Menopause Physician - Do You Really Need One?

By Vanessa Evans

Menopause is the time in a woman's life when she stops menstruating i.e. having periods. In the years leading up to this time there is a shift in the levels of female hormones that are produced. This can have both physical and emotional side effects. For some women these side effects are a slight inconvenience, for others they are debilitating. It is quite common for women to seek the advice of their doctor or a menopause physician at this time to help overcome these problems. But some have raised doubts as to whether the medical profession should be involved in the majority of cases, if at all.

A complaint that you frequently hear from some commentators is that the menopause is not a 'disease' that requires 'treatment'. It is just a normal process that every woman goes through. For centuries women have coped without any ill effects so why does there need to be any medical intervention at all?

A more sinister accusation is that there has been a medicalization of menopause, which is driven by greed and profit, rather than the welfare of women. The argument is that pharmaceutical companies are pushing their products into this field and actually creating a marketplace where there was not one before.

Why would the drug companies bother to do this? The provision of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is an expensive and profitable type of treatment. Once a patient is on HRT, it is a continual treatment that may go on for years. There are presently a large number of baby boomers who are passing through the age when the menopause occurs. In short, this is a highly lucrative marketplace for pharmaceutical companies to be in.

More recently there have been some health scares over the safety of taking HRT over long periods. Specifically, there is a fear that there is an increased risk of contracting cancer. This has led many women to question whether they need to receive treatment for their menopausal symptoms. Things have changed. Rather than believing that 'there is a pill for every ill', now women are making educated decisions about their own health.

There are many natural and alternative treatments on the market that aim to provide relief from menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. There are even some innovative products such as menopause pajamas.

Although medical treatment can provide relief to many women suffering severe symptoms, the relative risks and benefits should be weighed up for each individual.

Visit http://www.naturalmenopausetips.com to find out more about coping with menopause night sweats and hot flashes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vanessa_Evans