Menopause refers to the time when a woman stops menstruating. Menstruation, also known as periods, is a part of a woman’s puberty in which there is a discharge of blood every month. It usually occurs after a girl steps into their teenage years. Menstruation stops after a certain age, usually after the age of 40. After that, it differs from person to person and is known as menopause. Menopause occurs when a woman does not menstruate for continuous twelve months or more.
Menopause occurs in three steps: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause.
- Perimenopause- This stage usually occurs few years before menopause. During this stage, the production of estrogen decreases. When a woman comes closer to their menopause, the estrogen production decreases even faster.
- Menopause- In this stage, the ovaries stops producing estrogen. Also, this is the time when it’s been twelve months or more since a woman had her last menstruation.
- Postmenopause- This is the stage when it’s been several years since menopause, and symptoms of menopause also start to appear less.
What are the symptoms of Menopause?
The symptoms for all three stages of menopause (perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause) are almost similar.
- Menstruation becomes less frequent
- Period flow may become very heavy or less heavy than normal
- Hot flashes
- Insomnia
- Sweating
- Vaginal dryness
- Anxiety
- Concentration difficulties
- Decreased sexual drive
- Frequent urination
- Dry mouth
- Headache
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Tender breasts
- Joint pain
- Hirsutism
Diagnosis of Menopause
An individual can diagnose menopause based on the symptoms. However, a medical expert or doctor may be able to say whether the symptoms are indicating menopause or not. A newly developed blood test by the Food and Drug Administration called “PicoAMH Elisa” is done to check whether a woman is going through menopause or not. This test indicates the level of a specific hormone through which a medical expert can diagnose whether a woman has reached menopause or not.
Is treatment required for Menopause?
Menopause is a natural process and part of a woman’s biological life. However, one must treat the symptoms of menopause if it gets very severe and disrupts the quality of life.
Can Menopause cause any health complications?
Menopause decreases the production of the hormone estrogen, and after a specific time, it eventually stops producing estrogens altogether. Decreased production of estrogen can cause particular health issues, such as:
- Osteoporosis
- Cataract or other vision problems
- Increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- Weak muscles
- Heart disease
Menopause is a phase in a woman’s life that causes specific bodily changes and nothing much to panic. One can manage the symptoms with appropriate treatment and proper care of the health during and after menopause. Most importantly, every young girl should be taught about menopause and menstruation, so they are aware of this phase of life and know what needs to be done when facing it. It will allow them to understand their body condition better and choose the appropriate treatment on time to avoid any delays for the treatment. Delays in treatment can make the disease even severe and difficult to recover because recovery slows down as individual ages.
