<div>Oct. 22—PINE TOWNSHIP — Allegheny Health Network Grove City has added a menopause specialist to its team.Dr. Marcia Klein-Patel, chair of AHN Women's Institute, said having a menopause specialist will help meet the institute's goal of making sure women are in good health."AHN Grove City is an important part of that goal and we're committed to investing in this community to serve the growing needs of the patient population, which includes mid-life medicine," she said. "We're beyond thrilled to welcome Dr. Katherine Scruggs to our mid-life medicine team at Allegheny Health Network. Her decades of experience and depth of clinical expertise in the treatment and management of perimenopausal and menopausal transitions are incredible assets to our patients across northern Butler and Mercer Counties."Scruggs said menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 55."On average, we live a third of our lives after menopause, and there are physical changes that go along with that," she said.Scruggs said common symptoms women experience with menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, losing concentration, short-term memory loss, hair and skin changes including drier skin, vaginal dryness and joint issues and pain."The most effective treatment is hormone therapy, and that's in the form of estrogen and a progestin hormone if you have a uterus or estrogen alone if you don't," she said. "There is a newer, second line of therapy called Veozah that is pretty effective in treating hot flashes. Some of the antidepressant medications and certain pain medications, not opiates, but things that treat nerve-ending pain sometimes can help with hot flashes as well."She said "menopause is associated with accelerated bone loss.""Being overweight is a risk factor of having hot flashes," Scruggs said. "Smokers go through menopause earlier (and) have worse hot flashes than non-smokers. The classic ones, cafeine, nicotine and alcohol, they will sometimes trigger hot flashes and night sweats."Scruggs also suggested to avoid dressing in layers and keeping the bedroom environment cool.She said women undergoing menopause face a higher risk of type two diabetes, endometrial cancer and uterine cancer.Scruggs said menopause care is an unrecognized need."Women have tended not to talk about their menopausal symptoms for a long time and just sort of feel like they have to deal with it," she said. "I think that is changing. I think another part of it is that victims don't ask and one of the reasons they don't ask is because they're not comfortable managing those symptoms."</div>

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AHN Grove City adds menopause specialist to its women's health team

Oct. 22—PINE TOWNSHIP — Allegheny Health Network Grove City has added a menopause specialist to its team. Dr. Marcia Klein-Patel, chair of AHN Women's Institute, said having a menopause specialist will help meet the institute's goal of making sure women are in good health. \"AHN Grove City is...

Oct. 22—PINE TOWNSHIP — Allegheny Health Network Grove City has added a menopause specialist to its team. Dr. Marcia Klein-Patel, chair of AHN Women's Institute, said having a menopause specialist will help meet the institute's goal of making sure women are in good health. "AHN Grove City is...