What is menopause?

Menopause is considered to be a milestone in the life of every woman. The entire woman’s life is marked by hormonal changes. It appears that it’s all about one hormone, estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone that makes women feminine. It affects their fertility, secondary sexual characteristics, skin, hair, skeletal system, cardiovascular system etc. The reproductive period of women starts from puberty and the first menstruation and lasts until menopause.

Menopause is the period in which the last menstrual bleeding appears due to reduced ovarian function preceded by a period of irregular cycles (also known as oligomenorrhea) or short menstruation.

Perimenopause is a period that usually lasts between three or five years before the actual menopause occurs. It is characterized by changes in the frequency and intensity of menstrual bleeding. During this period, women also experience insomnia and sweating, but the periods without menstruation don’t exceed more than three months. This period is limited to one year from the last regular menstruation. The time of beginning of menopause depends on the individual. Doctors have found that there is a correlation between the duration of the cycle and the beginning of menopause. If the cycle lasts less than 26 days, the menopause will start a little bit earlier (when the woman is 49 years old), but if the cycle is longer than 33 days, the menopause will start later (52 years). Some other external factors like smoking, regular alcohol consumption can speed up the onset of menopause due to their hypoxic effect on the ovaries.

The symptoms and signs of menopause are numerous. The best known is amenorrhea, the most obvious sign of the reduced function of ovaries. Women can also experience night sweats, hot flashes, arrhythmia, tachycardia, mood swings, vaginal dryness, insomnia, skin damage etc.

Hot flashes are very unpleasant and periodic symptoms. They are described as immediate period of sweating and palpitations, followed by redness of the face, chest and neck and anxiety which occurs under the influence of the rapid rise of adrenaline. They last for a few minutes and can occur dozens of times during one day. Sleep disorders and insomnia, are also the result of estrogen deficiency. They are followed by anxiety, depression, lack of concentration, decreased libido and irritability. In addition, the skin starts to get thinner and the elastic fibers deteriorate. When women are in the so-called reproductive period, a part of the cholesterol is spent in the synthesis of estrogen. Since there is no synthesis during menopause and after this period, cholesterol goes into the bloodstream and begins to be deposited on the walls of blood vessels resulting in atherosclerosis which ultimately leads to an increased incidence of myocardial infarction.

It is important to understand that menopause is a natural change and doesn’t require treatment, but some symptoms can complicate everyday life. For starters, try to practice healthy living habits (stop smoking, exercise, avoid caffeine and alcohol). If this doesn’t result in positive changes, consult your doctor about the introduction of hormone therapy.