Menopause

It is believed by many people that menopause occurs only in women. However the fact is that menopause occurs in men as well. Let’s discuss further on what menopause exactly is, its symptoms and its treatments.

Menopause is said to occur when the ovaries of a woman stop producing an important component called estrogen which eventually leads to total shutdown of the reproductive system. As a result the woman might experience hot flashes and palpitations and psychological changes as well like depression, mood swings, anxiety and lack of concentration. Women might also experience irregular menstrual cycles. It is advisable to consult a doctor if any of these symptoms persist for a considerable amount of time.

Menopause is a process that starts gradually. In technical terms menopause is cessation of the menses. It may typically last a year and may also last till 5 years as well. Menopause occurs normally due to the woman’s aging process. It occurs in woman over the age of 50 years. However some women it may occur as early as 35 years. Treatment of menopause normally includes a surgical process of removing ovaries. The surgical process to remove the ovaries is called hysterectomy.

Women who suffer from symptoms of cancer or other serious illnesses are more prone to get menopause in the early stages. When menopause in women occurs earlier then the average age, then it is known as premature menopause. Premature menopause occurs in women before the age of 40 years. Some other causes of premature menopause are diabetes and thyroid disorders. Also chances of premature menopause are higher in identical and fraternal twins and research indicates that approximately 5% of the twins experience menopause before they reach the age of 40 years.

Menopause in its early stages is known as Perimenopause. In this type of menopause the production of hormones like estrogen and progesterone decreases and then gradually becomes irregular. As a result the fertility of the women suffering from menopause is severely affected. There are high chances of menopause if the woman doesn’t get period within 12 months. Perimenopause in women can strike as early as 35 years and it lasts for a few months. In some cases it might last for several years also.

Treatments for menopause include medical treatments and surgical procedures. In case of surgical procedure Hormone Replacement therapy is often followed by doctors. Many women now consider menopause as something which occurs naturally as they age and don’t regard it as a disorder.

Natural Remedies for Coping with Menopause * Menopause Defined Menopause is defined as the time in a woman’s life when she has not menstruated for one year, indicating the end of fertility. Menopause typically occurs around the age of 50, but some women menstruate well into their 50s, while others experience menopause sometime in their mid-40s. Perimenopause refers to the period of hormonal changes leading up to menopause; it can begin as early as the late 30’s. Women in perimenopause may experience such symptoms as irregular periods and hot flashes. Menopause is not a disease — rather, it is a natural part of the aging process. The hormonal changes which accompany menopause are often responsible for a number of unpleasant physical symptoms, and women may experience some emotional distress as well. [...] Continue Reading…

While you may experience the misery of hot flashes and mood swings as you enter menopause, one thing you can’t blame on the “change” is memory loss. In the latest study that exonerates menopause as a cause of impairing the ability to recall, Taiwanese researchers compared the memory of hundreds of women before they had any menopausal symptoms to their memory as they entered menopause. They found the women who were going through the menopausal process scored as well or nearly as well on five different cognitive function tests. Results of the study are to be presented Oct. 4 at the American Neurological Association annual meeting in Toronto. “When women go into perimenopause, they don’t need to worry about cognitive decline,” said Dr. Jong-Ling Fuh, an attending physician at Taipei Veterans General Hospital and an associate professor of Yang-Ming [...] Continue Reading…

Nature has a system and a plan for everything. The human body is made up of complex internal systems that keep the body running efficiently. Women have periods in their lives when some of their systems change. With the onset of puberty the body grows and certain physical attributes are formed. The breasts develop and the girl’s overall shape changes. Each month her body goes through a cycle for reproduction. This continues for most of her life. But nature has set safeguards in place to prevent reproduction after a certain age. At this stage in life a woman goes through menopause. She is no longer able to have children naturally. In this article we will cover the facts about this change in life that occurs to all women. When does menopause occur naturally? The age that menopause can occur [...] Continue Reading…

Women who are experiencing symptoms like depression and hot flashes when going through menopause sometimes end up using antidepressants to battle these symptoms. Should you take antidepressants when feeling the pressure of menopausal symptoms and the discomfort of hot flashes? Is it wise to take antidepressants when your doctor gives you these medications to help ease the discomfort you are feeling? There are a few pros and cons to taking antidepressants when experiencing some of the symptoms of menopause and it is important that a woman know the good and the bad side of this strategy. Menopause Is Not a Mental Illness One fact that is important for women to get straight is that menopause is not a mental ailment. Therefore, the constant use of antidepressants to relieve oneself of the burden of hot flashes during menopause should be [...] Continue Reading…

The stage of menopause in every woman’s life is a different experience for each one. Even with the same characteristic of having one’s estrogen levels lower and coupled with the cessation of reproductive processes, each individual who undergoes this has a different story to remember and probably tell on how they cope up with it. Many factors come into play with this, among which are perceptions, internal factors, environment, body coping mechanisms, and even both acute and chronic illnesses. In A Nutshell When a woman undergoes menopause, the different body systems, as well as the altered feedback mechanisms go through an overhaul as it tries to compensate for the loss of estrogen. The body tries to achieve homeostasis even with something lacking. In the event that there are other internal factors that further complicate things such as an [...] Continue Reading…