A Life Change: What Menopause Means for Women

During menopause, a woman stops having menstrual periods, a normal part of ageing. Menopause usually occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, but it can occur earlier or later. Some women have few or no symptoms, while others have hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems, mood changes, vaginal dryness, and other bothersome changes. There is no "right" way to feel during menopause.

Menopause is a phase in a woman's life when her ovaries stop producing eggs, and her body stops producing estrogen and progesterone.

Here's a better understanding of menopause for you.

Not aware of the cause of menopause:-

Women at birth have 1 million eggs stored in the ovaries when the reproductive cycle of women starts. These ovaries release estrogen and progestin hormones to complete the reproductive cycle phases. By puberty, only 300,000 remain, and 300 to 400 will be ovulated during the reproductive period of a woman’s cycle. This is known as a fertile period. This fertility drops as women reach 40, known as menopause, a natural process of a female’s life.

Do you know the first sign of menopause?

The most common sign a woman faces is Hot Flushes.

Hot flushes: Sudden feeling of warmth that spreads over the upper body, often with blushing, racing heart, and sweating. These flashes can range from mild to severe in women.

These hot flashes are also triggered by the following:

• Caffeine
• Spicy food
• Smoking
• Alcohol
• Tight clothing

So, it is better to avoid these to reduce suffering.

The other physical symptoms that women start noticing after the hot flushes are:

• Uneven or missed periods
• Vaginal dryness
• Sore breasts
• Needing to pee more often
• Discomfort during sex
• Breast tenderness
• Weight gain
• Hair loss or thinning
• Dry skin, eyes, or mouth

Emotional symptoms are:

• A loss of energy
• A lack of motivation and difficulty concentrating.
• Anxiety, depression, mood changes, and tension.
• Aggressiveness and irritability.
• Crankiness

Did you know that there are three stages of menopause?

• Perimenopause is a transition stage between the end of menstruation and the start of menopause. This phase begins several years before menopause starts, and there is the start of the declining estrogen hormone. But at this stage, there are still menstrual cycles, and the chances of getting pregnant are also still there.
• Menopause: This stage of having a complete absence of a menstrual period for 12 months, and the ovaries have stopped making eggs and marks the end of the menstrual cycle.
• Postmenopause: This stage is after menopause, an entire year without a menstrual period. Now, the hot flashes and night sweats have decreased, but many women continue to experience menopausal symptoms for a decade. In addition, the postmenopausal phase increases the risk for several health conditions, such as osteoporosis and heart disease.

Your doctor might recommend some tests based on your symptoms:

• Blood test: To check the FSH hormone level. Consistently elevated FSH blood levels of 30 mIU/mL or higher with a lack of menstruation for one year is confirmation of menopause.
• Hormone test: The estradiol test is done to evaluate at what stage menopause is. The level of estradiol continuously decreases in the menopause stages.

Also, Let’s understand the treatment of menopause:-

It's true menopause is a natural process that does not require any treatment. But for some women, it could disrupt normal lifestyle, and doctors recommend providing some therapy to soothe your menopause period, including:

• Hormone therapy: Hormones are given to relieve the symptoms. Certain drugs or combinations of medicines can help with hot flashes and vaginal symptoms. The therapy can also help avoid complications of osteoporosis.
• Topical hormone therapy: To ease pelvis pain and dryness of the vagina during menopause.

When is the right time to see a doctor?

Menopause is a normal ageing process that all women will go through. It is important to be prepared for the physical and emotional changes that may occur. There are many treatments available to help ease the symptoms of menopause. If you are experiencing any changes causing concern, speak with your doctor.