Menopausal Problems

Types of Menopause

Menopause is primarily a natural process that is most likely to affect middle-aged women, however, in some cases, it can be experienced by younger women owing to different factors.

Based on these, menopause can be classified into the following

• Natural Menopause: This is when a woman's menstrual cycle spontaneously ceases, usually between the ages of 45 and 55.
• Premature Menopause: When a woman's menstrual cycle ceases before the age of 40, she has reached premature menopause.
• Surgical Menopause: It happens when a woman's ovaries are surgically removed. As a result, menopause symptoms appear suddenly.
• Chemotherapy-Induced Menopause: This occurs when a woman's menstrual cycle is disrupted by chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Stages of Menopause

Menopause is not abrupt, but rather gradual and it progresses through 3 different stages. These are:

• Perimenopause - This is typically a transition phase and it can start around 8 - 10 years prior to your actual menopause. The ability of the ovaries to generate estrogen declines. Although you will still continue to menstruate, there will be a change in the length of the cycle. Some women may also experience symptoms like insomnia, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and so on.
• Menopause - You will have your menopause 12 months after you stop having your periods. That is when estrogen production has significantly declined and your ovaries no longer release any eggs. Women who have reached this stage are likely to experience hot flashes and accelerated heart rate.
• Postmenopause - It is the stage that follows after you hit menopause. Many women tend to experience relief in their symptoms, while others may continue to experience these. Depletion of estrogen can elevate the risks of developing health problems like osteoporosis and heart disease.

When should you consider seeing our experts?

Symptoms of menopause can be potentially debilitating and it is advisable to seek proper medical intervention if you are finding it difficult to cope with any of these.

Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Vaginal atrophy
• Mood changes
• Sleep troubles
• Weight gain
• Hair loss

What causes Menopause?

Menopause is a normal part of ageing, caused by a change in the levels of reproductive hormones in the body over the years. The gradual decrease in the production of estrogen and progesterone leads to perimenopause and eventually, you stop ovulating.

It is pertinent to understand that the length of time between perimenopause and menopause is not the same for every woman and can be as long as 10 years.

There are several factors that can lead to early menopause. These include:

• Genetics
• Smoking
• Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Ovarian removal surgery
• Certain autoimmune illnesses

Menopause & and Hormonal Changes

There is a direct and close-knit link between menopause and reproductive hormones, estrogen and progesterone. In fact the majority of the symptoms experienced before and during menopause are linked to the slow drop in these hormones in the years leading up to menopause. < /p>

How we diagnose you

If you lie in the typical age group during which menopause is experienced, it is not hard to make the diagnosis. However, if someone has experienced these symptoms way before, our experts recommend a proper diagnosis to rule out other possible conditions and determine the underlying cause of early menopause.

You may be asked to undergo blood analysis to assess the levels of the following hormones:

• FSH or follicle-stimulating hormone
• LH or luteinizing hormone
• Estradiol

Treatments 

While menopause cannot be avoided, the symptoms can be managed using a variety of approaches, tailored to address your specific problems.

• ​​​​​​​Hormone Therapy (HRT): Also known as menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), it is the most preferred treatment for managing menopausal symptoms. By replacing the oestrogen and progesterone that the body no longer produces, hormone therapy can help decrease hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and other symptoms. Hormone therapy can be given as pills, patches, or injections.
• Non-Hormonal Drugs: These involve the prescription of drugs that can aid in the management of menopause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. Anti-depressants, seizure meds, and blood pressure medications are examples of these medications.
• Lifestyle Changes: Eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding triggers like alcohol and caffeine can all help to minimize the severity of symptoms.
• Alternative Therapies: Acupuncture and herbal medicines have been proven to help some women with their symptoms.