According to a survey, hot flashes are most likely to make women seek treatment

What motivates women to seek treatment?

The list of symptoms that prompted women to seek treatment were almost identical in terms of “highly likely” and “lowly likely”. For most symptoms, women chose to discuss treatment options with their doctor about half of the time. For example, 69 percent of women suffered from night sweats, but only 33 percent specifically sought treatment for it.

A notable exception was Brain Fog; Although it affected 43 percent of women, only 13 percent spoke to their doctor about the treatment.

Does that mean women aren’t getting the treatments they need, or that the symptoms weren’t bothersome enough to mention? That’s hard to say, says Faubion. “The reality is that the majority of women have pretty clear symptoms of menopause and most don’t get treatment for it,” she says.

Weight redistribution vs. weight gain: They are not equal

“The redistribution of fat to the midsection is definitely related to menopause,” says Faubion. But the changes that occur during the transition to menopause don’t actually cause changes on the scale, she adds.

“It’s more related to age, and the fact that we lose muscle mass and muscle mass burns calories, both men and women tend to gain weight in midlife,” she says.

Where can women get information about treating severe symptoms?

When asked where they obtained information about treatment for menopausal symptoms (women could choose more than one source), the majority of women, 61 percent, spoke to a healthcare provider. About 2 in 5 visit health information websites and 35 percent talk to friends and family about possible therapies.

While it’s encouraging that so many women are turning to their health care providers for information about menopause, it’s hard to say if this is a trend in the general population, Faubion says. “I would say the average Everyday Health reader is smarter and more willing to talk about these issues than the average woman; They’re already looking for information about health and menopause,” she says.

There’s more menopause chatter than ever

But one thing is certain: there is path Menopause is being talked about more than ever before, says Faubion.

“Just look at the news and a lot of the major media, The New York TimesThat Wall Street Journal, forbeseveryone is talking about it more, even compared to five years ago,” she says.

Faubion believes this positive change is due to women driving the issue. “Women talk about it, they’re not ready to sit back and experience symptoms.”

Some of the change is also being driven by capitalism, she says. “Venture capitalists, tech companies, startups, and entrepreneurs have found that midlife women have money,” says Faubion.

Irritability is treatable

Mood swings and irritability can definitely be treated, Faubion says. “Treatment depends on how severe the symptoms are and whether a woman is experiencing them for the first time during the transition to menopause,” she says.

For some women who had a previous episode of depression earlier in life, your doctor may prescribe you a medication that has worked for you in the past, she says. “In some cases, hormone therapy has also been shown to help with mood symptoms during the transition to menopause,” says Faubion.

About 1 in 3 women has not spoken to a provider about menopause symptoms

About 1 in 3 women in this survey hasn’t spoken to their HCP about their menopausal symptoms, and that number is likely much higher in the general population, Faubion says.

Although talking to other women and using reputable online sources can help point you in the right direction, talking to a provider with specific menopausal training is the way to find out what’s right for you, she says. “Every woman is different. Some women literally never have any symptoms,” says Faubion.

“I ask my patients, ‘What are you experiencing, what is bothering you and what are you most worried about that we fix?’ Because the approach may differ depending on the severity of their symptoms; like when she’s struggling to sleep a few nights a week instead of having hot flashes 10 times an hour,” she says.