MENOPAUSE

DESCRIPTION

Menopause is the time when a woman stops having menstrual periods. Many women experience a variety of symptoms as a result of the hormonal changes associated with the transition of menopause. Most women often loose bone density and their blood cholestrol levels may worsen, increasing their risk of heart diseases. The most common age range at which women experience menopause is 48-55 years.

SYMPTOMS

hot flashes- these are the most common symptoms of menopause. According to some studies, hot flashes occur in as many as 75% of perimenopausal women. Hot flash symptoms may vary among women. Commonly , a hot flash is a feeling of warmth that spreads  over the body, lasting from around 30 seconds to a few minutes.
vaginal discharge- because estrogen affect the vaginal lining, perimenopausal women may also have pain during intercourse and may note a change in vaginal discharge.
Breast changes- menopause may cause changes in the shape of the breasts.
Bone loss- rapid bone loss is common during the perimenopausal years. Most women  reach their peak bone density when aged 25-30 years. No pain is associated with bone loss.
Cholesterol- cholesterol profiles also change significantly at the time of menopause. Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels increase. It is associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

CAUSES

Menopause occurs due to a complex series of hormonal changes. Associated with menopause is a decline in the number of functioning eggs within the ovaries. At the time of birth, most females have about 1-3 million eggs which are gradually lost throughout a woman's life. By the time of a girl's first menstrual period, she has an average of about 400 000 eggs. By the time of menopause a woman may have about 10 000 eggs. Estrogen affects many parts of the body including the blood vessels , heart, bones, breasts, uterus, urinary system, skin and brain. Loss of estrogen is believed to be the cause of many of the symptoms associated with menopause. At the time of menopause, the ovaries also decrease their production of testestrone- a hormone involved in libido sexual drive.

TREATMENT

Menopause itself is a hormonal part of life and not a disease that requires treatment. However, treatment of associated symptoms is possible if these become substantial or severe.
Hormone therapy(HT) / Hormone replacement therapy consists of estrogens or a combination of estrogens and progesterone. Hormone therapy has been used to control the symptoms of menopause related to declining estrogen levels such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness and HT is still the most effective way to treat these symptoms.