Menopause Problems

A woman's reproductive life cycle is categorized into stages such as puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause. While menstruation marks a woman's ability to support a pregnancy, menopause is the culmination of her reproductive life cycle. The onset of perimenopause, which is the phase that precedes menopause, begins when women hit 40s. This is a transitional period that takes place prior to a woman's last period. This is characterized by a decrease in the production of estrogen and progesterone. As a result of hormonal fluctuations, various changes start taking place in a woman's reproductive system. Since the ability of ovaries to produce eggs is affected due to decrease in the levels of hormones, irregularities are seen in the menstrual cycle.

Before the monthly menstrual bleeding stops completely, women may have frequent periods. The menstrual flow may become very heavy or light. The menstrual cycle, which ranges from 28 to 35 days during her reproductive years, becomes shorter. The changes in the reproductive system bring about a host of discomforting menstrual problems. When the whole year goes by, without a single period, a woman is said to have reached menopause. The phase that precedes and follows menopause can be really testing for some women. Women must therefore prepare themselves for this phase of their lives. Here's some information on the common menopause problems that women experience and ways for tackling them.

Problems Faced by Menopausal Women

Hormonal fluctuations bring about a plethora of discomforting symptoms. It is manifested in the form of emotional as well as physical changes. While women are undergoing pre-menopause and approaching menopause, the irregularities in the menstrual cycle can make them highly irritable and nervous. Women who haven't made the right lifestyle choices might suffer even more. Most women suffer from mood swings during this time. Some women might even feel depressed. Hormonal fluctuations taking place in a woman's body also lead to distressing physical symptoms.

Menopausal women could even suffer from joint aches due to changes in the bone density. Hot flashes, night sweats, chills, fatigue, headaches and irregular heartbeat are some of the most common symptoms that women experience at this stage of their life. Some women might also gain weight during this time. A decline in the levels of estrogen also impacts a neurotransmitter called serotonin. This causes sleep disturbances and also affects one's state of mind.

Problems that usually affect women after menopause include vaginal dryness and decreased interest in sex. Tissues in the urinary tract might also get affected due to decline in estrogen levels during this time. This could make some women susceptible to urinary incontinence.

Dealing With Menopause

This period could be stressful for some women. In severe cases, hormone replacement therapy might be recommended for alleviating the discomforting symptoms that appear in menopausal women.

Since the symptoms are caused due to the low levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body, synthetic hormones can be taken orally. Transdermal patches can also be applied. In case of women, who have had their uterus removed, only estrogen is prescribed. This is referred to as unopposed estrogen therapy. For women who have not their uterus removed, use of estrogen in combination with progesterone is recommended.

Though hormone replacement therapy can help in reducing the severity and frequency of hot flashes and also treat vaginal dryness to some extent, there are certain side-effects as well. The side effects include nausea, fluid retention, vaginal discharge, weight gain and high blood pressure. It is believed that hormone therapy can also increase the risk of heart disease, breast cancer or formation of blood clots. It is therefore essential that women find out all about the risks involved. A class of drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) medications have proved to be beneficial in treating the menopausal problems as well, but these might also have some side effects. Doctors might also follow a symptomatic approach for alleviating specific symptoms. If you feel that the symptoms experienced during menopausal years are manageable, it would be better to use alternative treatment options.

Since hot flashes are commonly experienced during this time, it would be better to wear clothes made from light and breathable fabrics. Consumption of spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol can also lead to hot flashes and must therefore be avoided. Since menopausal women may suffer from disturbed sleep, they must refrain from taking naps during the day. This is to ensure that you get proper sleep at night.

Following a healthy diet is extremely important. Women must ensure that they follow a diet rich in foods with antioxidant properties. Alternative treatment options also include certain herbal remedies. Herbs such as black cohosh, gingko biloba and kava are believed to help in alleviating some of the symptoms, but one must take them under the supervision of a herbal practitioner. Relaxation therapy can also help women cope with the emotional turbulence they undergo at this time. Listening to soothing music and performing breathing exercises and yoga will also help.

Menopause is a natural process that every woman has to go through, and cannot be prevented. However, there are ways to ease this transition. Every woman must prepare herself mentally for this phase. While some women might choose not to take medicines, in severe cases, they would have to rely on drug therapy. Those who are not keen on taking synthetic hormones can follow alternative therapy.