As you reach menopause or the climacteric phase of your life, certain changes are bound to occur in your body. Proper knowledge and awareness of these changes or symptoms, helps you see this 'change of life' in a proper perspective and have a healthy menopause. Here is what you must know about menopause.
What is Menopause?
Menopause means, permanent stoppage of menstruation due to cessation of the ovarian function (resulting in low levels of oestrogen, the female hormone), at the end of reproductive life of a woman.
Normal Age of Menopause
- Normally, menopause occurs between the age of 45 to 55 years.
Criteria of Clinical Diagnosis
- Stoppage of menstruation for six consecutive months
Pattern of Stoppage of Menses
At the time of menopause, menstrual periods end in one of the three ways:
#1 - In some women, there is a sudden stoppage of menses
#2 - Some women experience a gradual decrease in the amount of flow and finally the periods stop.
#3 - Third pattern is a progressive increase in the interval between the periods. There is a gradual decrease in the frequency of the menses and then it stops.
If there is continuous bleeding or irregular menses with or without heavy bleeding, visit your doctor for investigations to exclude malignancy of the genital tract.
Menopausal Symptoms
Women who are physically and mentally fit will seldom have any symptom, apart from the stoppage of menses. However, women who are not strong constitutionally may have following symptoms:
1. Hot Flushes
This is the most common symptom that women have, when going through menopause. There is a sudden feeling of warmth or heat, mainly affecting face and neck. It lasts for about 2 to 5 minutes and is often followed by severe sweating. Several flushes occur in a day and may also disturb sleep at night. Anxiety and palpitation are often associated with the hot flushes.
2. Psychological Symptoms
A woman going through menopause may have:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Mood swings
- Poor concentration
3. Neurological Symptoms
- Some women may have a pricking sensation, as if from pins or needles, in hands and legs.
4. Genital Symptoms
- Dryness of vagina may cause pain during coitus.
5. Urinary Symptoms
Some women may have urinary complaints, like:
- Recurrent urinary tract infections
- Difficult or painful urination
- Incontinence or involuntary urination during laughing, coughing or sneezing
- Frequent urging to urinate
Please Note:
1. Nutritious diet, exercise, yoga and meditation can help you have a healthy menopause.
2. Constitutional treatment with classical homeopathy cures the menopausal symptoms, like hot flushes, anxiety etc., in an efficient way. (That's my own clinical experience.)
Conclusion
As a woman reaches menopause, menstruation ceases suddenly or gradually, with progressive decrease in menstrual flow or frequency of the periods. She may have symptoms like hot flushes, anxiety, depression, pricking sensation in limbs and pain during coitus or urination. However, proper nutrition, exercise, yoga and meditation can help avoid these symptoms. Constitutional homeopathic treatment also gives significant relief from the menopausal symptoms.
Share your views and experiences by leaving your comment. Thanks.
Menopause is normally part of life, just like puberty. It is the point of a woman' last period, but symptoms can begin several years earlier. A few indication of menopause can proceed for months or years after. Changing levels of estrogen and progesterone, which are two female hormones made in your in a woman's ovaries, might lead to these symptoms.
ReplyDeletecheck this out for more info about Symptoms of Menopause