What are the alternatives to non-hormonal menopause treatment?

Hormone replacement therapy can treat several menopause symptoms by replacing hormones that have fallen, but it is not suitable for everyone. The form and combination depend on whether you have a uterus, your symptoms, your medical history, and whether you are in perimenopause or menopause.

For vaginal dryness or discomfort, local treatment may be discussed separately from treatment for hot flushes. Cooling strategies, layered clothing, sleep routines, regular movement, and reducing personal triggers can support symptom control. Some medicines used for mood, nerve pain, or blood pressure may also be prescribed for hot flushes, but they require a suitability check.

Write down which symptoms trouble you, when they occur, and how they affect sleep, intimacy, work, or concentration. Review your history of blood clots, unexplained bleeding, liver disease, migraine, and hormone-sensitive cancers before discussing hormones. Do not start supplements or borrowed medicines without checking interactions and safety.

Ask for a review plan after starting any treatment. The aim is practical symptom relief with the lowest suitable exposure and regular reassessment, while recognising that treatment can be adjusted if the first option is ineffective or causes unwanted effects.

Arrange an appointment for new bleeding after menopause, bleeding that persists or changes, or symptoms that interfere with daily life. Seek urgent help for chest pain, sudden breathlessness, coughing blood, one-sided leg swelling, severe headache, or new neurological symptoms while using any medicine.

Are my symptoms caused by perimenopause or another condition? Could hormone replacement therapy suit my history? Do I need local treatment as well as whole-body treatment? Which non-hormonal measures are worth continuing? When should we review the plan?