Menopause is a phase that every woman eventually goes through in her lifetime. Unlike men –who produce sperm throughout their lives and rarely feel a drop in their hormone levels – women make only a certain number of eggs that get used up as they grow older. When the supply of eggs gets exhausted, a woman steps into menopause. This is where no eggs are released, the hormones that mitigate a woman’s periods change in proportion and the woman eventually stops ovulating, leading to the seizure of her periods.
All this happens generally around the age of 45 to 50. That being said, there can be an onset of menopause before this period as well. When a woman’s menopause starts is dependant on a number of factors including genetics (when other women in her family started menopause), environmental factors (hormone mimicking substances in the environment), general health of the woman (conditions like obesity may lead to early onset) and lifestyle factors (smoking, drinking, a sedentary lifestyle and certain foods).
Common symptoms include
- Irregular periods that eventually stop.
- Sudden feelings of heat (hot flashes) all over, especially in the upper part of your body.
- Heavy sweating and cold shivering after the hot flashes.
- Trouble sleeping through the night.
- Vaginal and urinary problems.
Other symptoms include:
- Decreased interest in sex.
- Forgetfulness.
- Headaches.
- Vaginal dryness.
- Unpredictable mood swings.
Treatment is not required unless the symptoms are bothering you. Some minor adjustments and changes in your lifestyle may help with the symptoms. If you’re lucky, some symptoms might even disappear on their own.
Here are some simple home remedies to deal with the symptoms:
- Try avoiding spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, stress, or being in a hot place in order to prevent hot flashes.
- Try taking slow, deep breaths when a hot flash starts.
- Be physically active but not too close to bedtime, as excess exertion may keep you awake.
- Avoid large meals, smoking, and working right before bed.
- Say no to napping during the day.
- If you can’t get to sleep, get up and read until you’re tired.
- Learn ways to deal with stress, meditate.
- Dress lightly and in layers.
- Have sex regularly.
- If forgetfulness or other mental problems are affecting your daily life, see your doctor.
Treatment options:
Your doctor might advise menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), which can be very effective in treating hot flashes and night sweats. MHT, which used to be called hormone replacement therapy (HRT), involves taking the hormones oestrogen and progesterone (women who don’t have a uterus, due to undergoing a hysterectomy, take just oestrogen).
This therapy can be very good at relieving moderate to severe menopausal symptoms and preventing bone loss. Apart from certain side effects like vaginal bleeding, bloating, tenderness in the breast, nausea and headache, MHT can also have its own share of risks especially if used for a long time. It is known to increase chances of blood clot formation, heart attacks, stroke, breast cancer and gall bladder disease.
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When does a woman suffer from menopause? (Disease query of the day)
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