Healthytalk8 What Is Menopause?
Contents
When women’s menstrual cycles stop, this situation is known as menopause. It is a normal part of women’s aging process.
Menopause is not a disease or disorder. In this women experience uncomfort symptoms such as weight gain, hot flashes, etc.
This process does not occur overnight or in one day; it is gradual and is called “perimenopausal transition.”
Learn More – Periods General knowledge.
When Does It Start And How Long Does It Last?
It can happen anytime between 45 to 55 years of age. The general median age of menopause is 51.
In many Indian women generally, it starts from the age of 48 years to 52 years.
Moreover, In Latina and black women, it may be seen before the age of 51. More studies are needed in colour.
However, it can also happen before a recommended age or at a young age, this condition is called premature menopause.
A survey conducted by the Institute for Social and Economic Change seen that about 4% of Indian women experience signs of menopause b/w 29 and 34 years of age.
It lasts for about 7 years but can be up to 14 years in many women. but this duration is also affected by many habits such as:
- Smoking
- Thyroid issue
- Any auto-immune diseases
- Drinking alcohol
- Exposure to radiation like chemotherapy or radiotherapy,
- Poor nutrition
- Genital tuberculosis can also lead ovaries to fail,” Dr. Singh added.
What Are Menopause, Perimenopause, and Postmenopause?
Menopause – A stage where women’s periods is stopped, if it happens before the age of 45 or after the age of 40 then is called early menopause.
If it is happening before 40 years, then it is called premature menopause.
Perimenopause – It may start as early as 40 years and may continue for 8 to 10 years, before menopause.
In this, the level of estrogen is gradually decreased, and then the women experience perimenopause.
But during this women still face irregular periods. and she can still get pregnant.
The average duration of perimenopause is around 4 to 5 years, In some women, it may be a few months.
Postmenopause – It occurs after the end of the periods when the estradiol levels are fully reduced and there is no more released egg.
Symptoms and Signs
Every woman’s experience can be different. When menopause occurs early or quickly, the symptoms can be more severe.
Common signs and symptoms of menopause are:
- Usually, fewer period
- Hot flashes, this is related to a sudden change in estrogen level, which may last for years.
- Loss of bladder control, in this, you may feel urgent pee, or urine may leak during exercise, laughing, and sneezing.
- Trouble in sleeping
- Feeling irritable
- S*xual intercourse discomfort, due to dryness in the vagina
- Depression, talk to your doctor about your signs
- Chills
- You could lose muscle and gain fat
- Headache, pain, and heart palpitations, which causes by hormonal changes in body.
- Night sweat
- Difficulty in focus
- Joints and muscles could feel stiff and achy
- Less full breast
- Dry, thin, and loss of hair
- Low libido
- Weak pelvic floor
If during menopause, bleeding continues for a long time, it is not a sign of menopause, so in this case, talk to your doctor.
A study showed that many women experience menopause signs. they should be aware of these symptoms, their causes, and treatment
What Happen To Your Body During Menopause?
During menopause, many hormonal changes occur, and due to hormonal changes, you may see these symptoms.
There are certain other hormones, which counteract the effect of this deficiency called LH and FSH that rise in the body.
Simple – There are various hormonal changes in your body during menopause.
Causes of Menopause
As women get older their ovaries are also aged and their bodies stop producing hormones, which leads to lower hormone production and causes menopause.
The major cause of menopause is the decline in a woman’s reproductive hormones.
One of the most notable changes is the loss of active ovarian follicles that allows menstruation and fertility.
Some other causes of menopause due to the body starts going through many changes. which include:
Naturally Decreasing Reproductive Hormones
It is a natural process, which every woman has to face – low estrogen, and Progesterone, the hormones that regulate menstruation.
Chemotherapy and Radiation
This cancer therapy induces menopause. Radiation therapy only affects ovarian function if radiation is directed at the ovaries.
Surgery
Removing the ovaries due to any injury causes immediate menopause.
Surgery that removes your uterus, but not your ovaries usually doesn’t affect menopause.
Although now you no longer have periods, your ovaries still release eggs and produce estrogen and progesterone.
Premature Ovarian Condition
It happens before the age of 40 and may occur due to autoimmune diseases or genes. And about 1% of women undergo menopause before age 40.
These women are usually prescribed hormone therapy until the natural age of menopause to protect the brain, bones, and heart.
At this time, the women’s ovaries stop, and no chance of pregnancy.
Diagnose
There is no single test to diagnose menopause. But If you have concerns about irregular periods or hot flashes, then talk with your doctor.
The doctor may refer you to some tests that will measure the level of hormones in your blood. Blood tests include:
- LH (Newtonizing hormone)
- FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) tests.
- Anti-Mullerian hormone: (Your body makes this in its reproductive tissues) it tells about the reserve of eggs in your ovaries.
- Estradiol: This tells how much estrogen your ovaries are making.
Available Treatments
There is no specific treatment, but if your symptoms are severe and affect your life quality then treatment may be needed.
Treatments focus on managing a chronic illness that may occur with aging, and relieving your signs and symptoms include:
- Hot flashes
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Stress
- Dry vagina
Estrogen therapy
Estrogen therapy is the most common therapeutic option for relieving menopausal hot flashes, which also helps in preventing bone loss.
But not recommended in the long term, because it may cause cancer and cardiovascular disease. Make sure to talk to your doctor before taking it.
Topical estrogen therapy
Many women are concerned about their s*x life.
In this case, the doctor gives you estrogen cream or gel that you put in your vagina to prevent dryness.
Supportive therapy
In this situation many women encounter mental issues, difficulty in sleeping, night sweats, etc. So supportive therapy can help in this.
Also, it is necessary for these women to take vitamins, and calcium supplements, drink milk, also calcium-rich foods.
Talk to your doctor about it, they will help you with everything like medicines, therapy benefits, risks, what to do, and what do not.
Menopause Complications
After menopause, women are more prone to the risk of certain diseases. which include:
- Bone loss, increases the risk of fracture.
- More chance of s*xually transmitted diseases. so make sure to use safer s*x practices
- loss of s*x drive
- Heart disease, when estrogen levels decrease, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases.
- More wrinkles
- Weaker vision
- Vaginal dryness due to decreased moisture production and loss of elasticity can cause discomfort.
- Weight gain, because of slow metabolism
