As girls grow into women, they gather vague idea about menopause from their mothers and aunts and later on their friends and colleagues. Menopause becomes a worrying term to women which one day they have to face. Facing menopause is dreadful, but not so much as to face it without knowing the facts. So, instead of getting overwhelmed, it is better to have some information about menopause which will help to cope with its symptoms and also find solutions to them.
What is menopause?
In simple term, menopause is that time in a woman’s life when her menstruation comes to an end and she ceases to be fertile. She will no longer get menstrual cycles and also cannot be pregnant.
When menopause occurs?
The average age of menopause is 51 years and there is no way to foresee when a woman will experience menopause. A recent study has found that 20% of Indian women experience it before they reach 45 years.
Doctors consider 45 to 55 to be average age for menopause but there are women who experience it in their 30s or even at 60 years of age.
Technically menopause occurs when a woman does not have menstrual period for one year.
Menopause-symptoms
How menopause starts
Menopause is initiated by varying menstrual cycle. Peri-menopause is the time around menopause when the estrogen levels start falling and it is also known as menopausal transition period.
Symptoms of peri-menopause and menopause
Symptoms of peri-menopause and menopause vary between individuals. Some women may not get any symptom while some may experience several psychological and physical symptoms.
We are discussing some of the symptoms here.
Irregular periods as first sign of menopause
Irregular menstrual cycle is the first sign of menopause. Some women may have minimal problems and others may experience excess of bleeding. The cycles become unpredictable and they can occur at a gap of two or three weeks or may not occur for months also. In peri-menopause there is no normal pattern. Peri-menopause may continue for years before menopause finally sets in.
Decrease in fertility
Since ovulation becomes irregular so fertility also decreases during this period. But chances of getting pregnant exist till menopause is reached.
Vaginal dryness during prei-menopause
As estrogen levels drop in the body, the tissues around the vagina shrink and thin out. There can be itching also. Some women complain of pain during sex as lubrication decreases.
The risk of vaginal infection increases during peri-menopause.
Hot flushes and night sweats
Hot flushes are most common in menopausal women. These are characterized by sudden feeling of warmth in the upper body that originates in the face, neck or chest. The feeling stays for a few seconds to a couple of minutes and heart rate may also fluctuate. The skin becomes patchy and women tend to sweat more. When hot flushes occur during night they are called night sweats. They hamper sleep and leave a woman stressed out.
Urinary symptoms of menopause
The lining of the urethra gets dryer and thinner due to dropping levels of estrogen. This increases risk of urinary tract infection and urinary incontinence.
Emotional symptoms during menopause
Women experiencing menopause often complain of fatigue, tiredness, mood swings and loss of memory. The exact cause of these emotional and cognitive symptoms is not determined yet.
Other symptoms of menopause
Women may experience accumulation of fat around abdomen and waist in menopausal period. Wrinkles may appear on skin along with acne. Growth of hair on face, chin and chest is also common. Some women lose hair and breast size may also decrease.
Diagnosis of menopause
A doctor can diagnose menopausal symptoms by gathering information about a woman’s age and menstrual patterns. Certain blood tests can be conducted to know the levels of hormones and also to differentiate menopausal symptoms from hypothyroidism.
Treatment of peri-menopause and menopause
Unless the symptoms are very severe, certain lifestyle changes and change in diet will see most women through the menopausal period.
Natural care of menopause
- Exercising can help you to cope with the symptoms of menopause. Moreover, exercises also help to fight against osteoporosis.
- Your diet should be a balanced one with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Increase calcium intake as calcium levels gets depleted.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
- Take adequate rest and reduce stress level.
- Your bedroom should be comfortable and not too hot.
Most women do not need any treatment for menopausal symptoms. Medical help should be sought if the symptoms hamper daily life.
Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) for menopause
HRT involves increasing the levels of estrogen that starts dwindling in menopause. HRT is the most effective treatment to deal with hot flushes, osteoporosis and vaginal dryness but in the long run HRT is known to increase risks of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer.
Oral contraceptive pills
Some doctors prescribe oral pills to regulate irregular vaginal bleeding.
Local vaginal hormone treatment
Vaginal estrogen is applied locally in the form of cream, ring or even tablet. This is an effective method against symptoms related to vagina.
Complications related to menopause
- Certain medical complications may arise as a consequence to menopause.
- Drop in estrogen level often induces heart diseases in women.
- Our bone density starts decreasing in 40s but the process accelerates during peri-menopause. This is known as osteoporosis. This loss of bone density increases risk of fracture.
- Often women gain weight and tend to get obese after menopause. Breast cancer risk also increases.
Menopause is not any disease or condition but a milestone in your life. Life can be exciting without periods and worrying about getting pregnant. So start looking at life differently and enjoy it.
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