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Homeopathic Alternatives to Menopause

by Lauren Feder, M.D.

I'm 34 and starting to have hot flashes. Are there any homeopathic alternatives to hormones? What is Perimenopause?

At the onset of hormonal changes, a woman is often confronted with advice from friends and mothers including a prescription for hormones from the doctor. Currently, statistics show that 30 million women are either going through menopause or have already gone through it. If you are beginning to experience hot flashes at age 34 you could be going through perimenopause.

What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause, the period leading up to menopause, can span up to 10 years and can begin as early as ages 30-35. The average age for menopause is 51.4 years. Common symptoms of perimenopause include moodiness, depression, forgetfulness, insomnia, abnormal periods, hot flashes, vaginal dryness and a decrease in sex drive. Hot flashes are experienced by 85% of women and are the most common reason to seek medical attention.

Homeopathy and Menopause
The use of hormones for perimenopause and menopause (natural or synthetic) is a relatively new phenomenon. A healthy postmenopausal woman is able to still produce small amounts of hormones. There are examples in many cultures where women have lived beyond menopause without taking hormones and have not suffered from heart disease or osteoporosis.

Homeopathy, as a holistic form of medicine, has been used for close to 200 years to treat women with hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. The homeopathic approach takes into account a woman's totality of symptoms. Each person is treated as an individual. The correctly chosen homeopathic remedy can work quickly for perimenopausal symptoms. A visit to a professional homeopathic practitioner for treatment can allow for a smooth transition into menopause. The chart below is a sampler of several commonly used remedies for perimenopausal symptoms:

Many patients come to my office looking for a homeopathic remedy that is natural and safe without any side effects. Menopausal symptoms respond well to homeopathic treatment. In the DrFeder.com Natural Pharmacy we are pleased to feature a wide selection of homeopathic remedies. Most of them are in a 30C strength which is suitable for both children and adults. To order a remedy in a different strength or inquire about a remedy that isn't listed, please contact us. We'll find it for you!

For chronic conditions, I recommend constitutional homeopathic treatment, in which a homeopathic remedy is chosen by a trained homeopath after a lengthy interview. This method can be very effective for the long-term resolution of chronic conditions.

For more information on homeopathy and homeopathic remedies see What is Homeopathy? and Directions for Use.

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