“Transitional age”: menopause

Sooner or later, every woman begins to feel the approach of a special period in her life when reproductive capacity decreases. This condition is called menopause. Many people treat menopause as a disease, but it is important to understand that this is just another stage in a woman’s life. You need to be prepared for it and not be afraid.

Causes of menopause

Menopause occurs due to the reorganization of a woman’s endocrine system, under the influence of which the hormonal background of the body changes. Sometimes a woman develops early menopause. This occurs due to severe shock, various surgical interventions and injuries. This usually happens as a result of a severe shock of a moral and psychological nature. Surgeries involving the removal of a woman's internal genitalia, e.g. uterus or the ovaries are also bringing the onset of menopause closer. In addition to physical trauma, such operations also cause moral and psychological harm to the woman. A woman feels unattractive, old or infertile.

Other reasons also influence the timing of menopause - genetic predisposition, diseases of the endocrine system, bad habits and immoral lifestyle, emotional state, mental disorders.

Menopause in women: age

On average, according to experts, the onset of menopause occurs at the age of 45-55 years. But what they showed was not the standard. About 5% of women do not experience signs of menopause even at an older age, and about 8% of women notice the first symptoms of menopause at the age of 40.

To determine the critical age for yourself, ask your relatives at what age they felt the first symptoms of menopause and how it went. It is likely that your menopause will develop according to the same scenario. This does not apply to those cases where the cause of menopause was surgical intervention. Remember that it is impossible to name the exact time of the onset of menopause for each specific woman.

Menopause symptoms

It is difficult to unambiguously determine the first symptoms of approaching menopause. Every woman has her own. But there are several characteristic symptoms most often experienced by women. First of all, symptoms of this kind include menstrual irregularities. In this case, menstruation occurs without any system.

At first there may be delays for several days, then this period increases to several weeks and months. Women begin to feel sudden attacks of heat in the upper half of the body and head, the so-called “hot flashes”. Many women experience heart rhythm disturbances. Due to hormonal changes, body weight increases, sleep deteriorates, and pain often occurs. insomnia.

If you notice one of these symptoms, there is no need to worry and diagnose yourself in advance. Perhaps this is only a temporary isolated phenomenon. If the symptom has become firmly established in your life, then it’s time to admit that you have entered the initial phase of menopause.

How does menopause begin?

The beginning of a period of decreased fertility can be judged by the presence of several symptoms. Women may show all the signs of this condition, or maybe only some of them. The level of the hormone estrogen in a woman’s body and the rate at which it decreases can determine how difficult this condition will be tolerable. So, with an initially low level of estrogen and its slow decrease, the woman will not feel much discomfort. If estrogen levels were high, it will be difficult to cope with symptoms.

What should you pay attention to? Where does a woman’s withering begin:

• Tides. In this state, the woman feels heat in the neck and head, the skin turns red, and sweat appears. This state lasts for about five minutes.
• Headache.
• Sleep problems are extremely common at the onset of menopause. Insomnia exhausts a woman both physically and mentally.
• Depression is very common during menopause. The younger the woman is, the more severe the depression.
• The woman feels helpless and cries often for no reason.
• Changes in metabolism. This applies primarily to carbohydrate metabolism. Women's sugar levels often rise.
• Sexual desire fades, the vagina becomes dry, body weight increases due to weakening of the thyroid gland.

This list covers all the symptoms of approaching menopause. But depending on the individual condition of each woman, it may change.

How long does menopause last?

It is definitely difficult to answer the question about the duration of menopause. Here heredity often plays a determining role. It is likely that a woman’s menopause symptoms will last as long as those of close older relatives.

In medicine, it is customary to divide menopause into three stages:

• Premenopause begins from the moment when the first signs of menopause appear until the complete cessation of regular menstruation. This period takes approximately five years. Although for some women it may be short - only a few months.
• Menopause begins with the last menstrual period and lasts exactly one year.
• During postmenopause, all unpleasant symptoms cease. This condition begins a year after the last menstruation and continues until the end of life.

