correcting hormonal imbalance, the source of their symptoms. From hot flashes and night sweats to loss of libido and vaginal dryness, menopause is a time of great change and uncertainty for many women.
Treating menopause symptoms can be done in a number of ways, so it's possible to find solutions that suit your needs and lifestyle. Keep reading below to find out more about different types of menopause treatment.
What Are the Different Types of Menopause Treatment?

In the past, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was a widely used treatment method for women who were seeking relief from a range of unpleasant symptoms. However, recently reported links to breast and ovarian cancer, along with heart disease and blood clots, have encouraged many medical experts to recommend alternative menopausal treatment options.
What Other Menopause Treatments Are Available?
Menopause treatments do not have to involve a great deal of time or money. It's possible that making simple changes to your daily routine can help alleviate undesirable symptoms. Below is a list of ways to improve your overall health, which will help balance your hormone levels and reduce menopause symptoms.
Lifestyle adjustments
Incorporating these habits into your daily routine can help prevent menopause symptoms in the long run.
- Practice slow, diaphragmatic breathing
- Eat a balanced diet: increase soy, fish, and water intake and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
- Bring vitamin E intake to 800 mg/day
- Review your vitamin B intake
- Limit consumption of caffeine and sugar
- Exercise regularly
- Consider meditation, yoga, or other methods of stress relief
Alternative medicine
Alternative, natural treatments, particularly herbal remedies, are growing in popularity because they present little to no risk.

Herbal remedies are often combined with techniques such as massage or aromatherapy. Natural supplements are one of the best ways to target hormonal imbalance, the source of uncomfortable menopause symptoms. There are two types of herbs commonly used for management of menopause: phytoestrogenic and hormone-regulating.
Phytoestrogenic supplements
These herbs contain estrogenic components produced by plants. Initially, these herbs are effective at treating the underlying hormonal imbalance that causes menopause symptoms by introducing plant-based estrogens into the body. It is possible, however, for the body to become less capable of producing estrogen on its own.
Hormone-regulating supplements
As a menopausal treatment, hormone-regulating supplements actually stimulate the body's production of its own hormones. These supplements nourish the pituitary and other endocrine glands, causing them to produce natural hormones more efficiently, increasing the balance of hormones like estrogen and progesterone. These supplements (e.g., Macafem) are some of the safest menopause treatments because they simply support natural hormone production.
Each woman's experience of menopause is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all treatment. Combining some of the above methods to suit personal preferences and lifestyle may prove to be the most effective menopause treatment.
Sources
- BMJ Group. "Menopause: What is it?" Patient Leaflet. 2007.
- Hopkins, Virginia. Lee, John R. M.D. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause. New York: Warner Books Inc., 1996.
- Love, Susan M.D. Menopause and Hormone Book. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2003.
- Martin, Raquel. The Estrogen Alternative. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2000.