Menopause is a natural part of any woman's life. It marks the end of menstruation periods. During this phase, the ovaries stop producing eggs or estrogen. Menopause typically starts at 51 years of age, but some women may experience it earlier or even later. Still confused and wanting to learn exactly how you know when menopause starts? Your search ends here. This blog will discuss everything about menopause so you can get all the information you need in one place.
What Are The Three Stages Of Menopause?
Perimenopause: It is the phase before menopause. It is characterised by irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes.
Menopause: This is the stage when a woman has reached the point where she has not experienced any menstrual period for 12 successive months.
Postmenopause: This stage occurs after the menopause. Hormones keep declining, and symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats may also begin to subside. However, the other long-lasting effects of menopause, like increased risk of osteoporosis and heart disease, may become apparent.
Now, the big question, how do you know when menopause starts?
When Does Menopause Start?
It is all too common for women to be asking "how do you know when menopause starts?" as it is not often discussed publicly. The average age of having menopause is roughly 51 years of age, however, some experience menopause as early as their 40s, while others may not experience it until their 60s.
Genetics play a huge role in determining the age at which one is set for menopause. Noting when your mother and other members of your family started menopause can sometimes provide an idea of what to expect.
Other medical factors also influence the timing of menopause. Surgical removal of the ovaries will result in early menopausal symptoms. Lastly, many other medical conditions—for instance, autoimmune diseases—have been reported to induce early menopause. A person who has undergone treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy will also experience earlier menopause.
Whilst you cannot predict the age at which you may experience menopause, understanding these factors is important, so you can be aware of what to expect and can understand when medical advice is required.
Common Menopause Symptoms
● Irregular Periods: It can be considered the earliest sign of menopause. A woman's cycle might either become less frequent, lighter, or heavier.
● Vaginal Dryness: Low levels of oestrogen may cause vaginal dryness and irritation.
● Vasomotor symptoms: Hot flashes and night sweats are the vasometer symptoms.
● Mood swings: There is a change in mood due to changes in hormonal levels. Such changes may include irritability, anxiety, and depression.
● Sleep Disorders: Difficulty sleeping, remaining asleep for a long time, or waking up frequently at night.
● Physical Changes: Some women experience physical changes that include becoming overweight and experiencing thinning hair and dry skin.
● Drop in Sexual Function: Decreased levels of oestrogen can also lead to a reduction in sexual desire and arousal.
● Forgetting Things: Women may forget things temporarily or may be unable to concentrate.
● Frequent Urination: Urination frequency and urgency can be a symptom of menopause.
Impact Of Hormonal Therapy
Hormonal therapy consists of the use of oestrogen and, at times, progesterone. Hormonal therapy alleviates many of the symptoms related to menopause. Before embarking on any hormonal therapy, it is a good idea to consult with your health care provider about the associated risks and benefits.
How Long Do You Have Symptoms Of Menopause?
The duration of menopause symptoms may vary amongst women, and you can experience them for a few years or even more.
During this phase, the balance of hormones fluctuates; symptoms can sometimes be intermittent or mild. It is noticed that with time, symptoms like hot flushes and night sweats tend to cease, while some women may also experience other effects of menopause, such as dryness of the vagina or urinary incontinence.
Most women find that by the time they have gone through menopause, symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats tend to cease, although some women may experience other aftereffects of menopause, such as dryness of the vagina or urinary incontinence.
Note that the severity and duration of symptoms vary from woman to woman. If your menopausal symptoms are troublesome, talk with a healthcare professional about them to find an appropriate treatment to control your discomfort.
What Makes Menopause Symptoms Worse?
● Age: Women who start menopause at a younger age may have more troublesome symptoms.
● Genetics: A family history tends to be associated with the severity and duration of symptoms.
● Smoking: Smoking tends to accelerate the onset of menopause and intensify symptoms.
● Weight: Being overweight and suffering from obesity tend to heighten the risk or severity of hot flashes.
● Stress: Chronic stress can often lead to increased severity of hot flashes and mood changes.
● Diseases: Any disease, such as thyroid disorder and autoimmune diseases, may affect the seriousness of menopausal symptoms.
● Medications: Many prescribed medications, including antidepressants or antihistamines, can affect hormone levels and exacerbate symptoms of menopause.
For severe or troubling symptoms of the menopause, see your healthcare professional for a possible discussion of which method of therapy would treat underlying factors causing your distress.
Why Does Menopause Happen?
The natural decline in ovarian functions is the cause of menopause. As a woman gets older, her ovaries progressively reduce the production of two hormones—oestrogen and progesterone—that’s responsible for menstrual cycles.