Menstruation during menopause and after

During premenopause, the first functional changes in the body begin. This condition can last up to six years. It is during this period that the first irregularities in the menstrual cycle are observed. Menstruation becomes scanty, and the duration of the cycle is disrupted. This indicates a decline in ovarian function and insufficient production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. A woman’s reproductive function decreases and it becomes more difficult for her to become pregnant.

If a premenopausal woman suddenly begins to have heavy periods, she should immediately consult a gynecologist. Such a symptom may indicate an oncological disease of the reproductive system, which is very vulnerable during this period. After determining the cause of heavy menstruation, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment.

After the last menstruation, ovulation finally stops and real menopause occurs. One year after the last menstrual flow, it is considered abnormal for menstruation to start again. At this time, bleeding from the genitals is even dangerous to health. This may indicate diseases of the internal genital organs, which are characterized by bleeding - endometriosis, uterine cancer, various inflammatory processes.

As an exception, very scanty, prolonged discharge from the genitals is allowed, reminiscent of menstruation when taking hormonal drugs. This is considered a valid way to delay the onset of old age. Such medications can only be recommended by a specialist; you should absolutely not take them on your own.

Hot flashes during menopause

The main sign of approaching menopause is hot flashes. These unpleasant conditions begin a couple of years before the onset of menopause and last from several months to 15 years. The vast majority of women experience them. Hot flashes are most difficult for women who have started menopause early.

Hot flashes are caused by changes in hormone levels in the body. Estrogen is responsible for thermoregulation of the body. A decrease in its level is perceived by the brain as a signal that the body is overheating. An emergency release of thermal energy occurs: the heart beats at an accelerated pace, blood vessels dilate and sweat is released.

Hot flashes are experienced differently by women. Attacks can occur up to 30 times a day and last up to several minutes.

At the same time, the woman feels a strong heartbeat, a rush of heat to her face, after which she breaks out in profuse sweat and chills. In this case, sweating can be very strong. Sometimes you even have to change clothes. All this leads to the appearance of an unpleasant odor. Sometimes attacks are accompanied by nausea, headache, anxiety and dizziness. All these symptoms cause self-doubt and depression.

The onset of tides can be controlled. It is important to analyze the circumstances under which an attack usually occurs and find out what triggers it. Remember:

• Where were you during the attack, what was the temperature there.
• The hour at which the tide began.
• The strength and duration of the attack.
• Foods and drinks that you consumed shortly before the attack.
• Have you ever felt stressed or tired?
• What did you do to reduce the attack?

By answering these questions, you can develop tactics to prevent attacks or quickly relieve them.

Treatment of menopause

It is possible and even necessary to alleviate the condition of menopause. This will allow a woman to get out of depression, suffer less from hot flashes and lead a normal life.

To reduce the severity of hot flashes, you need to follow these rules:

• Follow a diet that excludes salty, spicy and fatty foods. Enrich your diet with whole grain bread, fresh vegetables and fruits, and dairy products.
• Drink plenty of water. This will replenish the moisture loss that occurs with sweat.
• Limit the amount of alcohol and caffeine.
• Increase your physical activity. Even if you've never exercised, now is the time to start. Move on foot, walk more. Physical exercise improves your mood and relieves depression. This is an excellent prevention of osteoporosis and heart disease.
• Avoid synthetic clothing. Natural fabrics absorb sweat better and do not cause overheating. This will help reduce the frequency of hot flashes. Keep your neck covered and wear several layers of clothing. When the tide starts, you can take off your jacket and thereby stop it.
• Shower frequently, preferably twice a day. Use antibacterial soap that neutralizes sweat odors and deodorants.
• Don't take on too much responsibility. This will help avoid stress.
• Do relaxation and meditation, yoga.
• For vaginal dryness, use special lubricants.

