Menopause is an important milestone in a woman’s life which every woman is bound to experience.
Menopause occurs when a woman stops having her monthly menstrual periods, thus marking an end of her reproductive years. It usually happens to a woman in her late 40s or early 50s when the ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone to keep the menstrual cycle going. As a woman nears
menopause, her ovaries slowly stop producing eggs and eventually the eggs are not released into the fallopian tubes and the woman has her last menstrual cycle.
Though
menopause occurs naturally to women, however, there are certain conditions that affect the timing of menopause as well. Surgical removal of ovaries or oophorectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy or premature ovarian failure results in menopause.
As far as the symptoms of
menopause are concerned, it is important to note that each woman experiences symptoms that differ from other women. Some of the most common symptoms of menopause include irregular vaginal bleeding or
irregular periods, periods that are heavier or lighter than usual, hot flashes, vaginal dryness that can result in painful intercourse, or worsening of bladder control. Though the transition to postmenopause is a normal part of aging, yet some women go through extreme emotional change which can be both positive and negative. Many women find it a great relief from menstrual bleeding and birth control concerns. However, at the same time for many others it is the time of extreme restlessness and emotional instability. Fear of weight gain,
loss of fertility, sense of aging, mood swings, and fear of cancer are some of the reasons for emotional changes.
However, menopause does bring some long term risks in a woman. After
menopause, a woman’s estrogen level decreases which sometimes causes osteoporosis or “brittle bone” disease. Estrogen also helps maintain a healthy level of cholesterol. Loss of estrogen therefore, also increases a woman’s risk for coronary artery disease.
Several treatments are available to relieve you of menopausal symptoms. The most widely used treatment is the hormone therapy or HT treatment program which consists of estrogens or a combination of estrogens and progesterone. HT can relive you of hot flashes,
vaginal dryness, bladder irritability, and mood disturbances. The therapy also reduces a woman’s risk of osteoporosis. But you must consult your doctor before going in for the treatment as prolonged use of estrogen-progestin can increase the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Oral contraceptive pills are another form of hormone therapy that helps treat irregular vaginal bleeding. Other pharmaceutical therapies include antidepressant medications, Vitamin E supplements, Black Cohosh an herbal preparation popular in the US. The North America
Menopause Society supports the short-term use of black cohosh for menopausal symptoms.
So, if you are nearing
menopause keep a positive attitude, use relaxation techniques, and switch to yoga and regular exercise for effective results.
