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The menopause used to be seen as the beginning of the end. However, with consistent research and a better understanding of what it actually means to go through the menopause, women can look forwards to a better quality of life.
What is the Menopause?
The menopause is a completely natural and normal part of every woman's life that is a result of the aging process. The menopause means a permanent cessation or end, to the woman's menstrual cycle (period) and is defined by 12 consecutive months without a period. Every woman's experience of the menopause can be completely different. Although the average age of a 'natural' menopause is around 45-60 years, some women can experience the symptoms of menopause as early as in their teenage years. The menopause can be categorised under three different types. Below are some brief descriptions of these types, premature menopause, artificial menopause and natural menopause:
Premature Menopause (Early Menopause)
This is sometimes also referred to as premature ovarian failure (POF). The premature menopause can be simply described as a woman who experiences total cessation of there monthly periods or menstrual cycle before the age of 40.
Artificial Menopause
This is a result of some kind of medical intervention where the ovaries are removed or destroyed by some cancer treatments for example. The ovaries produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone and therefore when removed, a sudden drop of these hormone levels is experienced. This causes the menopausal symptoms to begin abruptly.
Natural Menopause<BR>
This is when the menopause is experienced due to a natural decline of the production of the female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone. The symptoms associated with the menopause can begin from anything between 6 and 13 years before the actual menopause occurs. This stage of declining hormone levels is referred to as perimenopause.
What are the Symptoms of the Menopause?
If a group of women, who were in the perimenopause stage, sat around a table and discussed the symptoms they have been experiencing, they would probably all have something different to say. The symptoms of the menopause vary tremendously from woman to woman. In fact, some women do not experience any symptoms at all. Below are a few common symptoms associated with the menopause:
- Irregular Periods - Some women may experience unpredictable, excessive bleeding, more frequent menstrual periods or perhaps menstrual periods that get further apart.
- Hot Flushes - These are a very common symptom of the perimenopause and even post-menopausal stages. A hot flush is a sudden feeling of warmth flushing the body - usually the face or chest. Some women experience perspiration or night-sweats after experiencing a hot flush.
- Sleep problems - Some women may experience some sleep difficulties as a result of the menopause. These can include difficulty in getting to sleep at night or waking-up half way through the night. As a result, women approaching the menopause can feel tired and lethargic during the day.
- Mood Swings - Although mood swings are so commonly associated with the menopause, it is not actually known how much the menopause affects the mood of women directly. It is thought that rather than the menopause being a direct cause of mood problems, it is probably a combination of other factors that relate to the menopause. For example, if a woman experiencing the menopause is losing sleep as a symptom, this can make them more irritable when awake and more likely to overreact to minor annoyances. Depression has been associated with the menopause but is not necessarily believed to be a direct result. Instead, it is believed that depression is more likely to be caused by the particular circumstances of the women who experience it. The other symptoms that are associated with the menopause may aggravate an underlying depression or act as a trigger.
- Sexual Intercourse Problems - Due to the decreasing levels of oestrogen being produced, vaginal dryness is a common symptom of the menopause. Sexual intercourse may become painful for a woman experiencing vaginal dryness and their interest in sex may decline.
- Incontinence - Some woman may experience mild incontinence when approaching the menopause. This is where a woman involuntarily passes urine which can be embarrassing and inconvenient. This may occur when pressure is being put on the bladder - when coughing, laughing lifting weights etc.
What are the Causes of the Menopause?
In a healthy woman's body, while in the reproductive years of her life, the ovaries produce the female hormones estrogen and progesterone which control the menstrual cycle. The menopause is a result of the ovaries no-longer functioning as they once did. This is due to the aging process. At a certain point in a woman's life, the body ceases to produce the stimulating signals that encourage the eggs to ovulate from the ovaries.
It is important to remember that the 'natural' menopause is not a disease, but in fact a natural stage of the aging process within woman.
When some woman experience a premature menopause, it is likely that the cause may never be found. This is sometimes referred to as idiopathic ovarian failure. However, there are other possible causes for a premature menopause. It is thought that genetics may play some role in a premature menopause, as researchers have found a link between women who experience an early menopause with other affected women in their family.
Women that have been treated for a condition that requires radiation therapy or chemotherapy may experience a premature menopause due to the ovaries being damaged by the treatment.
Probably the most common cause of a premature menopause within women is an autoimmune disorder. This is where the immune system, which usually helps protect the body against infection, mistakes parts of the body as a potential threat. As a result, the immune system produces antibodies which attack the area of concern. In context to a premature menopause, your immune system may attack the reproductive system and damage the natural process of the ovaries.
