What is Menopause?

The end of menstruation is called menopause. While many women dread this time in their lives it is actually very natural and part of the aging process. During menopause women’s ovaries will reduce the amount of hormones produced, including progesterone and estrogen, and after menopause women will not be able to conceive.

Some people think menopause is like menstruation in the sense that it just begins one day. That is actually not the case and it will take years for the body to prepare itself for menopause. Women may enter menopause as early as age 42 or as late as age 56 and the average is 52. The way women know they have truly entered menopause is when they have not had a menstrual period for an entire year.

Before Menopause

Before menopause women experience something called “perimenopause”. This can start quite a few years before a woman actually enters the menopause phase. It may seem confusing, but the word “menopause” is frequently used to describe the perimenopausal stage as well as the ensuing menopause stage. It’s easier for the entire process to be lumped into one word apparently.

Signs

The signs of menopause are different with every woman and some women experience them earlier than others. Symptoms range from none to light to moderate and even severe in some women. Generally, the clearest sign that menopause has started is when a woman begins experiencing changes in her menstrual cycle. This could be more cycles or fewer cycles than normal. When blood flow amounts change as well this is a sign that menopause may have begun. Some other common signs include hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, vaginal dryness, memory problems, fatigue, insomnia, dry eyes, joint pain, mood swings, and others. Luckily, despite the severity of the symptoms for some women the symptoms will almost always disappear once menopause is over.

Not all women experience menopause in the same way and there are many things that affect women going through this change of life. Their lifestyle, genetics, cultural attitude and even their diet can affect how they handle menopause.

Posted in Menopause