I am using this medium to reach out to our women, especially, the older ones that are getting ready for another stage of life called MENOPAUSE.Before i proceed to the subject matter, let me tell you a story to usher us into the point of discussion. A woman called Mrs Briggs came for counselling in my office, literally drenched! It was a very bright monday morning, with neither signs of heaviness in the skies, nor fallen rains. Yet she was soaked!.On entering, she was immediately offered scores of hand fans and cardboards with some of the junior colleagues, volunteering themselves as manual propellers of the varied fans. It was later revealed that Mrs. Briggs, who is in her mid-fifties, was merely undergoing and manifesting some of the unavoidable symptoms of the menopausal age!. This incidence has developed a curiosity in me which made me to research on this inevitable stage of a woman's life called MENOPAUSE.

What is Menopause?

In my own word, menopause refers to the natural stopage of a woman's monthly menstrual cycles. This means that one can say a woman has entered her "menopause" when it is more than 1 year since her last menstrual period. A menstrual cycle is the regular natural change that occur in the female reproductive system (specifically the uterus and ovaries) that makes pregnancy possible and menstrual period (menstruation) is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina.

_{Menstrual cycle BY Chris 73 - CC BY 3.0, link}

Therefore, when there is a long term halt in menstruation for a woman, she can begin to think of menopause.

Menopause is the period in a woman's life when the function of the ovaries ceases. When a woman does not have a menstrual period for more than 12 consecutive months, she is said to be in menopause. By the time a woman reaches this stage in her life, her ovaries have stopped producing eggs and she is no longer fertile
source

The average age of menopause is 51 years old, but menopause may occur as early as the 30s or as late as the 60s source

The cessation of periods and the loss of fertility that accompany natural menopause are not in themselves troubling for most women. By the time menstruation stops, the majority of women have raised their children, and not having to worry about monthly periods can actually be quite liberating.

Unfortunately, manopause is also associated with numerous troubling symptoms, which persist for years in some cases. These symptoms are thought to be caused by changes in the body's progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen level source

The most common symptoms of menopause are hot flashes and night sweats. It's estimated that between 75 and 85 percent of women will experience them. Weight gain, specifically in the abdominal area, is also quite common. These are just two of the literally dozens of possible menopause symptoms. Others include: digestion problems, headaches, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, loss of libido, mood swings, fatigue, forgetfulness, and bloating.

Thirty five Signs and Symptoms of Menopause

Thirty five symptoms seems like a lot, but you may not be experiencing them all at the same time. This list was developed by women who have experienced some of these symptoms. If you suspect you are going through menopause, please seek advice from your medical doctor who can help you with treatment options and give you more information about what your body is going through and why.

_{Symptoms of menopause BY Mikael Häggström - CC BY 3.0, link}

1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats, cold sweats, clammy feelings

2. Irregular heartbeat

3. Irritability

4. Mood swings, sudden tears

5. Disrupted sleep (may include night sweats )

6. Irregular periods (periods may be lighter, shorter, heavier. You may experience phantom periods, shorter cycles or longer cycles)

7. Lack of interest in sex

8. Dry vagina

9. Extreme fatigue

10. Anxiety or nervousness

11. Feeling of dreaded or doom

12. Difficulty concentration, disorientation or mental confusion

13. Disturbing memory lapses

14. Incontinence with sneezing or laughing

15. Itchy skin

16. Body aches, sore joints and muscles

17. Tense muscles

18. Breast tenderness

19. Increase or decrease in headaches

20. Indigestion, gas, gas pain, nausea

21. Sudden bouts of bloat

22. Depression

23. Exacerbation of current symptoms

24. Increase of allergies

25. Weight gain

26. Hair loss or thinning hair (head, pubic or entire body); increase in facial hair

27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance

28. Electric shock sensation under the skin or in the head

29. Changes in normal body odor

30. Tingling in the hands and feet

31. Gum problems with increased bleeding

32. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor

33. Osteoporosis

34. Changes in fingernails (may be softer, cracked or may break easier)

35. Tinnitus (ringing ears, bells, whooshing, buzzing etc,)

Conditions that can cause early menopause

Certain medical and surgical conditions can influence the timing of menopause, such conditions are:

1. The surgical removal of the ovaries (oophorectomy) in an ovulating woman will result in an immediate menopause, sometimes termed a surgical or induced menopause

_{View of Abdominal surgery BY Fullerton, Anna M. - CC BY 3.0, link}

1. Chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy depending upon the type and location of the cancer and its treatment can result in menopause if given to an ovulating woman

2. Premature ovarian failure (an occurrence of menopause before the age of 40), though very rare may influence the timing of menopause.

Before i conclude, did you know that many women at the edge of menopause are found to be more concerned on the treatment in case of the occurence of these conditions?

Anyway, let me first remind us that menopause is a natural process and requires no medical treatments. Instead, treatments focus on relieving the signs and symptoms; and preventing or managing chronic conditions that may occur with aging. Such treatments that was explained in details here can reduce the severity and frequency of severe conditions such as menopausal hot flashes, vaginal dryness, seizures, osteoporosis etc

Please consult your Medical Doctor for guidance on all health related issues

All Images Used In This Article, Are Linked To The Respective Owners

Thank you for reading

|References|

wikipedia

medicinenet

healthline

medicalnewstoday

medlineplus

menopause

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