Menopause can be a complex time for a woman. It is the time that marks the end of one's menstrual cycle for good. It is a natural biological process which is determined once a woman goes a whole year without menstruating. It is accompanied by hot flashes and vaginal dryness, and can be quite excruciating for a woman, physically as well as mentally.
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To manage these extremely bothersome menopause symptoms, a study has concluded that a growing number of women are either using cannabis or want to use it. The study's results will be presented during the 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
In a sample of 232 women (mean age, 55.95 y) in Northern California who participated in the Midlife Women Veterans Health Survey, more than half reported such symptoms as hot flashes and night sweats (54 per cent), insomnia (27 per cent), and genitourinary symptoms (69 per cent).
Approximately 27 percent reported having used or were presently using cannabis to manage their symptoms. 10 percent of the participants said they were interested in trying cannabis to manage menopause symptoms in the future.
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In contrast, only 19 per cent reported using a more traditional type of menopause symptom management, such as hormone therapy. Cannabis for menopause symptom management was most often used in women reporting hot flashes and night sweats.?Such use did not differ by age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or mental health conditions.?
"These findings suggest that cannabis use to manage menopause symptoms may be relatively common. However, we do not know whether cannabis use is safe or effective for menopause symptom management or whether women are discussing these decisions with their healthcare providers - particularly in the VA, where cannabis is considered an illegal substance under federal guidelines. This information is important for healthcare providers, and more research in this area is needed," said Carolyn Gibson, PhD, MPH, a psychologist and health services researcher at San Francisco VA Health Care System, and the lead author of the study.?
The study, Cannabis use for menopause symptom management among midlife women veterans', will be one of many presentations during the 2020 NAMS Virtual Annual Meeting, focused on novel approaches for treating menopause symptoms.?
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"This study highlights a somewhat alarming trend and the need for more research relative to the potential risks and benefits of cannabis use for the management of bothersome menopause symptoms," said Dr Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director.?