What is Menopause? What are the symptoms of menopause?

Menopause is the period when a woman has no menstrual periods as a result of the loss of function of her ovaries. This condition, known as a natural part of old age, is an indication of the end of reproduction. Symptoms may increase and decrease from time to time.

What is Menopause? What are the Stages?

Menopause is the time when there is no menstrual bleeding. The stage leading up to menopause is perimenopause. This phase is also called the menopause transition and can begin 8-10 years before menopause (usually in the 40s). The ovaries produce less and less estrogen hormone during this stage. Perimenopause lasts until the ovaries stop releasing eggs, that is, until the menopause stage. As you approach menopause, the decline in estrogen levels becomes more rapid. At this stage or near the end of this stage, some women may experience symptoms of menopause, but their menstrual cycle is experienced and they can become pregnant.

In menopause, the stage after perimenopause, there is no longer a menstrual cycle. Significant amounts of the hormone estrogen are no longer produced. Postmenopause includes all the remaining part of life after menopause. Symptoms may subside during this phase, but some people may experience symptoms for 10 years or more, even if they are in the postmenopausal stage.

What Causes Menopause?

Menopause is a normal part of aging unless triggered by another factor. As we get older, the reproductive cycle slows down, the release of the hormone estrogen decreases and prepares to stop. This starts to happen from the first day of menstruation. As estrogen levels decrease, disruptions and differences in the menstrual cycle may occur.

However, there are some factors that may cause this to happen sooner. These can be listed as birth control pills, receiving radiation or chemotherapy treatment, surgical removal of the ovaries, and primary ovarian failure. The normal age of menopause is between 45 and 55 years old. Menopause that occurs before the age of 45 is called early menopause. Early menopause is called primary ovarian failure.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

The severity of menopause symptoms may vary from person to person, and some women may experience symptoms periodically, while others may experience symptoms for long periods, such as 10 years. Symptoms that may occur during menopause are:

• Sudden hot flashes spreading throughout the body,
• Sweating or feeling cold at night,
• vaginal dryness,
• Frequent desire to urinate,
• Difficulty falling asleep,
• Sudden emotional changes (irritability, etc.),
• Dryness in eyes, mouth and skin,
• Tenderness in breasts,
• Seeing symptoms experienced during menstruation (bloating, fatigue, etc.),
• heart palpitations,
• Headache,
• Pain in muscles and joints,
• sexual reluctance,
• weight gain,
• Thinning or loss of hair.

In addition to these symptoms, body hair may increase over time. This is because the estrogen hormone is at lower levels than the testosterone hormone. If you are experiencing such symptoms, it is recommended to contact a healthcare professional.

How Is Menopause Diagnosed?

A woman who has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months can be diagnosed with menopause by a doctor. Usually no tests are needed, but in some cases a blood test can monitor the levels of these hormones:

• FSH and estrogen: During menopause, the level of FSH in the body increases and estrogen decreases. A test is performed to see whether such a situation exists.
• TSH: Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) shows similar symptoms to menopause. TSH level can be checked to prevent these two diseases from being confused.

Is There a Treatment for Menopause?

Since menopause is a natural process that comes with old age, in most cases no treatment may be needed. Treatments that can be performed are aimed at reducing menopause symptoms. There are hormone therapy and non-hormonal treatments for these. Non-hormonal treatments include some low-dose antidepressants and other medications that can reduce symptoms. Since each individual’s needs are different, you can determine the most suitable treatment method for you by talking to your doctor.

When the ovaries no longer produce enough estrogen and progesterone hormones, hormone therapy may be performed. In this way, the level of hormones is increased and can help relieve symptoms such as hot flashes or vaginal dryness. At the same time, risk factors that may arise can be prevented. Hormone treatments are divided into two. These are estrogen therapy and estrogen progesterone therapy. In estrogen treatment, only estrogen hormone is given to the body, but in other treatments, both hormones are taken. Hormone therapy has some risks. These risks are:

• endometrial cancer,
• Gallstone formation or other gallbladder diseases,
• Blood clot formation,
• deep vein thrombosis,
• Pulmonary embolism (lung clot),
• Paralysis.

These risks are less likely to occur if hormone therapy is administered within 10 years after menopause.

What Should Be Done During Menopause?

It is recommended that a woman with menopause make changes in her life. Examples of these changes include diet, avoiding triggers, exercise, prescription medications, and talking to others.

• Diet: In some cases, it may be necessary to pay attention to the food and drinks consumed to reduce symptoms. You can try to reduce the severity of symptoms by limiting the amount of caffeine consumed daily and avoiding spicy foods.
• Avoiding triggers: If you constantly experience hot flashes, you can try to keep your environment cool. Losing weight can also be a good way to prevent hot flashes.
• Exercise: Exercising helps you sleep more comfortably at night. That’s why it is recommended for patients who have difficulty falling asleep. Instead of tiring exercises, you can also try options that will improve your mood, such as yoga.
• Prescription medications: Your doctor may prescribe some medications to relieve the symptoms. For example, if you are experiencing vaginal dryness, a suitable cream may be prescribed. There are also medications that can prevent hot flashes. You can obtain more effective solutions by sharing your symptoms with your specialist doctor in the best way possible.
• Talking to others: Talking to other people who are going through menopause may provide relief. Talking can not only help others understand your feelings, but also help you learn things you don’t know.

What are the Risk Factors of Menopause?

After menopause, the likelihood of suffering from certain conditions or diseases increases. This risk depends on many factors, such as genetics, pre-menopausal health or lifestyle. As menopause occurs, the risk of osteoporosis (bone disease) and coronary artery disease may increase.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which bones become more brittle due to decreased density in their inner areas. The reason for the development of this disease is the decrease in the level of estrogen hormone. Because the estrogen hormone plays an active role in protecting bones. As estrogen levels decrease until menopause, 25% of bone mass is lost by the age of approximately 60. As the density of bones decreases over time, it becomes possible for them to break easily. Coronary artery disease is a narrowing or blockage of the artery that brings blood to the heart muscle. It is also known as plaque buildup on the inner walls of the arteries (atherosclerosis). The reasons why coronary artery disease occurs during menopause may be estrogen risk and lack of physical activity. In addition to these diseases, the risks of conditions such as urinary incontinence and weight gain may also increase.

As the vagina and urinary tract lose their elasticity with age, sudden urges to urinate may be experienced. Therefore, urinary incontinence may occur when laughing, coughing or trying to lift something. Urinary incontinence can lead to frequent urinary tract infections. To prevent this situation, you can try strengthening the muscles in the area with kegel exercises. Weight may be gained due to the slowing down of metabolism in menopause. It is recommended to consume less food or exercise to maintain weight.

Menopause is a process seen in all women, a result of gender character and sex hormones, and is a completely physiological condition. However, psychological effects of menopause and subsequent additional health problems are also common. To get support on this issue, you can obtain information by choosing a physician from a specialist gynecology and obstetrics clinic.