What is menopause?
Every woman reaches a point in her life where her menstrual cycle ends which means a woman who has reached menopause will no longer get her monthly periods. There is no specific age for women to experience menopause, it can begin anywhere after a women turns 40.
Menopause is not a disease or a condition that needs to be diagnosed or treated. When a women enters her phase of menopause she experiences symptoms that make her feel uncomfortable. Most women are unable to figure out the causes behind those symptoms, as a result they consult their Gynecologist in Lahore and get to know about the onset of their menopause. Their physician also advises them to follow necessary protocols and measures to relieve the symptoms.
What are the different phases of menopause?
Menopause is a transitional period that a women’s body goes through before it stops menstruating. For some women menstruation lasts for several months while for others it may last 2 to 3 years. These are three different phases or stages of menopause:
Perimenopause:
This is the stage where a woman’s body starts preparing itself for menstruation. In this stage the levels of estrogen (the most important hormone for menstruation) start decreasing which leads to symptoms like irregularity in periods and hot flashes. The period of perimenopause ranges from 12 months to 2 years.
Menopause:
If a women hasn’t had her periods in the last 12 months, it will be considered that her body has entered menopause. On an average most women enter menopause after the age of 50. Urinary incontinence, increased facial hair growth, hot flashes are visible signs of menopause.
Postmenopause:
Once a woman has stopped having her periods for more than 12 consecutive months this means that her body is in the post menopausal stage. And she will stay in this stage forever. Due to a sudden stoop in estrogen levels women in post menopausal stage are more at bay of getting diagnosed with osteoporosis and heart diseases. To keep oneself healthy, women in post menopausal stage should practise a healthy lifestyle and stay in touch with their Gynecologist in Karachi.
What are the signs and symptoms of menopause?
When a women’s body is going through menopause there are certain physical and mental changes that take place. These changes cause symptoms and signs. Following are the most evident and visible signs of menopause:
1. Irregularity in periods:
This is the first and most common sign of menopause. When a women enters her menopause period she stops having her periods every month.
2. Lower fertility rate:
When a woman’s body enters menopause, her estrogen levels fall. Reduced estrogen levels mean that a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant have also reduced.
3. Trouble staying focused:
A study showed that most women going through menopause complain about learning difficulties and trouble staying focused.
4. Dryness and discomfort in the vagina:
Vaginal dryness and discomfort begin for a women when she enters the phase of menopause. It happens due to inflammation or thinning of the vaginal walls.
5. Hot flashes:
Hot flashes or night sweats are common for women in the menopausal or post menopausal stage. Hot flashes cause a person to feel a sudden rush of heat in their upper body while they are asleep which results in severe sweating and red patches.
6. Mood swings:
Feeling low and depressed are common signs of menopause. Some women also suffer from depression when their body is transitioning towards menopause.
7. Disturbance in the sleep:
Anxiety, depression and hot flashes that a woman goes through due to menopause may cause disruptions in their sleep.
What should you do if you are going through menopause?
If your gynaecologist has identified that your body is going through menopause these are the things that you should do to help yourself:
- Exercise regularly
- Quit smoking
- Reduce your alcohol intake
- Eat a healthier diet i.e include more veggies and fruits in your diet
- Get plenty of rest
- Find a hobby to practice
- Keep track of your symptoms and menstruation dates
- Stay in touch with your gynecologist
- Consult a counselor or therapist to keep anxiety and depression under control