Menopause

The Menopause or medically too climacteric are a natural gender phase in every woman's older age. Menopause is not a disease, despite its typical complaints and symptoms such as hot flashes and sweats. Menopause is triggered by major changes in the hormonal balance and the absence of menstrual bleeding (menopause).

What is menopause?

Menopause or medically that climacteric is a transition phase at the end of puberty in older women. It usually begins a few years before the last menstruation or menstrual period (menopause). Menopause often occurs between the ages of 45 and 70.

The menopause itself can be divided medically into four different phases.

1. Premenopause: This is the period from around two to seven years before the actual menipause. This leads to irregular menstrual periods, which are often characterized by minor accompanying symptoms.

2. Menopause: Menopause is the last menstrual period in a woman's sexually mature period. After that, no menstrual bleeding is caused by the ovaries. Statistically, this phase begins in women at the age of 51.

3. Post menopause: As the name itself suggests, this phase occurs after menopause. It lasts about ten to 15 years and usually does not end until the age of 70, which is also known as senium (age).

4. Perimenopause: A sub-phase, the perimenopause, occurs during the menopause and the postmenopause, which usually encompasses the ages of 49 to 53.

If you summarize all phases, the maximum period for menopause is 10 to 15 years. Strong hormonal changes occur, which are responsible for discomfort or accompanying symptoms. Typical signs of menopause include around 70% hot flashes, over 50% sweats and at least 40% dizziness. Elevated blood pressure can also occur.

Nevertheless, there are also many women who are completely relieved of symptoms and do not notice their menopause physically or psychologically.

causes

The main cause of the Menopause are hormonal changes in the body of a sexually mature woman. The function and production of the ovaries declines around the age of 50. Ovulation stops, so that no female sex hormones (estrogens) can be formed.

After the last menstrual bleeding, which is also known as menopause, there is also a change in the hormonal balance through the brain. The brain produces more follicle-stimulating hormones, which belong to the gonadotropins. Since the estrogens produced by the ovaries are less and less present in the body, but the brain forms the above-mentioned new hormones to compensate for this, severe complaints (tiredness, palpitations, hot flashes) occur during the menopause until the body adapts to the new vital ones Has got used to hormones.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

During menopause, many women struggle with a wide variety of complaints. Suddenly hot flashes occur that spread from the face to the neck and upper body. In addition, some complain of dry mucous membranes in the genital area, which can lead to hidden infections or pain during intercourse.

Due to hormone fluctuations, nervousness, inner restlessness, listlessness or depressive moods can also occur. Furthermore, the cycle changes, that is, the menstrual periods lengthen or shorten, and some people have more bleeding than before.

Since the need for calories also decreases in middle age, weight gain can occur. A lot of exercise and a balanced diet help here. Hormone-dependent chest pain is also a symptom of menopause. This includes breast tenderness, which can be felt on one or both sides, pulling or stabbing pain in the chest or increased sensitivity to touch.

Bladder problems are also not uncommon during menopause, as the urethra and bladder lose their elasticity, which can make bladder closure more difficult. In addition, in middle age, the skin also changes, the hair begins to fall out and the nails become more brittle. Another possible symptom is a delay in the wound healing process, so skin lesions often take longer to heal.

Course of disease

The course of the Menopause can vary greatly from woman to woman. Above all, there are major differences in the period and in the intensity of the complaints. As already noted, menopause takes 10 to 15 years, i.e. between the ages of 45 and 70.

If there is no treatment by a gynecologist, the symptoms of menopause only decrease after about one to two years. Therefore, medical treatment should be sought, which can relieve numerous complaints with the help of hormone preparations. Typical symptoms such as nausea, headache, weight gain, cramps and stomach pain can be treated well here.

If the menopause is untreated, complications can occur in the form of bone loss (osteoporosis).

Complications

During menopause, the risk of cardiovascular disease, adult-onset diabetes, osteoporosis and breast cancer increases. Due to the lack of estrogen it can also happen that certain biochemical mechanisms of information transfer no longer function ideally. This leads to a reduced oxygen supply in the brain and, as a result, to forgetfulness, concentration disorders and restricted memory.

A falling estrogen level also means that certain messenger substances are no longer sufficiently produced. This leads to mood swings, restlessness, nervousness and irritability. Some women develop depression and other mental illnesses at this stage. In addition, sleep disorders usually occur.

In the long run, this leads to a state of exhaustion and the risk of cardiovascular disease also increases. A typical complication during menopause is hot flashes, which make you feel very unwell and occasionally panic attacks. Finally, sexual disorders can also occur during menopause.

As a result, the psychological complaints usually increase and the feeling of discomfort increases. When treating menopausal symptoms, complications can also occur - for example in the form of side effects caused by hormone therapy or the side effects of painkillers and sedatives.

When should you go to the doctor?

