Menopause is the medical term for the end of a woman's menstrual
period. Meno (menstruation) pause (stop) is technically the last menstrual
flow.
Menopause is a part of the normal cycle of women. When a woman has
passed through menopause, her monthly periods end and she no longer
can get pregnant naturally. The average age for the onset of menopause
is from 48 to 52 years.
Menopause can also occur for various reasons including removal of
uterus, radiation and chemotherapy, gland disorder or poor health.
The first sign of menopause is irregular periods. The cycle may shorten
or lengthen and the menstrual flow may decrease with time. A woman
can be fertile even if she has been without a period for a year after
she experiences irregular periods. She may experience hot flushes
during which her temperature will rise and fall as much as 9 degrees.
Sweating, heart palpitation, nausea and anxiety may accompany these
flushes. Some women also experience irritation, headache and short-term
memory loss. The changes of menopause begin when your ovaries reduce
the production of female hormones. Hormones are chemicals that are
formed in various glands and move through the blood to cause effects
on other body organs. Estrogen and progesterone help to keep a woman's
monthly period going in a regular cycle. When you approach midlife
estrogen begins to drop in low levels. The reproductive phase gradually
shuts down and eventually your period ends.
There used to be a great deal of confusion about menopause a few years
back. Today most women are familiar with the well-known symptoms of
menopause like sleep disturbances, hot flushes and sexual function
changes. But there are other long-term results of menopause that are
the sources of today's controversy. At the heart of the controversy
is whether menopause and its physical changes should be viewed as
a natural event to be endured or whether it is an evolutionary mistake
that can be corrected by the use of drug or alternative therapies,
studies and education.
Symptoms of menopause:
1. Irregular bleeding - menopause is often characterized
by irregular periods. In fact changes such as shorter or longer periods,
heavier and lighter bleeding and the varying length of time between
periods may be a sign that menopause is near.
2. Hot Flashes - are the classic signs of menopause. It produces
a sudden sensation of warmth or even intense heat that spreads over
various parts of the body especially the face, head and chest. These
flashes last from a few seconds to several minutes. It can affect
a woman's social life and work as well. It can occur during night
and disrupt sleep. Drop in blood sugar, during menopause, can be one
of the causes for hot flashes. Once the blood sugar is controlled,
the incidence of hot flashes diminishes. Reducing caffeine, eating
meals at regular times with generous intake of fiber can dramatically
relieve you of your hot flashes symptoms.
3. Vaginal Thinning - Estrogen plays a keen role maintaining
the functions of a woman's vagina and surrounding tissues, uterus,
urinary bladder and urethra (the organ trough which urine passes).
After menopause these organs may weaken or shrink. When these changes
occur in the bladder or urethra they can lead to involuntary leakage
of urine (incontinence), infection and painful urination. The thinning
and dryness of vaginal tissues may lead to painful intercourse, itching
and irritation. Regular sexual intercourse can help to keep the vagina
moist and toned.
4. Link between mood and sexual function - The brain also responds
to estrogen. It is now thought to be important for memory and healthy
functioning of the nerve cells in the brain. Some studies have shown
that ERT (Estrogen Replacement Therapy) may preserve brain activity
and improve memory. Lack of concentration and frequent mood changes
causing anger and depression are common features during menopause.
This also causes sexual discord aggravated by genital dryness, itching
and pain during sexual intercourse.
5. Osteoporosis - This becomes a pressing issue during menopause
because the diminishing supply of estrogen promotes bone loss. Osteoporosis
is the medical term for thinning of bones. They become weaker and
break easily, especially the bones of the wrist, spine and hips. Effective
precautions for preventing or reducing the severity of osteoporosis
are against this is to exercise regularly and take in calcium in the
form of foods and supplements.
6. Heart Diseases - Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining
the LDL and HDL (Bad and Good cholesterol) ratio in the body. During
menopause the estrogen level diminishes. This causes a rise in the
LDL and fall in the HDL increasing the risk of atherosclerosis. Lack
of estrogen also causes the blood vessels to become less flexible
resulting in danger of blood clots.
Treatment Options:
As menopause begins you and your doctor should discuss symptoms and
treat them as they occur. It is necessary to get yourself evaluated
for the risks of getting osteoporosis, heart ailments and ovarian
and breast cancers.
Women have many choices in the way menopause symptoms can be treated.
Treatment can be approached in two phases - a) use of hormones and
b) life style changes and use of herbs.
Hormone Treatment - Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is meant
to replenish the hormone level that has decreased due to menopause.
The most common forms of hormone treatment are Estrogen alone (ERT)
and Estrogen/Progesterone combination (HRT). Estrogen only treatment
can lead to an increased risk of uterine cancer. Therefore HRT is
more in use.
Benefits of HRT - HRT helps to
. Prevent Osteoporosis, hot flashes and heart diseases and strokes
. Improve energy and mood
. Eliminate insomnia
. Prevent vaginal atrophy
. Weakening of pelvic muscles.
Risks of HRT - HRT may cause
. Increased risk of endometrial cancer
. Increased risk of breast cancer
. Hypertension
. Gallstones
. Pain and tenderness in the breasts.
Whether to take HRT or not is an option that women facing menopause
will have to consider carefully. There are too many variables that
affect your best course of action and you alone can decide.
Life Style Changes -
. Adopt a program of regular exercise combined with yoga and meditation.
Countless studies have shown that regular exercise can benefit women
by alleviating anxiety and depression, strengthening bone mass, reducing
the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease thus improving the overall
quality of one's life.
. Eat a healthy diet, which includes calcium, magnesium, selenium
and vitamin E & C.
. Include good amounts of fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereals
instead of red meat and other fatty foods as they weaken your bone
and promote cancer. Foods that reduce menopausal symptoms include
soy flour tofu, soy-milk and flax seeds which contain substances called
phyto-estrogens that help compensate for the body's loss of estrogen
during menopause. Consult your doctor before using any of these herbs.
. Incorporate herbs like evening primrose and ginseng in your diet.
Studies suggest that these herbs help to alleviate symptoms like hot
flashes, depression and insomnia.
. Quit smoking and control alcohol consumption as they encourage early
menopause.
To help determine the most appropriate treatment it is important that
you discuss personal risks and benefits with your family and your
doctor.