Menopause & Perimenopause Treatment in Oregon

Personalized, Integrative Care for Hormonal Transitions

At Willow Natural Health, Dr. Cori Burke provides individualized, evidence-informed care for people navigating perimenopause and menopause in Portland, Milwaukie, and throughout Oregon. Treatment plans are tailored to your unique symptoms, health history, goals, and existing health conditions. Whether you are experiencing hot flashes, sleep disruption, brain fog, mood changes, irregular cycles, worsening chronic illness symptoms, or simply feel unlike yourself, care is designed to help you feel better and support long-term health.

Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can affect far more than reproductive health. Many people experience shifts in energy, sleep, mood, cognition, metabolism, pain levels, autonomic function, and overall quality of life.

While menopause is a normal life transition, that does not mean you need to suffer through disruptive symptoms without support.

Dr. Burke offers comprehensive menopause care that may include bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), nutritional support, lifestyle counseling, targeted supplementation, and other integrative therapies. Her goal is to help you move through this transition with greater comfort, resilience, and confidence.

Get back to feeling your best with a personalized approach to hormone health.

What are the Symptoms of Peri & Menopause?

Hormonal fluctuations during the menopause transition can affect nearly every body system. Symptoms vary widely from person to person and may begin years before menstrual periods stop completely. Some of the most common symptoms of perimenopause & menopause include:

Many patients are surprised to learn that symptoms they thought were unrelated—including worsening ADHD symptoms, increased pain, sensory overwhelm, dizziness, or mast cell symptoms—may be influenced by changing hormone levels.

Low levels of estrogen can also be a risk factor for dementia, osteoporosis, and heart disease, which is why the likelihood of having these health conditions increases after menopause.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Hormonal Health

Hormone changes rarely occur in isolation. Dr. Burke takes a whole-person approach to menopause care, evaluating not only reproductive hormones but also factors that can influence symptom severity and overall well-being, including:

• Thyroid function
• Iron status and nutrient deficiencies
• Blood sugar regulation and insulin resistance
• Sleep quality
• Chronic stress and HPA-axis function
• Inflammation and immune system dysregulation
• Digestive health
• Cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors
• Existing chronic illnesses and medications

This comprehensive approach helps identify contributing factors that may be amplifying symptoms and supports the development of an individualized treatment plan.

Bioidentical Hormone Therapy in Oregon

For some patients, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can be a valuable tool for managing menopause symptoms and improving quality of life.

Bioidentical hormones are chemically identical to the hormones naturally produced by the body and may include estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, and testosterone when clinically appropriate.

Potential benefits of BHRT may include:

• Reduction in hot flashes and night sweats
• Improved sleep quality
• Enhanced mood stability
• Improved cognitive function and mental clarity
• Support for sexual health and libido
• Improved vaginal and urinary health
• Protection of bone health

Hormone therapy is not appropriate for everyone. Dr. Burke carefully reviews your personal medical history, family history, risk factors, and treatment goals to determine whether hormone therapy is a good fit for you.

Menopause Care for Transgender and Nonbinary Individuals

Not everyone who experiences perimenopause or menopause identifies as a woman. Transgender men, nonbinary individuals, and other gender-diverse people may also navigate these hormonal transitions and deserve knowledgeable, affirming care.

Dr. Burke is committed to providing inclusive, affirming, and individualized care for transgender and nonbinary patients navigating hormonal transitions. Treatment plans are developed collaboratively and respect each person’s unique goals, identity, and healthcare needs.

Menopause and Complex Chronic Illness

For many people, perimenopause is not simply a hormonal transition. It can be a period when previously manageable chronic health conditions become more symptomatic.

Because Dr. Burke specializes in complex chronic illness, she frequently works with patients whose menopause symptoms overlap with conditions such as dysautonomia, hypermobility syndromes, mast cell disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, Long COVID, autoimmune disease, and neurodivergence.

Understanding these intersections often leads to more effective treatment and better outcomes.

Menopause and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)

Hormones and mast cells have a complex relationship.

Many people with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome notice changes in symptoms throughout the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, postpartum, and during menopause. Hormonal fluctuations can influence mast cell activity and contribute to increased flushing, itching, headaches, gastrointestinal symptoms, insomnia, and other mast cell-related symptoms.

For patients living with MCAS, menopause treatment often requires careful consideration of both hormonal and immune system factors.

Menopause and Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)

Many individuals with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) or Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) report worsening symptoms during perimenopause and menopause.

Changes in estrogen levels may influence connective tissue function, joint stability, pain perception, and autonomic nervous system regulation. Patients often report increased joint pain, fatigue, injuries, dizziness, and worsening dysautonomia symptoms during this transition.

A comprehensive treatment plan may include hormone support, physical rehabilitation strategies, nutritional optimization, pain management, and dysautonomia-focused care.

Menopause, ADHD, and Autism

Many neurodivergent adults notice significant changes during perimenopause.

Fluctuations in estrogen can affect dopamine signaling, executive functioning, sensory processing, emotional regulation, and cognitive performance. As a result, ADHD symptoms that were previously manageable may become more noticeable during the menopause transition.

Autistic individuals may also experience increased sensory sensitivity, burnout, fatigue, changes in routine tolerance, sleep disruption, and difficulties with emotional regulation.

These experiences are common and often underrecognized. Treatment may involve hormone support, nervous system regulation strategies, sleep optimization, nutritional support, accommodations, and pacing strategies tailored to the individual’s needs.

Comprehensive Perimenopause & Menopause Treatment in Portland, OR

You do not have to navigate perimenopause or menopause alone.

Whether you are interested in bioidentical hormone therapy, looking for alternatives to hormone treatment, or trying to understand how menopause may be affecting your chronic health conditions, Dr. Cori Burke provides thoughtful, collaborative care tailored to your individual needs.

Online scheduling is available for new and returning patients throughout Oregon.