Feminine Health Through the Years

As females age, they experience fluctuations in hormones and other bodily changes that can become alarming. Below is a comprehensive guide to what you should watch out for, and how Cristy Thomas DNP, FNP-BC, APRN, at Vitality Medical Wellness Center can help you treat these concerns and live a comfortable life.

What Symptoms Are Common?

Between premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenopause (perimenopause), and menopause, there are some common side effects, such as tiredness, irritability, reduced sexual desire, and other bothersome symptoms during these cycles in a woman’s life.

Premenstrual Syndrome

PMS can cause many different uncomfortable symptoms, including:

• Acne breakouts
• Anxiety
• Appetite changes and strong food cravings
• Bloating
• Breast tenderness
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Depression or feeling down
• Foggy-brain or fatigue
• Headaches
• Joint and muscle aches and pains
• Mood swings
• Sleep changes
• Weight gain

Premenopause

During the transition to menopause, your body may undergo plenty of changes that can cause uncomfortable symptoms and worsened premenstrual syndrome. Other side effects during this time can include:

• Breast tenderness
• Dry, sensitive skin
• Concentration issues
• Excessive sweating
• Fatigue
• Hair loss or thinning
• Hot flashes (a sudden, intense sensation of heat)
• Irregular periods
• Lowered sex drive and vaginal dryness, making sex awkward or painful
• Mood swings
• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Urine leakage, especially when you cough or sneeze
• Weight Gain

Menopause

Once your body has gone through menopausal changes, you may notice these symptoms:

• Chills and hot flashes
• Sleeping problems
• Mood changes
• Very irregular periods
• Vaginal dryness and sexual discomfort
• Weight gain and metabolism changes

What Can Help?

Fortunately, there are supplements, creams, and other medical options available to treat these issues. A comprehensive list is available on our female procedure page, which discusses all of the common experiences and what can cause these issues.

To combat changes in your body, some tips for providing comfort can include:

• Using lubrication during sexual activities to help stimulate and provide comfort when you need it.
• Communicating any changes in your body with your partner and primary physician. This is essential to maintaining a healthy relationship and body.
• Trying new positions and other activities to learn about your body; exercises for your core and Kegel muscles are also very helpful.
• Probiotics can help promote healthy bacteria in your stomach, which can affect your sexual health as well.
• Topical estrogen may be recommended to help boost your natural lubrication and address urinary concerns.

Addressing Wrinkles

When frown lines and crow’s feet begin to appear on the face, they can make us look angry, tired, or older than we feel. Injectable treatments are available to smooth out lines and give us a refreshed appearance.

Scars, Skin Laxity, and Texture Irregularities

If your skin is uneven or loses its firmness, Dermaroller® can reduce the appearance of acne, scarring, large pores, and uneven skin tone by encouraging natural collagen production in the epidermis.

Other Concerns

Sometimes there is a list of symptoms that are unexplained by any of your lifestyle choices, which requires further testing. After discussing your concerns with Cristy Thomas DNP, FNP-BC, APRN, further testing can be conducted to determine what is causing your discomfort. Such testing can involve hormone testing, micronutrient testing, nutritional testing, and thyroid testing to pinpoint the culprit.

Many patients are surprised to learn that they have a simple hormone imbalance or a missing component in their diet that is causing their problems. Taking a few tests to learn more about what is happening to your body can make a tremendous difference in how you feel.

Vitality Medical Wellness Center is devoted to the comfort and health of every patient, so schedule a consultation and discuss your medical history, symptoms, and other contributing factors when you have concerns regarding your health and wellness.

Call our office today if you would like to learn more about female-related health concerns. We can be reached at (702) 731-1200 or through our online contact form.