Menopause is a problem that all women will face at some point in their lives. Women, who were previously reluctant to talk about this issue, now want to be more informed about this important issue. They are reading and researching this subject.
1. What is menopause?
Menopause is a period that all women will experience. Just as there are periods of life such as infancy, adolescence and sexual maturity, menopause is one of them. Worldwide, the age of menopause is between 45-55 years. The age of menopause may vary among women. As a result of the studies, it is determined that the average age of menopause in Turkey is 46-48. The woman's last menstrual period definitely indicates menopause. Menopause is sometimes described as a “life change.” Menopause is a period of life that occurs when the ovaries stop producing estrogen. It lasts a lifetime.
Every woman is born with a fixed number of ovarian follicles. During menopause, the number of follicles in the ovaries decreases. Related to this, estrogen production also decreases. Over time, estrogen production stops completely and the ovaries shrink. Afterwards, the woman's menstrual cycle ends, meaning she loses her ability to reproduce. The origin of the word menopause is based on the Greek words mens (month) and pause (to stop). Menopause is defined by the World Health Organization as "the permanent cessation of the menstrual cycle as a result of the loss of activity of the ovaries."
2. Physical Changes Seen with Menopause
As metabolism slows down with menopause, weight control becomes difficult. Reasons such as changes in eating habits and decreased daily movement also affect this situation. The majority of women who have reached menopause have put their home and work lives in order, and therefore their activities decrease. For this reason, a woman who has entered menopause can gain weight more easily than she did 5-10 years ago. Additionally, in case of excessive stress during this period, it triggers the release of cortisol and makes weight control difficult. Hot flashes and night sweats are the most common symptoms. There may be complaints of insomnia and restlessness. These may last a few months - a few years. sweating er and hot flashes often radiate to the face, neck and upper chest. Palpitations, depression, loss of sexual desire, vaginal dryness, joint and muscle pain may be present.
During menopause, changes occur in the skin associated with estrogen deficiency. The most important of these changes are skin thinning and loss of elasticity. Skin thinning is felt especially in the facial area, and a corresponding increase in wrinkles is observed. Before menopause, women produce both testosterone and estrogen. During this period, estrogen level is higher than testosterone level. Testosterone produced in the female body is converted into the "dehydrotestosterone" hormone by the 5 alpha reductase enzyme. This hormone is the main cause of female pattern baldness. Hair loss is commonly observed in this type of baldness, which is different from baldness seen in men. Hair loss occurs in two-thirds of women during menopause. In some cases, only thinning of the hair is observed.
3. Which Symptoms Are Signs of Menopause?
Irregular menstrual bleeding that varies in amount and duration may be an indicator. Hot flashes, sweats, and insomnia may occur. The severity of complaints may vary from woman to woman. There are also women who do not have such findings. Hormone tests can determine whether menopause is present or not.
4. How Long Do Menopause Symptoms Last?
Menopause begins approximately between the ages of 42 and 45, and physical complaints usually last for a maximum of 8 to 10 years. Typical complaints often appear for only a few years. However, the consequences of long-term estrogen deficiency (bone loss and increased heart disease rhythm, vaginal dryness, etc.) last a lifetime.
5. What is Osteoporosis?
It is the thinning of the bones due to the decrease in estrogen. The decrease in bone density increases the tendency for fractures. Wrist, hip and spine are the bones that are most commonly fractured due to osteoporosis. Post-menopausal osteoporosis occurs in 1/3 of women.
Bone osteoporosis can be prevented in those who have a balanced diet, do not smoke and exercise. However, sometimes this is insufficient. In those with high risk, hormone replacement therapy and bone building enhancing medication may be required. Calcium deficiency diet, smoking, alcohol, exercise A sedentary lifestyle is a risk for osteoporosis. White or Asian women who are petite, thin and have little fat filling are at higher risk for osteoporosis.
6. Changes in the Urinary Tract in Menopause
Changes in the urinary tract may occur in menopause. General or local estrogen therapy is given. Symptoms such as vaginal dryness, itching, recurrent vaginal infections, vaginal discharge, pain during sexual intercourse, pain during urination, burning, frequent urination require local intravaginal estrogen treatment.
7.Sexual life in menopause
As the vaginal walls become thinner, pain occurs during sexual intercourse. This may reduce sexual desire. However, the absence of fear of pregnancy can also increase sexual desire. The amount of vaginal fluid decreases with menopause. Sexual desire may decrease due to dryness, burning and pain. Estrogen-based local medications are applied for the treatment of vaginal dryness. The spouse also has great support in regulating sexual life.
8. Can you get pregnant during menopause?
You can get pregnant during hormone replacement therapy during menopause. These drugs have no contraceptive effect. Only if a year or even two years have passed since your last menstrual period can it be concluded that you are no longer fertile.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) means estrogen supplementation. During the treatment process, the patient is regularly given medications containing estrogen and progesterone. Hormone therapy is carried out to reduce diseases such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, which increase with menopause. The treatment is also good for symptoms such as hot flashes, sweating, palpitations and fatigue, which are common in most women during menopause. HRT prevents bone loss due to menopause and helps increase bone mass. In addition to the positive effect of the treatment on sexual life, it also plays an effective role in reducing dry mouth, bad taste and tooth decay.
9. What are the checks that need to be done during menopause?
Routine breast checks, bone checks, routine blood tests, ultrasound checks should be done whether or not medication is taken during menopause.
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