Many representatives of the fair sex already by 35 begin to think about what menopause will affect their lives. Menopause is not as scary as it seems. The main thing is to know what to expect from your body and what actions to take in a particular case. Let's take a closer look at how the menopause proceeds in the fair sex.
What is menopause?
Climax is a Greek word that literally means “staircase”. Poetic, if you do not take into account all the symptoms and unpleasant manifestations that women encounter with the onset of menopause. This is an important stage for absolutely every woman who makes certain adjustments throughout her life. It does not become inferior, as many believe, just starts to go a little differently.
Menopause is not a disease, but a natural process conceived by nature itself, which catches up with every woman from 40 years old. Menopause in medical practice is called such a state of the body, in which there is a gradual extinction of reproductive, and after menstrual function. All this takes place against the background of general age-related changes.
The process begins with hormones. First, the production of estrogen and progesterone decreases. As a result, there is a violation of the normal course of the menstrual cycle, the possibility of fertilization is reduced, menopause sets in. All this is programmed genetically and absolutely normal, but the process causes changes in the state of health and brings some discomfort.
Menopause and menopause
Menopause in women is not the same as menopause, although the concepts are very similar and often interchange each other. The difference is that menopause is a long process that is rarely distinguished by the presence of unpleasant symptoms. But the climax itself is a wide complex of painful manifestations, which often also provoke the development of various diseases. Menopausal syndrome causes insomnia, heart palpitations, hot flushes and other very common symptoms.
Men also experience menopause, but the male body enters this stage later than the female. The hormonal background of the strong half of humanity changes smoothly, these changes do not bring discomfort at all and are practically not felt. Menopause in women is fundamentally different.
Menopause age
What time does menopause in women occur normally? It is not possible to name the exact age, since everything in this matter is purely individual. Even a specialist will not give an exact figure. Hormonal restructuring, the result of which will be a complete extinction of reproductive function, can last from 5 to 10 years. At the same time, the amount of estrogen decreases, female genital organs regress.
The age of menopause in women is 48 years (plus or minus 3 years). But this process depends on many internal and external factors. The timing is very approximate, because some women face an early menopause, while others can give birth to a healthy child at 50+ years. Menopause does not depend on the time of the first menstruation, the first sexual experience, the number of pregnancies and childbirth, sexual partners and the like.
If a woman wants to know when the extinction of reproductive function is about to occur, she should ask her mother about this. The heredity factor plays a very significant role in this matter. Menopause usually occurs in women at the same age as their mothers. The following factors may also influence this process:
- the presence of concomitant diseases;
- social living conditions;
- psychological factor.
Recently, the age of menopause in women has been declining, menopause in many women comes to 40 years. An early menopausal syndrome may be characteristic of a woman who:
- abuse smoking and alcohol;
- have had many abortions;
- do not lead regular sex life;
- are overweight;
- violate the regime of work and rest;
- suffered cancer;
- do not observe the daily routine;
- sit on strict diets;
- are fond of fasting;
- have diseases of the endocrine system;
- suffer from autoimmune diseases;
- constantly experiencing stress;
- suffered gynecological pathologies.
Modern medicine helps to delay the onset of menopause in women who are at risk. Hormone therapy, physiotherapy exercises are used, a special diet is used, and so on. In more detail about the treatment of menopause in women, if it can occur prematurely, we will go further.
The stages of menopause
In women after 45 years of age (on average), reproductive function decays, but this process occurs in several successive stages. Allocate:
- Premenopause. The stage lasts about 6 years. At this time, menstrual irregularities begin: delays appear, and the cycle itself becomes shorter, abundant menstruation is less and less observed, the volume of secretions is reduced, they become more scarce. The volume of discharge in women with menopause is generally reduced.
- Actually menopause. Menses completely stop. This is the shortest period in all hormonal changes in the female body after 45 years.
- Postmenopause. With the onset of this stage, the ovaries cease to reproduce hormones, the level of estrogen drops significantly. All changes are hypotrophic in nature: the discharge almost completely stops, the walls of the vagina thicken, lose their tone, the pubic hair begins to fall out, the size of the uterus decreases. Active changes occur in the time period from one year to two years, then postmenopause continues for the rest of your life.
