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Menopause: Stages, Symptoms, Estrogen, Progesterone, Treatments And Hormone Therapy
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Published: November 16, 2007
The life of a woman is constantly going through changes and different phases. Once a woman feels comfortable in one stage of her life, she is thrown into the beginning of something new. One of the most crucial phases a woman will go through in life is menopause.
Every woman has her own definition for menopause, though it is a phase of life that usually begins when a woman is in her 40s.
Menopause is usually referred to as the entire process and stages up to the date of the last period. Some women feel that menopause is a part of life and accept this transition with open arms. Other women find this as a time of sadness, due to the reason that they are no longer able to have children. This is especially the case when women begin experiencing menopause before the age of 40, which is considered premature.
Menopause consists of various stages that affect each woman differently. Pre-menopause is the first stage of this process, and the main symptom is irregular periods. This stage can become emotionally challenging for a woman since she now has to accept what is happening to her body. Also, it can become difficult since the menstrual cycle is thrown off every month. In this stage, a woman might not get her period for three to four months, making her hormones fluctuate drastically.
Perimenopause is the most important of the menopause stages. This stage usually lasts around four to five years and is the most difficult for women. Within this stage, women may begin to experience a wide array of symptoms that can extremely affect their lives. Some common symptoms women may experience during this stage include hot flashes, mood swings, depression, vaginal dryness, skin changes and osteoporosis. These symptoms affect most women on a weekly and even daily basis, though some might not feel any symptoms at all.
The last of the stages, post-menopause, begins with the date of the last period and continues for the rest of a woman's life. The symptoms of menopause occur for a few years following the last period, and then eventually disappear for good. Within this stage, it is impossible for a woman to get pregnant and her body will continue changing throughout the aging process.
There are various treatments for women going through menopause. To begin, it is important to maintain healthy diet to keep the body balanced. Doctors will usually recommend for women to take supplements such as vitamin D and calcium to replenish the body. Some other vital treatments for women are to exercise regularly and manage stress. Not exercising or managing stress can make the phase extremely difficult and frustrating for women. Lastly, it is important for women smokers to quit when they get to this stage. Not only does smoking increase the chance of cancer, it also causes hot flashes and menstrual irregularities.
The biggest concern with menopause is the loss of hormones such as Estrogen and Progesterone. These hormones are evenly distributed throughout the body during each menstrual cycle, keeping the woman's body healthy and balanced. As menopause begins and the menstrual period comes to an end, Estrogen and Progesterone are not distributed as often and the hormone levels begin to drop. With low levels of Estrogen and Progesterone, women are at a higher risk for heart disease, osteoporosis and breast cancer.
If the body's hormone levels are very low, doctors will suggest hormone therapy as treatments for their patients. Hormone therapy can make the stages of menopause easy to encounter by giving the body its normal dosage of hormones. While this sounds like a great source of help, it is still a researched topic and the long-term health risks are still unknown. There are various options, and each comes with its own set of side effects. Each woman should be evaluated by their doctor in order to choose the correct hormone therapy for her individual needs.
While it is a natural part of life, menopause can be a difficult and painful time for women. It is important for women to accept this phase of their lives and understand it is a healthy chapter of natural life. Women should speak to their doctors about menopause so they can be ready to deal with the change when their time comes.
Sources:
"About Menopause." Woman's Health Queensland Wide. 31 May 2006. 15 Nov. 2007. http://www.womhealth.org.au/factsheets/aboutmenopa use.htm.
"Hormone Therapy." MedicineNet. 24 Aug. 2005. 15 Nov. 2007. http://www.medicinenet.com/hormone_therapy/page2.h tm.
"Menopause." Women's Health. Strong Health. 15 Nov. 2007. http://www.stronghealth.com/services/womenshealth/ gynecology/menopausestages.cfm.
Every woman has her own definition for menopause, though it is a phase of life that usually begins when a woman is in her 40s.
Related Articles
Menopause consists of various stages that affect each woman differently. Pre-menopause is the first stage of this process, and the main symptom is irregular periods. This stage can become emotionally challenging for a woman since she now has to accept what is happening to her body. Also, it can become difficult since the menstrual cycle is thrown off every month. In this stage, a woman might not get her period for three to four months, making her hormones fluctuate drastically.
Perimenopause is the most important of the menopause stages. This stage usually lasts around four to five years and is the most difficult for women. Within this stage, women may begin to experience a wide array of symptoms that can extremely affect their lives. Some common symptoms women may experience during this stage include hot flashes, mood swings, depression, vaginal dryness, skin changes and osteoporosis. These symptoms affect most women on a weekly and even daily basis, though some might not feel any symptoms at all.
The last of the stages, post-menopause, begins with the date of the last period and continues for the rest of a woman's life. The symptoms of menopause occur for a few years following the last period, and then eventually disappear for good. Within this stage, it is impossible for a woman to get pregnant and her body will continue changing throughout the aging process.
There are various treatments for women going through menopause. To begin, it is important to maintain healthy diet to keep the body balanced. Doctors will usually recommend for women to take supplements such as vitamin D and calcium to replenish the body. Some other vital treatments for women are to exercise regularly and manage stress. Not exercising or managing stress can make the phase extremely difficult and frustrating for women. Lastly, it is important for women smokers to quit when they get to this stage. Not only does smoking increase the chance of cancer, it also causes hot flashes and menstrual irregularities.
The biggest concern with menopause is the loss of hormones such as Estrogen and Progesterone. These hormones are evenly distributed throughout the body during each menstrual cycle, keeping the woman's body healthy and balanced. As menopause begins and the menstrual period comes to an end, Estrogen and Progesterone are not distributed as often and the hormone levels begin to drop. With low levels of Estrogen and Progesterone, women are at a higher risk for heart disease, osteoporosis and breast cancer.
If the body's hormone levels are very low, doctors will suggest hormone therapy as treatments for their patients. Hormone therapy can make the stages of menopause easy to encounter by giving the body its normal dosage of hormones. While this sounds like a great source of help, it is still a researched topic and the long-term health risks are still unknown. There are various options, and each comes with its own set of side effects. Each woman should be evaluated by their doctor in order to choose the correct hormone therapy for her individual needs.
While it is a natural part of life, menopause can be a difficult and painful time for women. It is important for women to accept this phase of their lives and understand it is a healthy chapter of natural life. Women should speak to their doctors about menopause so they can be ready to deal with the change when their time comes.
Sources:
"About Menopause." Woman's Health Queensland Wide. 31 May 2006. 15 Nov. 2007. http://www.womhealth.org.au/factsheets/aboutmenopa use.htm.
"Hormone Therapy." MedicineNet. 24 Aug. 2005. 15 Nov. 2007. http://www.medicinenet.com/hormone_therapy/page2.h tm.
"Menopause." Women's Health. Strong Health. 15 Nov. 2007. http://www.stronghealth.com/services/womenshealth/ gynecology/menopausestages.cfm.
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