Hormones during menopause

In order to alleviate a woman’s condition during menopause, hormonal therapy is prescribed. This helps get rid of hot flashes, vaginal burning, osteoporosis and normalize sexual function.

Hormonal drugs compensate for the lack of estrogen and progesterone in the body and completely relieve a woman of the signs of menopause. To choose the right drug and its dosage, blood tests are first performed to determine hormone levels.

Taking hormonal medications may be accompanied by side effects, especially if the dosage is incorrect. In this case, non-hormonal drugs may be prescribed. Usually, medications containing phytoestrogen are prescribed. But these drugs contain too low levels of hormones, so it can be difficult to calculate the dosage for effective treatment.

In any case, the specific drug and its dosage are selected by the doctor for each woman individually. This is the only way to talk about effective treatment and minimal side effects.

The duration of taking hormonal medications depends on the duration of menopause symptoms and can range from three to five years. At the same time, it is best to start hormone replacement therapy with creams, patches and gels with a low content of hormones. They have virtually no side effects.

Vitamins for menopause

To maintain the body during menopause, a woman needs to take vitamin complexes. They will help improve your physical and emotional well-being.

It is useful for women to use vitamin E, which prolongs and activates ovarian function. It stimulates the production of hormones and has a positive effect on heart function. Vitamin A has an antioxidant effect, prevents the development of tumors, and has a beneficial effect on the skin. Vitamin C has the same beneficial properties. Vitamin D is beneficial for the prevention of osteoporosis. To normalize sleep, it is necessary to consume B vitamins.

It is best to use special vitamin and mineral complexes intended for women in menopause: “Extrovel”, “Feminal”, “Femicaps”. They contain a balanced combination of minerals and vitamins. These drugs provide relief during hot flashes. They should be taken from the onset of the first symptoms until the end of life.

After menopause

Usually, the period when all the uncomfortable manifestations of menopause end is called the “golden autumn” in a woman’s life. Indeed, during these years a woman becomes calm and wise, a bright and rich old age awaits her. However, we must not forget about age and some of its features.

At this time, a subsequent decline in ovarian function occurs, the mode of operation of the heart changes, and vision and hearing decrease. To feel active and healthy, you need to alternate between moderate physical activity and active rest, and adhere to the principles of proper nutrition. Reduce the amount of meat, eggs and fat in your diet. This will help reduce the risk of vascular sclerosis. Fermented milk products, vegetables, fruits, fish and nuts, on the contrary, are beneficial for the body at this age.

Active physical exercise will reduce the risk of coronary disease and diabetes. You can just walk in the park or do morning exercises or swim in the pool. All this will give you energy and make you feel better. In addition, physical exercise is an excellent prevention of osteoporosis.

At this age, it is very important for women to maintain a sleep schedule. You should sleep at least seven hours. Sleeping longer is also harmful - the risk of having a stroke increases. During sleep, the body is renewed - cells restore their functionality, metabolic products are removed from the body.

Sex after menopause

Many women do not experience problems with sexual desire after menopause. On the contrary, sex during this period takes on new colors. After all, the level of female sex hormones does not in any way affect a woman’s ability to experience pleasure during an act of love. The risks associated with unwanted pregnancy disappear and the woman relaxes, receiving new pleasure.

Problems associated with decreased sexual desire during this period arise for psychological reasons. Depression also affects sexual desire. Many women tend to think that they are becoming less desirable in the eyes of their partner. But in fact, this problem should be approached from a different angle. Experience and knowledge of your body makes a woman more attractive. She is more relaxed and skilled in matters of sex. Often women start doing yoga, Pilates or fitness. This makes their body more flexible and obedient, they are internally liberated.

If a woman experiences pain during sex due to vaginal dryness, then this problem can be easily solved. It is enough to extend the foreplay or use special lubricants. During menopause, a woman's vagina becomes more susceptible to infection due to increased alkaline levels. In this case, a course of hormonal therapy is necessary. And, of course, you must use a condom.