About Menopause
In simple terms, menopause is when for consecutive 12 months you don’t get your menstrual period. It is not an illness. It is a natural occurrence and every woman goes through it. Though the age when a woman reaches menopause varies from woman to woman.
Menopause can last for several years and has 3 stages viz Perimenopause, Menopause, Postmenopause.
Menopause, as we know it today, was born out of a particular time, place, and profession: 18th- century Europe and the emergence of a new medical establishment. The first dissertation on menopause, titled “On the End of Menstruation as the Time for the Beginning of Various Diseases,” was published in Latin in 1710 in what was then the kingdom of Prussia. After that, the concept we know as menopause became a dominant subject in gynaecological literature and also in popular culture. The word “menopause” itself was coined by a French physician in 1821; by then, there were colloquial expressions for it in Europe, such as “women’s hell”.
Symptoms
You may experience some or all of the below symptoms if you are transiting to menopause
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Insomnia
- Mood swings
- Very heavy or light bleeding during periods
- Weight gain
- Hair thinning
- Lack of sex drive
- Headaches
Causes
- Ovaries stop producing eggs and releasing them in the fallopian tubes
- Surgical removal of ovaries
- Chemotherapy and radiotherapy can cause ovaries to stop functioning temporarily or permanently
- Autoimmune disease
- Turner’s syndrome
Menopause is a natural occurrence. The symptoms of menopause that interfere with your day-to-day life can be treated. You need to consult your gynaecologist for treatment, based on the symptoms faced.
- Hormone therapy - Supplemental estrogen and a makeshift/synthetic version of progesterone together help balance the body’s hormone levels.
- Topical hormone therapy – Estrogen gel, cream, or an insert in your vagina to help combat vaginal dryness.
- Medicines - Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) aid your body in using its estrogen to manage vaginal dryness and hot flashes.
- Vitamins for Osteoporosis – Intake of vitamin D supplements is great for the bones.
Lifestyle tips
- Include fresh fruits, whole grains, and vegetables in your daily diet
- Give up smoking
- Limit your alcohol intake
- Exercise daily for overall strength and also for the pelvic floor muscles
- Share your menopause experience amongst your peers
- Regular visits to the gynaecologist should be on your to-do list