Some women may experience an 'artificial menopause' as a result of the surgical removal of the ovaries (oopherectomy). The ovaries may need to be removed to prevent some cancers spreading. As a result of the surgery, the levels of estrogen and progesterone will dramatically drop, therefore putting the woman into an early menopause.
How Can I Treat Menopause?
As the menopause is not a disease, there is no treatment or cure that will prevent it from happening, as it is a natural part of the aging process. However, there are a few treatments available to help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with the menopause. Some women will not feel it necessary to use any treatments at all, and will allow the process to run its natural cause. However, for other women, the symptoms can be more severe and very uncomfortable if left untreated. Below are a few examples of possible treatments, some that mean a change in lifestyle and some that need medical intervention:
- Diet - By sticking to a healthy, low-fat, low-cholesterol diet, you can help reduce your chances of getting heart disease and reduce the occurrence of hot flushes.
- Soy - Soy products contain isoflavones, which are believed to have a similar affect to that of estrogen therapy.
- Exercise - By ensuring that you regularly exercise, you can reduce the occurrence of hot flushes.
- Stay Cool - Try not to do anything that will increase the affects of hot flushes. Stay clear of spicy foods, hot drinks, alcohol and hot temperatures.
- Hormone Therapy - The term hormone therapy is a general term used to describe the administration of either estrogen by itself (for women who have had a hysterectomy) or the combination of estrogen and progestin (for women with a uterus) therapy. Hormone therapy can treat hot flushes, vaginal dryness, slow the process of bone loss and can help decrease mood swings. However, there are side-effects that have been associated with hormone therapy and you should discuss these with your doctor. Be sure to educate yourself on what hormone therapy involves, along with the benefits and risks before making a decision on using the treatment.
Living With Menopause.
The menopause, for years was a taboo subject amongst women. It was a subject to be ignored as it marked the official arrival of old-age. The menopause used to signify the demise of a life of fun, sex and any youthful antics. However, attitudes have fortunately changed and the menopause, now, is merely a milestone of life. The subject is openly discussed, theorised, studied and researched and is no-longer something to hideaway from or to be embarrassed about.
The menopause however, can be uncomfortable in its approaching stages. Women in the perimenopause stage should reduce any stress and anxiety that they may have by educating themselves on what it means to be going through the menopause. If you are experiencing the symptoms of the menopause, then follow some of the treatment steps outlined in the above section. If you are concerned or worried about anything, you should speak to your doctor without hesitation.
While you are in the perimenopause stage, you may be concerned about how life may be once the menopause is finally over. If you experience any symptoms associated with the menopause, then you may find it hard to believe that life will ever be comfortable again. However, once your body gets used to the balance of hormones, you should feel a lot more comfortable and any symptoms of the menopause will fade. Research has shown that the majority of women report that their sex lives have improved since the menopause rather than have disappeared completely, as some women may be concerned about.
Remember, the menopause is completely natural and is just a fact of life. If you find that the symptoms are causing you to get stressed and you feel depressed, you should not hesitate to talk to a family member, friend or a doctor.
How Can I Help?
Research is consistently being conducted to help develop the understanding of the menopause, the aging-process and any symptoms that are associated with both of these. Medical research and medical trials have allowed advancements in treatments to be made and have consequently improved the quality of millions of women's lives. While there are opportunities for women currently going through the menopause to participate in medical research, there is a particular desperate need for post-menopausal women to participate. By taking part in medical trials, you can help researchers in their quest to fully understand the menopause and its affects. By being a participant, you could be the key to the next treatment developed to help menopausal women live a more comfortable life. If you are currently experiencing the transitional phases of the menopause, then have a browse through the BioTrax studies section to see if there is a clinical trial for you. If you have friends who have already been through the menopause, then fill them in on what medical research can do to improve the quality of people's lives and point them in the direction of BioTrax.
Medical research studies may be conducted and are carefully designed to answer specific medical questions while protecting participants´ safety. Well conducted medical trials are the fastest and safest way to find improved treatments and preventions for diseases. Clinical trials or interventional trials determine whether experimental preventions, treatments, or new ways of using known therapies are safe and effective under controlled conditions. Observational or natural history studies examine health issues and disease development in groups of people or populations. For more information on current medical trials or to register on the BioTrax database, view the study section at
www.biotrax.com.
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