Menopause is a long process that causes discomfort in some women. Medical assistance is needed if complications arise or the menopausal symptoms become too severe. Women who enter menopause unusually early tell their gynecologist. An early drop in estrogen levels can promote various diseases. These include osteoporosis and arthritis. The doctor may need to prescribe additional hormones.

If bleeding suddenly occurs again, a visit to a doctor is recommended. The doctor must clarify whether the uterus is healthy. In individual cases, too much mucous membrane forms in the organ, which can lead to pain and bleeding. A routine gynecological check-up should be carried out at least every six months. With increasing age, additional appointments should be made, especially if the menopausal symptoms persist for a longer period of time.

Bone density measurements should also be carried out regularly from the age of 45. The values ​​are an indicator of osteoporosis and other diseases that can occur in connection with menopause. For some women, the symptoms are chronic and need constant review by a doctor. Alternative doctors can be called in if the symptoms are severe. The gynecologist may involve an alternative practitioner or refer the patient to a specialist clinic.

Treatment & Therapy

A treatment of the Menopause is not always necessary, as many women show little or no symptoms. Furthermore, menopause is not a disease per se, but a natural life process. Still, it can't hurt to get a medical exam to prevent potential complications.

However, women who suffer from severe symptoms during menopause should definitely consult a gynecologist to relieve their symptoms. As noted, the symptoms are caused by a lack of the hormone estrogen. So-called hormone therapy is used in medical treatment. The aim of this therapy is to compensate for hormonal disorders (hormone replacement therapy) and to alleviate symptoms at the beginning of the menopause. Complications such as bone loss (osteoporosis) should also be recognized and treated in good time.

The hormone therapy is particularly good at treating the stronger symptoms such as sweating and hot flashes. Despite these possibilities, the risks and side effects of these hormone treatments should not go unmentioned.

These include an increased risk of breast cancer or of having a stroke or heart attack. It therefore remains for the doctor and the patient to weigh up whether treatment is worthwhile or not.

In rather rare cases, the last menstrual period is disturbed during menopause. This may require an operation in which the uterus has to be removed.

The silver grape candle has proven itself as a natural and herbal remedy for menopause, which can alleviate the symptoms with the help of natural phytohormones. A lot of exercise and sport, as well as a balanced and healthy diet with lots of calcium and vitamin D help against numerous menopausal symptoms.

prevention

The Menopause in women there is basically no prevention, as they are a natural process in life. Nevertheless, the symptoms that can be associated with the menopause can be alleviated or prevented. This includes a timely examination and treatment by a gynecologist, a lot of sport and exercise throughout life, and a healthy and vitamin-rich diet with sufficient calcium.

Care should also be taken to ensure adequate sleep, little stress, and alcohol and smoking cessation. Mud baths, saunas and cold therapies can also have a supportive effect.

Aftercare

The fertility of women gradually decreases with age - this naturally. However, until the bleeding has stopped for twelve months, the possibility of pregnancy should still not be ruled out. Therefore, any contraceptive measures that have been started should be continued - until the end of the menopause. Various antidepressants can be used for depression during menopause.

If sleep disorders are present at the same time, these can also be treated with the right antidepressant. Postmenopausal women have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis due to their lower estrogen levels. The reduced bone density often leads to bone fractures - even with harmless falls.

For this reason, women in particular after the menopause should take enough vitamin D and calcium and have themselves checked at regular intervals. In addition, an increasing risk of cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks and strokes) can be assumed after menopause. In order to minimize this risk as much as possible, the focus should be on a balanced diet and sufficient exercise.

In this way, blood lipids can be kept in a good balance. Risk factors such as obesity and smoking should be avoided whenever possible. High blood pressure and existing diabetes mellitus should be optimally adjusted. Regular examinations by the gynecologist should also be mandatory in the postmenopause, including both PAP smears and mammograms.

You can do that yourself

In the course of menopause, some women experience symptoms that can have a major impact on the everyday life of those affected. In addition to medical treatment with hormone preparations or other medical methods, the symptoms can be alleviated through certain self-help measures.

In principle, the women concerned can receive help and information in special self-help groups or internet forums and exchange ideas with other affected persons. Exercise and exercise can help relieve symptoms in most cases.It is particularly advisable to learn certain relaxation techniques such as Reiki or yoga. This significantly improves the sleep quality of those affected. Kneipp pours help with sweats and hot flashes during menopause.

Another important factor is diet. This should ideally be rich in vitamins and low in fat. The unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, which can also be taken in the form of capsules, are of particular importance during menopause. On the other hand, diets and starvation diets are not advisable during menopause, as they increase the risk of osteoporosis. If necessary, it is also advisable to stop smoking.

For many women, menopause is a great psychological burden. Therefore, additional stress should definitely be reduced. On the other hand, short trips or spa stays can have a relaxing effect.