Harbingers of menopause
The level of female hormones in the body begins to gradually decline after 30 years. A natural change in the hormonal balance occurs, in connection with which there are difficulties with conception at a more mature age, the first wrinkles appear, the skin loses elasticity. By the age of 40, the number of follicles in the ovaries of a woman is reduced, which subsequently causes the stopping of egg maturation. But hormones continue to be produced for some time, however, their level is gradually decreasing. Signs of menopause in women are caused by the disappearance of sex hormones. Each representative of the fair sex experiences this period of life in different ways, so the duration of menopause and the severity of its manifestations are purely individual.
The condition at the onset of menopause may vary. To determine how this process proceeds specifically in your case, you need to see a doctor. He will not be able to predict the time of the extinction of childbearing function, but he will help prepare the body for this important stage and determine premenopause.
Among the precursors of menopause are the menstrual irregularities:
- reduction of the menstrual period;
- absence of menstruation for one to two months;
- irregular menstruation;
- reduction in discharge and the like.
There are also problems with conceiving and bearing a child. After 30 years, getting pregnant becomes more difficult. Endometriosis, a disease in which cells of the inner layer of the uterus grow outside the endometrium, may be characteristic. A typical symptom of this gynecological disease is pain in the lower abdomen and during menstruation, which can give to the lower back or sacrum. At the same time, menstruation can be plentiful and long, after which “spotting” vaginal discharge is observed.
Menopause symptoms
The first sign of menopause in women is hot flashes. It is about them that the representatives of the fair sex most often speak at the mention of menopause. This symptom is characterized by flushing of the upper body and head. This occurs due to short-term expansion of blood vessels and causes redness of the face, neck, chest, and body temperature can also rise. Some ladies also note tinnitus and excessive sweating. Such a sign of menopause in women, like hot flashes, does not depend on the time of day, it is provoked, as a rule, by excitement, stress or overexertion. The tide can last from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.
Among the symptoms of menopause in women (45-50 years old), one can list the dizziness that is the result of jumps in blood pressure during hormonal changes in the body. Another reason is the occurrence of foci of excitability of the nervous system under the influence of hormones. Menopause is also manifested by sleep disorders: insomnia, drowsiness during the day, and causeless anxiety. In addition to these main manifestations of menopause in women, a whole series of symptoms from the nervous and genitourinary systems can be mentioned.
Emotional condition
In some cases, a sign of menopause is a change in the emotional state. This most often happens with those representatives of the fair sex, who themselves are excessively emotional, are distinguished by an easily excitable nervous system. Common problems are tearfulness, touchiness, and temper. Intolerance to bright light or loud sound may also appear. Often women experience also because of changes in appearance and loss of former external attractiveness.
Even the ancient Greeks noted the existence of a relationship between the emotional state of a woman and the state of her genital organ - the uterus. The word "hysteria", for example, comes from the Greek hystera, which translates as "womb".
Astheno-neurotic syndrome during menopause is characterized in some women by depression, which either cannot be corrected at all or is very difficult to treat. In this case, severe disorders, behavioral disorders are noted. This finds expression in vulgar outfits, hairstyles and makeup. So a woman during menopause is desperately trying to at least slightly extend the leaving youth. In this case, the consultation of a psychotherapist or even a psychiatrist and constant monitoring, psychological assistance and support are necessary.
Autonomic nervous system
The autonomic nervous system of the female body responds to changes in the hormonal background with frequent and pronounced tides. This condition manifests itself in a lack of air, increased sweating, a feeling of anxiety, nausea, weakness and dizziness, hyperemia of the skin, a sensation of a coma in the throat, pressure in the chest area, and a sinking heart. You can talk about menopausal changes with frequent and unmotivated awakenings in the middle of the night, drowsiness during the day, increased blood pressure in the morning, respiratory arrest.
A common symptom of menopause in women is also a violation of the thyroid gland. The condition that the body experiences during menopause causes a restructuring of not only the nervous, but also the endocrine system.
Genitourinary and other systems
In addition to all of the above, menopause in women after 50 years can be noted as a violation of the heart and blood vessels, the occurrence of osteoporosis. With estrogen deficiency, vaginitis occurs, the symptoms of which are vaginal dryness, lack of natural lubrication, wall prolapse, and decreased blood supply. Cystourethritis, which manifests itself with frequent urination, pain during urination, burning and cutting in the corresponding area, may be characteristic. The location of the urethra and bladder may be disturbed.
