Menopause is the time when menstrual cycles end. It is diagnosed after a woman in her 40s or 50s goes 12 months or more without a period. The average menopause age is 51. Menopause is a natural physiological process with physical and emotional symptoms. While it is not reversible, there are effective treatments to ease the symptoms. Continue reading to learn about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of menopause.
Menopause is the end of menstruation and is a natural process that occurs in women's lives. It is a gradual process that does not happen due to medical treatment and has three stages.
● Menopause transition or perimenopause: It starts about eight to ten years before menopause and happens as the ovaries produce less estrogen. This phase begins in the 40s and lasts until you hit menopause when the ovaries stop producing eggs. In the last stage of perimenopause, the estrogen levels drop drastically, and women may have menopause symptoms. However, you will still have menstrual cycles during this period and can become pregnant.
● Menopause: This is the stage when you have no menstrual periods, and the ovaries stop producing eggs and have low estrogen levels. A healthcare provider will diagnose it as menopause when you have not had your periods continuously for 12 months.
● Postmenopause: This is the stage when you have not had periods for a year. At this stage, some people still have menopause symptoms like hot flashes, and some may not have any symptoms at all. Due to low estrogen levels, women in the postmenopausal phase are at risk of conditions like heart disease and osteoporosis.
You may have entered menopause if you have all or a few signs and symptoms:
● Vaginal dryness
● Urinary incontinence
● Hot flashes
● Insomnia
● Night sweats
● Irritability, mild depression and mood swings
● Dry eyes, mouth and skin
● Breast tenderness
● Irregular periods with periods light or heavier than usual
● Heart palpitations
● Muscle and joint aches and pains
● Temporary memory lapses or difficulty concentrating
● Hair thinning or hair loss
● Weight gain
● Changes in libido
Not every woman has the same symptoms as they enter menopause. Some have mild symptoms, and others have intense symptoms. While menopause symptoms can last for up to a decade, some may have it for less time.
Menopause is a part of ageing and is a natural process. It is having a complete year of no menstrual bleeding without any medical condition or surgery, which includes removal of the ovaries, birth control or radiation therapy that leads to a stop of bleeding. Once you are in your 40s, your reproductive cycle starts to slow down and stop. The menstrual cycle functions since puberty, and as you near menopause, the ovaries produce less estrogen. When this happens, the periods start to become irregular and stop. Many physical changes occur, and the body adapts to the varying hormone levels and experiences symptoms during every stage of menopause.
The symptoms of menopause are enough to determine that a woman has begun the menopausal transition. If you have hot flashes or irregular periods, consult your healthcare provider. Tests are usually not prescribed for menopause diagnosis. But there are some circumstances where specific tests are recommended to check.
TSH, Thyroid stimulating hormone as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can have signs similar to menopause.
FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone and estrogen because the decrease in these two leads to menopause.
Urine and home tests (over-the-counter) are also conducted to determine if the FSH levels have increased. But these can't tell if you are in menopause or at what stage the FSH levels can fall or rise during your menstrual cycle.
There are treatment options to relieve symptoms or to manage chronic conditions of Menopause that happen with age. Menopause treatment includes:
● Hormone Replacement Therapy: One of the best treatment options for relieving hot flashes. Low doses of estrogen are recommended for a short time frame by the doctor, depending on the family and personal medical history, for symptom relief. In addition, you may need progestin. While estrogen prevents bone loss, long-term use of this therapy may increase the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular issues. However, starting this therapy at the time of menopause has proven to be helpful for some women. Consult a doctor to know if it is safe for you.
● Vaginal Estrogen: This is prescribed to reduce vaginal dryness and is administered in the form of a cream, ring or tablet directly on the vagina. The medicines release small quantities of estrogen and relieve urinary symptoms, vaginal dryness and discomfort.
● Medications: Doctors may prescribe medication to treat or prevent osteoporosis. These help reduce the risk of fractures and bone loss.
● Low Dose Antidepressants: Some antidepressants called SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors reduce hot flashes. This is particularly useful for women who don't take estrogen for health reasons or need it for a mood disorder.
Even though hormonal therapy is good for menopause symptoms, it is not ideal for everyone. So, non-hormonal treatments like lifestyle and diet changes can be adapted. These are good choices for people who have other medical issues. The doctor may recommend:
● Change in diet: Limiting caffeine and reducing spicy foods make hot flashes less intense. You can also include food that has plant estrogen in your diet. Foods to add can be soya beans, grains, chickpeas, flaxseeds, lentils, beans, fruits and vegetables.
● Exercise: It can relieve many symptoms of menopause, including lack of sleep. Exercises like yoga can also reduce anxiety or fear and also help with mood.
● Avoid hot flash triggers: Certain things can trigger hot flashes; identify and work to reduce them. These include wearing cool clothing, keeping the bedroom cool or quitting smoking. Weight loss can also reduce hot flashes.
Menopause ends fertility and occurs 12 months after the last menstrual period. Symptoms may last for many years, and it is best to seek help if they affect your daily life.
Though menopause is easy to diagnose as it is related to a woman's age, treatment may vary depending on the individual. Many parameters need to be considered before the doctor may start any treatment—the woman's age, weight, health at that time, eating habits, and lifestyle can all play important parts.
Hormone replacement therapy, HRT, is an effective treatment option for those in perimenopause and menopause.
It is diagnosed when a woman has not had her menstrual cycle for 12 consecutive months.
It is diagnosed based on changes in the menstrual cycle and having symptoms like hot flashes.
The early stage of menopause is perimenopause.
