OB/Gyn > > Menopause– Researchers promote far from over-medicalizing menopause
by Kristen Monaco, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today March 5, 2024
Scientist cautioned versus the “over-medicalization” of menopause in a four-paper series in The Lancetand argued for a fresh method that surpasses the treatment of particular signs.
The series concentrated on 4 locations for altering how we see menopause– varying from doctor embracing an “empowerment design” to support females; enhancing health after early menopause; brand-new insights into ladies’s psychological health; and handling menopause after cancer.
“The mistaken belief of menopause as constantly being a medical concern which regularly declares a decrease in physical and psychological health must be challenged throughout the entire of society,” stated lead author of the series Martha Hickey, MBChB, MD, of the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, in a declaration.
“Many females live satisfying lives throughout and after menopause, adding to work, domesticity, and the larger society. Altering the story to see menopause as part of healthy ageing might much better empower ladies to browse this life phase and minimize worry and nervousness among those who have yet to experience it,” Hickey included.
The Empowerment Model
In the very first paper of the series, Hickey and co-authors promoted for a pivot far from clinically dealing with the private signs of menopause and rather taking a more holistic technique. “Rather than concentrating on menopause as an endocrine shortage, we propose an empowerment design that acknowledges aspects customizing the experience, in which the client is a specialist in their own condition and the health care employee supports the client to end up being an equivalent and active partner in handling their own care,” the group composed.
As part of moving far from seeing menopause as a hormonal agent shortage illness, a big part of the paper refuted blanket usage of hormonal agent replacement treatment– now more typically called menopausal hormonal agent treatment (MHT)– and utilizing a more customized technique to handling signs. “Over-medicalization of menopause and promo of MHT as a remedy is unhelpful,” according to an editorial included in the series.
For taking on vasomotor signs, which impact as much as 80% of menopausal females, clinicians can recommend way of life interventions, like minimizing alcohol or cigarette smoking and enhancing sleep practices. Behavioral techniques like cognitive behavior modification (CBT) and hypnosis were likewise considered efficient non-pharmacological vasomotor treatments.
“CBT might likewise minimize tension and enhance sleep and state of mind,” included co-author Myra Hunter, PhD, of King’s College London, in a declaration. “Lifestyle modifications resolving diet plan, cigarette smoking, and workout might in addition benefit sleep and state of mind and enhance long-lasting health. Some do not want to take menopause hormonal agent treatment unless their signs are serious and choose to utilize other methods. Our series is everything about increasing awareness of evidence-based alternatives for ladies, so they can pick how they want to browse menopause, devoid of judgement and preconception.”
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