Early Menopause occurs when a woman reaches menopause at an age younger than the norm. Generally women attain menopause at around 51 years of age. But sometimes, the cessation of menses can occur at an age as early as 35 years.
This can occur due to variety of causal reasons. Usually a pattern can be seen in the age at which the women from the same family attain their menopausal state; though these findings do not have a research based backing yet. Women seem to enter
menopause around the same age as when their mothers or sisters did. So if early menopause runs into your family history as a trait, there are high chances of you too experiencing the same.
Then there are various kinds of diseases which can cause early onset of menopause. It is either due to the effects of disease itself, or might be due to the side effects of the treatment that is involved. Autoimmune disorders, diabetes mellitus, and thyroid dysfunctions are known to trigger the state of
early menopause. It can also be triggered if a woman has to undergo chemotherapy as part of treatment procedure for dangerous diseases such as cancer.
Early Menopause Signs And Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of early menopause are the same as they occur when
menopause is reached at the normal time. Because of a variety of causal reasons, the hormonal levels in the body begin to fluctuate in erratic proportions, thus causing a variety of metabolic and behavioral disturbances. The menses becomes irregular, mood swings, fatigue, depression and irritability are common, and vasomotor instability results in hot flashes and
sleep disturbances. Getting pregnant at this stage can be highly risky for you and your baby’s health. Fertility reduces radically, as does the sex libido. Due to the decreased levels of estrogen hormone, the health of bones too begins to get affected. Loss of calcium becomes rampant which results in an obvious state of osteoporosis, joint pain, muscle and back pain. Cholesterol levels too begin to change. Thus health check- ups should become regular.
Early Menopause Treatments
Hormone therapy till some time back was amongst the widely used treatment choices to get relief from the symptoms of
early menopause. But recent research studies have shown the high- risk side effects that such a therapy can cause. The artificial interference with the hormonal level production of our body is bound to show up effects that can be highly dangerous. It is known to cause the generation of cancerous cells in the body. Thus, hormone therapy should at best be avoided, and should only be considered after thorough consultation with your
physician. A variety of alternate hormone therapies are on the offer nowadays that are refined versions of the original and also less risky. You and your doctor would know best which of the treatments available is best suited for you, thus take a decision that is careful and also safe.
Besides, several alternative therapies such as herbal treatments have also been discovered. Herbal supplements are available that can help in easing off the symptoms of
early menopause.
