What is Menopause?
Menopause is when the menstrual cycle of a woman essentially stops, a women is said to be experiencing menopause if she has not had a period in 12 months, which means that the woman can no longer become pregnant through natural means. The age at which women may experience menopause is estimated to be around 45-50 years of age, however this varies from woman to woman according to a variety of factors. It takes roughly 7 years for a woman to complete the transition into the menopausal stage, however this can also vary from woman to woman.
Menopause is a natural process that every woman will experience at one point of their lives, the changes start due to low levels of estrogen, testosterone, progesterone and a couple of other hormones
If a woman has had her ovaries or uterus removed, they may experience the symptoms of menopause almost immediately therefore it is essential that they keep taking the hormones prescribed to them by their doctors.
Symptoms of Menopause
Most women start experiencing the symptoms as early as four years before they enter the transitional stage and these can last up to four years after the transitional stage starts. Some women do not experience any difficulties at all before, during and after the transitional stage, while others may experience the following symptoms:
- Irregular and less frequent menstrual cycles.
- Heavier or lighter periods.
- Hot flashes.
- Night sweats.
- Weight gain.
- Vaginal dryness.
- Reduced sex drive.
- Sore breasts.
- Reduced bone mass.
- Reduced muscle mass.
- Pains developing in joints.
- Hair loss.
- Memory loss.
- Reduced attention span.
Treatments for Menopause
While there are several medical treatments available, patients often ask doctors for home remedies, as such here are some of the most common and helpful home remedies that a woman experiencing menopausal symptoms can use to feel more at ease and to get better:
- Exercising regularly
- Keeping cool as much as possible
- Managing weight gain or loss
- Yoga, meditation and other relaxation techniques
- Improving your diet
- Managing your sleep cycle
- Caring for your skin
- Quitting smoking
There are some of the medical treatments that are offered by doctors:
- Hormone therapy.
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s).
- Estrogen based lubricants.
- Non-hormonal lubricants.
- Anti biotics.
- Teriparatide, calcitonin, denosumab.
These remedies often help women going through menopause in a variety of ways, from tackling the transition itself to helping them feel relaxed, calm and confident throughout the process. Doctors highly recommend that these home treatments be followed in an effort to also help generate a healthier lifestyle.
Conclusion
There is no need for a woman to be scared or worried about the menopausal stage and transition, the entire process is completely natural and has several remedies to help it go smoothly, we at national recommend that you stay in touch with your doctor and communicate with him or her as often as you can to help keep your mind at ease. More intense treatments are only recommended if the symptoms are causing unbearable discomfort or hindering the quality of life of a woman.
