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Menopause
By admin | November 3, 2007
Menopause strucks every woman at certain age and it means stopping of the monthly female reproductive cycles,which is absence of monthly periods or menstruation.
The word menopause comes from greek word “meno” which means month and “pausis”, which means a stop, a cessation.
Menopause happens mostly in women’s midlife, at the age of 45-55.
Menopause starts as the ovaries begin to fail to be able to produce an egg or ovum every month. Since the process of producing and ripening the egg is also what creates several of the key hormones involved in the monthly cycle, this in turn interrupts the regular pattern of the hormone cycles, and gradually leads to the somewhat chaotic and long-drawn out shutting down of the whole reproductive system.
The break-up in the pattern of the menstrual cycles not only causes the levels of most of the reproductive hormones to drop over time, but also causes the reproductive hormones to fall out of phase with one another, which often leads to extreme and unpredictable fluctuations in the levels, which itself can cause numerous different symptoms such as hot flashes, etc, in most women. After a number of years of erratic functioning, the ovaries almost completely stop producing hormones like estrogens, progestin and testosterone, and the reproductive system ceases to function.
As we have already stated, menopause usually starts when women reach 45-55 years of age. But, it is common to have an “early menopause” which happens at the age of 40, and “late menopause” which ocurrs after 55 years of age.
A natural or physiological menopause is that which occurs as a part of a woman’s normal aging process. It is the result of the eventual atresia of almost all oocytes in the ovaries. This causes an increase in circulating follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels as there are a decreased number of oocytes responding to these hormones and producing estrogen. This decrease in the production of estrogen leads to the perimenopausal symptoms of hot flashes, insomnia and mood changes, as well as post-menopausal osteoporosis and vaginal atrophy.
Menopause can be surgically induced by bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries and both fallopian tubes), which is often, but not always, done in conjunction with hysterectomy. Cessation of menses as a result of removal of the ovaries is called “surgical menopause”.
Perimenopause is the term used to describe the menopause transition time. Some of the symptoms are:
1. palpitations
2. hot flashes
3. often mood change
4. depression, anxiety, irritability
5. vaginal dryness
While perimenopause is a natural stage of life, when the symptoms are severe, this may be alleviated through medical treatments. Hormone therapy (HT) provides the best relief, but certain forms appear to pose a small increase in health risks, especially in women who start HT after menopause. Other treatments and medications can also help, but it is the best to talk to your doctor before you start using any medication.
Many women use antidepressants such as paroxetine ( Paxil ), Prozac and Effexor.
Aside of these, there are other things that can help women deal with menopause succesfully. ndividual counseling or support groups may be helpful to handle sad, depressed, or confusing feelings women may be having as their bodies change. Vaginal moisturizers such as Vagisil or Replens, can help women with thinning vaginal tissue or dryness.
Topics: Health, Mental Health, Physical Health, Women's Health | No Comments »