If the level of oestrogen lowers to a certain level, then ovaries stop releasing eggs, and menstruation also stops. This marks the beginning of menopause.
Generally, this occurs between 45 and 55 years as we mentioned earlier. However, genetics, smoking, and other medical conditions in general might influence the timing of menopause.
What Hormonal Changes Happen During Menopause?
The most prominent hormonal changes in menopause involve a significant reduction in the amounts of oestrogen and progesterone. These two hormones are produced by the ovaries and play key roles in regulating menstrual cycles, maintaining bone density, and other important functions in the human body.
Keep in mind that one woman is different from another, and the kind of shift that hormone levels may experience is highly dissimilar in each woman. For any issues related to health during menopause, it can be helpful to see a specialist for personalised guidance and support.
Treatment Options For Menopause
Though menopause is a completely natural process, most of the symptoms can be extremely challenging for many women. However, there are several treatments that might help them in managing all these symptoms.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
1. Benefits: HRT is said to be very effective for the treatment of hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and mood swings.
2. Risks: HRT can raise the risk of diseases such as clots of blood, breast cancer, and also heart disease. All potential risks (along with the benefits) need to be understood fully before taking any decision
Non-Hormonal Treatments
Lifestyle Changes:
● Healthy diet: Maintaining healthy nutrition can help you achieve your ideal weight and improve wellbeing
● Exercise: Physical activity will reduce stress, good sleep, and hot flashes
● Stress management techniques: Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing, among others, are very beneficial in minimising stress and anxiety
Other Therapies:
1. Herbal Remedies: Some women find relief with herbal remedies such as black cohosh or soy isoflavones to ease menopause symptoms. You can discuss this with your healthcare provider if you are considering herbal supplements and are unsure about anything.
2. Acupuncture: This is a traditional Chinese approach in which somebody applies a very thin needle to certain points in the body with the intention of reducing symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and others.
What Are The Health Risks Of Menopause?
Although it is a natural process of ageing, menopause poses an increased risk for certain health complications. Some of the key health risks associated with menopause are listed below.
● Osteoporosis: This can weaken bones and increase the risk of fractures due to decreased oestrogen levels
● Heart Disease: Due to menopause, the cholesterol and blood pressure fluctuate, which increases the likelihood of heart disease
● Type 2 Diabetes: The risk of developing type 2 diabetes can increase during postmenopausal
● Weight gain: You may also experience weight gain, especially around the midsection area
● Cognitive Decline: Some studies even indicate that decline in cognitive function is associated with menopause
● Urinary Incontinence: Weakening of the pelvic floor muscles can increase the risk of urinary incontinence
● Depression: Hormonal changes and other factors associated with menopause lead to depression
It is important to note that these are risks, not certainties, and not every woman will experience all or even any of these problems. When menopause starts, and as it continues, these medical conditions can happen but are not at all a certainty. Try to practice meditation and mindfulness in order to manage your anxiety levels. Also, by holding yourself to healthy lifestyle habits- including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management, you can decrease the risk of developing the listed conditions.
If you have any health concerns during or even after menopause, be sure to visit your healthcare provider for a check-up and discuss preventive options.
How Can I Help You During Menopause?
If you are having physical as well as emotional problems during the menopause period, I can certainly help you. My Energise package has always supported women with these issues and I will use an approach that is unique to you and your body. I will also refer to your medical background and dietary habits, as well as the supplements you may be taking currently, to create a nutrition program and also recommend herbal tinctures or supplements for well-being.
No matter what challenges you are facing in menopause, contact me and I am here to help.
FAQ
Can you get pregnant after menopause?
Absolutely not; in general, one cannot conceive once you get to menopause. This is the time when the ovaries have stopped releasing eggs. Once a woman had menopause and not had a period for a continuous 12-month duration of time, the chances of becoming pregnant are next to impossible.
Be aware that you can still become pregnant during perimenopause. If you are sexually active and do not want to conceive, you must discuss contraception options with your doctor.
How long does menopause last?
It typically takes seven years, although it can be as long as 14 years as well. Duration could depend on lifestyle habits such as smoking, the age at which it begins, and the amounts of caffeine intake.
Can menopause affect my sexual life?
Yes, menopause definitely plays a huge role in your sexual life. During menopause, when oestrogen levels are low, it may cause vaginal dryness, decreased libido, and difficulty achieving orgasm.
Does menopause cause weight gain?
Yes, menopause can be one of the reasons to gain weight. Several factors are at play, like hormonal changes, loss of muscle mass, and lifestyle changes.
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