The skin of women after menopause and during active age-related changes in the body become thinner, wrinkles, sagging and age spots appear. The main reason for this is malnutrition of the skin. Hair growth on the face can also increase, and hair on the head can begin to actively fall out. Bone tissue ceases to be renewed, in connection with which the woman’s growth gradually decreases, fractures become more frequent, which can now occur even if a small force is applied, pain in the lower back, spine, joints, stoop develops.
Early menopause
Early menopause is menopause up to 40 years. The causes of this phenomenon may be a hereditary predisposition, some pathologies (for example, Shereshevsky-Turner syndrome, ovarian dysfunction, a defect in the female chromosome and so on), gynecological diseases, chemotherapy, obesity or anorexia, improper hormonal contraception. Early menopause is dangerous with rapid weight gain, the appearance of signs of aging (sagging skin, wrinkles, age spots), an increased risk of hormonal, metabolic and oncological diseases.
To avoid early menopause, it is necessary to support the function of the ovaries with special drug therapy. However, you need to know that many hereditary disorders are not treatable. In this case, medical care will be aimed at making the menopause invisible, eliminating its symptoms and prolonging the woman's youth. With menopause (not only early), chest and stomach pains, headaches can occur.
Postponement of menopause
In the early stages of menopause in women, treatment will help delay aging and the extinction of childbearing function. To do this, use the method of hormone replacement therapy (abbreviated HRT). The action of this method is based on the replenishment of certain hormones. Doctors determine the level of their own hormones, the need of the female body for them and other substances, the compatibility of hormonal drugs. HRT is not suitable for all women. This method can be used limitedly for certain diseases of the excretory and digestive systems, cardiovascular pathologies, as well as for endometriosis.
HRT increases the vitality of the body as a whole, eliminates depression and other unpleasant manifestations of the nervous system, reduces nervousness and improves sleep quality. In addition, the risk of age-related diseases (stroke, bone fractures, heart attack) is reduced, menstruation is prolonged for some time, and the condition of the skin and mucous membranes improves. With all these positive aspects, it is strictly forbidden to carry out HRT alone. Only a gynecologist can accurately calculate the dosage that is suitable for a particular woman. During HRT, regular visits to the doctor are also necessary.
Symptom treatment
With the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms, the fair sex complain about age. Menopause in women, the treatment of the manifestations of which is mainly hormonal, can be delayed for some time. Estrogen replacement drugs are shown, for example, Divigel, Svestin, Premarin, Kliogest, Amboisk, Femoston and many others. To improve the emotional state, “Belloid”, vitamins (intramuscularly B 1 and B 6 , as well as oral vitamin E), ATP, phytoestrogens are used.
Antidepressants, homeopathic remedies, psychotropic stimulants may be indicated. Herbal medicine and exercise therapy are useful. Particularly necessary physical activity and feasible physical activity. The doctor may recommend exercises that will improve mood, support muscle tone of the pelvis. For the prevention of uterine prolapse, for example, you need to do the following exercises:
- Go on tiptoe after retracting the anus.
- Lift the pelvis from a prone position and retract the anus.
- Sitting raise your knees.
- Lie and clamp with your feet some small object.
- Take turns raising the left and right legs from the supine position.
If the process of organ prolapse already takes place, then more radical action is needed. Exercises from yoga or the Bodyflex complex are suitable. This will strengthen the tone, raise lowered organs and strengthen the muscles.
When prescribing therapy, the severity of the symptoms of menopause plays a decisive role. Depending on how hard the woman is going through menopause, the doctor will pick up medications and procedures. This will help relieve symptoms and improve the general health of the fair sex. It is only worth refraining from self-prescribing medications - only a doctor should select therapy.
A diet during menopause should be saturated with all the necessary elements, vitamins and minerals. It is advisable to limit salt intake, include canned food, cheese, dairy products, prunes, oatmeal, animal and vegetable products, vegetables and fruits, and freshly squeezed juices in the diet. It is advisable to use the recommendations of a dietitian.