Hot Flashes

• Wear fabrics that breathe, such as cotton.
• Dress in layers so you can easily remove some of the layers when you are warm.
• If you feel a hot flash coming on, drink a glass of cold water.
• If troubled by night sweats, keep a cold facecloth or ice pack by your bed.
• Decrease your intake of caffeine and alcohol.
• Avoid spicy foods and hot drinks.
• Avoid tobacco.
• The herb black cohosh is also widely used to treat hot flashes. Talk to your doctor before taking any herbs or supplements.

Vaginal Dryness and Urinary Problems

• Use a vaginal cream or lubricant (avoid petroleum jelly) to help reduce pain from dryness during sexual intercourse.
• Urinate before and after sexual intercourse to help prevent bladder infections.
• To help prevent urinary tract infections , drink plenty of fluids and empty your bladder frequently.
• Try Kegel exercises daily. These exercises, which tighten and relax the muscles you use to stop urination, strengthen the vaginal muscles, enhance orgasm, and help prevent incontinence .

Psychological Problems

• Communicate openly with your partner about your symptoms and ask for support.
• Join or even start a support group specific to menopause or other life changes you are experiencing.
• Find and share support with colleagues at work who are going through the same experience.
• Seek counseling .
• Identify which sources of stress you can eliminate from your life.

Weight Gain

• Engage in an aerobic exercise . Talk with your doctor first about how long to exercise and how often.
• Find ways to incorporate more exercise into your daily routine, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Decrease your intake of fat and calories.

Revision Information

• Reviewer: Brian Randall, MD
• Review Date: 06/2011
• Update Date: 06/07/2011