Menopause is a natural stage, but its symptoms can be hard to live with for years. Effective treatments exist, including hormone replacement therapy, and it is also a good time to protect bones and heart.
Reviewed September 2026 · For information, not diagnosis
In India call 112 for emergencies or 108 for an ambulance, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. Do not wait to see whether a remedy works.
As the ovaries run out of eggs, levels of oestrogen and progesterone fall and periods stop. You have reached menopause when you have had no period for 12 months. The years of changing hormones and irregular periods before that are the perimenopause, which can start in the early forties.
Symptoms last on average several years, and for some women more than ten. They are real, and it is reasonable to seek treatment.
| Option | Points to know |
|---|---|
| Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) | The most effective treatment for flushes, sweats, sleep and mood symptoms; also protects bones. Women with a womb take oestrogen with a progestogen. Patches and gels carry a lower clot risk than tablets. For most women under 60, or within 10 years of menopause, the benefits outweigh the risks. |
| Vaginal oestrogen | Low-dose cream, tablet or ring for dryness and urinary symptoms. Very little is absorbed; it can be used long-term, including by many women who cannot take HRT. |
| Non-hormonal medicines | Some antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs), gabapentin or clonidine reduce flushes for women who cannot or prefer not to take HRT. |
| Cognitive behavioural therapy | Shown to reduce the impact of flushes and improve sleep and mood. |
| Lubricants and moisturisers | Vaginal moisturisers used regularly and lubricants during sex. |
HRT risks in context: combined HRT slightly increases the risk of breast cancer the longer it is used; tablet forms slightly increase the risk of blood clots and stroke. HRT is not suitable for women with some cancers, a history of clots or active liver disease. Your doctor will review your own risks.
Herbal products need care too: undiluted black cohosh has rarely been linked with liver damage, and custom-made “bioidentical” hormone creams are not regulated for dose or purity.
A homeopath considers the pattern of flushes, sweats, mood and sleep, and the person’s constitution, and chooses a remedy. Some women who cannot take HRT, or prefer not to, look to homeopathy.
Using homeopathy safely at menopause
A small preliminary trial of homeopathy for hot flushes in women after breast cancer found no significant difference from placebo in flush severity, its main measure; the authors called for larger studies. No larger trial has shown a benefit.
More broadly, the largest independent assessment — the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council’s 2015 review of 176 studies — found no reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective for any health condition, and advised against using it for conditions that are chronic, serious or could become serious. People often do feel better after a long, unhurried homeopathic consultation; in one controlled trial in rheumatoid arthritis, the benefit came from the consultation rather than the remedy.
In practice: if you choose homeopathy, use it alongside the care described on this page, not instead of it — and tell each practitioner what the other has prescribed. More on the research →
These are the traditional descriptions (“keynotes”) from the homeopathic materia medica, listed so you recognise names a practitioner may mention. They are not evidence that a remedy works and not a guide to self-treatment. Homeopaths choose one remedy for the whole person rather than by diagnosis.
Described for hot flushes and sweats worse after sleep, with intolerance of tight clothing.
Described for exhaustion, irritability and indifference, with a dragging-down sensation.
Described for flushes of heat with burning feet at night.
Described for changeable moods and tearfulness, better in fresh air.
Described for flushes with red cheeks and burning palms.
Described for surging, pulsating heat rising to the head.
Described for sudden flushes with anxiety and palpitations.
Described for low mood and aching muscles at menopause.
If you would like to try homeopathy, see a registered homeopathic doctor (BHMS or MD (Hom)) who will take a full history, knows your other treatment and will tell you when you need a medical specialist. Take your prescriptions and recent test reports with you.
Search all homeopaths → Are you a homeopathic doctor? Create your profile.
This page is general information, reviewed September 2026. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace a consultation. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine without talking to the doctor who prescribed it. In an emergency in India call 112 (ambulance 108).
