Definition

Natural menopause is when a woman doesn’t have a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months, and surgical menopause is when both of the ovaries are surgically removed.

Symptoms

• Irregular or no menstrual periods
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Osteoporosis
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Muscle and joint pain
• Vaginal dryness
• Have a hard time getting sexually aroused
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Anxiety

Treatment of menopause symptoms should start with:

• Regular exercise
• A healthy, calcium-rich diet
• Getting enough sleep
• Sleeping in a cool room
• Using lubricants for intercourse

What is Menopause?

Menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life. It is the time when a woman’s ovaries stop making estrogen. The average age of menopausal women is 52. However, the timing varies among women. When a woman has not had a period for 1 year, she is menopausal. Pregnancy is still possible until menopause is fully reached, even if a few months have passed without having a period.

Menopause is when a woman’s body makes almost no estrogen and progesterone hormones. Estrogen and progesterone are the female hormones produced by the ovaries that prepare the uterus for possible pregnancy. The ovaries will no longer release eggs, so a woman can’t get pregnant.

Changes in hormone levels can affect ovulation and change bleeding patterns as a woman nears menopause. The reduced amount of hormones causes menstrual periods to become irregular. Blood flow may get heavier or lighter. Women may even begin to skip periods. Eventually the periods will stop completely.

Some health problems, such as osteoporosis (a thinning and weakening of bones) and coronary artery disease are associated with low estrogen. Bone loss starts around age 35 and heart disease is very common in women over 55. Estrogen therapy or hormone therapy may be recommended to replace some of the hormone that the body is no longer producing, and to relieve some of the menopause symptoms.

Heart Assessment

Estrogen may be taken in many different forms, such as:

• Tablets to be swallowed
• Patches or lotion to be put on the skin
• Injections
• A vaginal ring
• A cream to be put into the vagina

2/2/2009