Women 'not getting proper treatment for menopause-related conditions'

Many women are not getting the treatment they require when the menopause triggers various ailments, an expert has warned.

According to author and women's health specialist Dr Diana Schwarzbein, physicians often do not realise that certain conditions in middle-aged women are linked to the menopause.

As a result, many are being given treatments that mask the root problem, rather than cure it completely.

"They treat the problems independently, without treating the cause," Dr Schwarzbein commented.

She stressed that nearly all of the health issues that arise during middle age, such as allergies, high cholesterol, irregular sleeping patterns and weight gain, are triggered or exacerbated by hormone imbalances.

"Once menopause begins, women can no longer produce sufficient oestrogen and progesterone," Dr Schwarzbein continued.

She added they are both required to maintain "overall hormone balance and good health" in middle-aged women.

This comes shortly after Nick Panay of the British Menopause Society warned premature menopause is far more widespread than many people realise.