Mood swings, short-term memory loss, and difficulty thinking straight are common complaints from midlife women. However, while many of these symptoms are attributed to menopause, there are other contributing factors to consider as well.

Hormones:During reproductive years, most women become accustomed to their own hormonal rhythm. When this rhythm is disrupted during perimenopause, mood changes may result.

Timing:The timing of menopause may coincide with a multitude of midlife stresses like relationship issues, divorce or widowhood, care of young children, struggles with adolescents, return of grown children to the home, being childless, concerns about aging parents and caregiving responsibilities, as well as career and education issues...

Full story

Dear readers,

Twenty-five years ago, The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) was founded on the principle that women like youdeserve the most scientifically accurate and up-to-date information. We are so proud to have provided the best in womens health research and education to tens of thousands of women. Hopefully, we have helped you.

We have never asked for a donation, but providing this level of support is costly. I hope you will consider helping us in any way you can.Your contribution will allow us to continue theimportant work we do to make the lives of women healthier and better.Adonation of $100 or morewill getyou a free copy of our Menopause Guidebook.

Tara Allmen, MD, FACOG, NCMP President The North American Menopause Society Foundation

See the original post:
Menopause Information, About Menopause | The North ...

The http://www.YourMenopauseType.com website has been merged into http://www.YourHormones.com.

Menopause&Your Menopause TypeMenopause is a time of transition and change in a womans life that results in permanent ending of reproductive fertility and the end of monthly menstrual cycles. This change typically occurs when a woman is in her late 40s to early 50s. By definition, menopause is recognized when a woman hasn't menstruated for 12 months. If a woman misses a few periods, then has a period, then menopause is not considered to have taken place until 12 months after that last period. The hormonal changes that occur with menopause can be different in each woman. In some women estrogen levels drop dramatically, in other women the estrogen drop is not as severe and may actually stay adequate enough to be beneficial for the rest of the womans life. The same can occur with progesterone, it may become quite low, or it may remain adequate enough to be of benefit to the woman even though she will no longer have the higher amounts of progesterone that happen in the second half of the month. Likewise, testosterone levels can become low. In some women the testosterone can actually become elevated. These different possibilities of hormone changes were first presented in my book Discover Your Menopause Type. Before discussing the different types, lets focus on the transition and change. Perimenopause is the time around menopause. It includes the 12 months that have to pass before we can say that menopause has taken place. In addition, it can also include those years leading up to menopause where symptoms related to menopause start to appear. During perimenopause a woman may start to experience hot flashes, night sweats, changes in sleep, mood changes or other symptoms for over a year or even years - before her menses even starts to change. During this time of transition, hormone production and hormone function is very variable. Months of severe symptoms may be followed by months that are symptom free. The menses can become quite irregular, with some cycles becoming shorter and some becoming longer. So during perimenopause a woman who has always had 28 day cycles may start to have shorter cycles and or longer cycles. Perimenopause can last from as little as the 12 months required to make the determination that menopause has actually taken place as long as five years of irregular cycles and fluctuating symptoms. A woman is in perimenopause until she has not menstruated for 12 months. The various possibilities of hormone changes typically become more evident during perimenopause. For instance, some women start to notice the increasing testosterone and will have acne and oily skin appear, while others experience a dramatic drop of testosterone and experience decreased motivation and a loss of libido. The perimenopause is when the uniqueness of hormonal changes becomes manifest. It is the time to start using the protocols based on each Menopause Type.

Postmenopause is 12 months after the last menstrual cycle. So, if it has been 12 months and one day since her last menses, then a woman is, by definition, postmenopause. Menopause is what happened 12 months ago. She can now say, I went through menopause a year ago. A postmenopause woman can still experience hot flashes, night sweats, changes in sleep, mood changes or other symptoms for many years after menopause has occurred. The intensity of symptoms will vary depending upon which hormones changed, and how much those hormones have changed. It is very important that a woman identify which hormone changes have taken place and what her new hormone pattern is. Does she still have enough progesterone, but low estrogen and low testosterone? Different hormone changes are associated with different symptoms and different risks for disease. The hormone patterns that occur will have an effect on a womans health and quality of life for the rest of her life. My book Discover Your Menopause Type was written to promote personalized and individualized care of women. A one-size-fits-all approach to menopause is never a good idea.

Personalized healthcare requires that every one-size-fits-all model be rejected. This is never truer than in menopause. By rejecting a one-size-fits-all model of menopause we are left with a new definition of menopause and a wider range of therapies. Even beyond hormones we realize that each woman has a need, and a right, to determine how she will manage her menopause. Her choices may include diet, other lifestyle choices, nutrition, herbs, etc. By recognizing that each woman has a different hormone needs, as well as different nutritional needs, we redefine menopause and the management of menopause as follows:

"Menopause is a transition that may show up in many different ways.There are actually 12 different Menopause Types.Treat each woman according to her own Menopause Type.Treatment choices must include diet, lifestyle, nutrition,herbs, hormone precursors and natural hormones." by Joseph J. Collins, RN, ND

How much can menopause vary from woman to woman?In menopause we now recognize that some women may have low estradiol, while others continue to always have adequate amounts of estradiol. We also recognize that while some women truly are deficient in progesterone, other women continue to always have adequate amounts of progesterone. We also realize that while some women have testosterone deficiency, and others have adequate amounts of testosterone, there are some women who have excessive testosterone levels. These various patterns are discussed in Discover Your Menopause Type. These patterns can persist into the seventh decade of life and beyond.

In menopause there are a number of possibilities:

Estradiol & progesterone are both adequate. Estradiol is deficient. Progesterone is deficient. Estradiol & progesterone are both deficient.

Add to those four possibilities the fact that:

Testosterone may be normal. Testosterone may be low. Testosterone may be high.

To Discover Your Menopause Type:Take the Menopause Type Questionnairenow (free).

By reviewing the chart below, you can see the twelve Menopause Typesas well as the Hormone Specific Formulations that are best for eachMenopause Type.Click on the chart below to go to the 12 Menopause Type Protocols.

The 12 Menopause Types

The management of menopause first required recognizing what Menopause Type a woman is experiencing. Treatment choices must include diet, lifestyle, nutrition, herbs, hormone precursors and natural hormones. For herbal therapies, specific hormone health formulations can address the primary hormone imbalances of each Menopause Type. Secondary hormone health imbalances such as poor thyroid function, and/or poor insulin/glucose function can be also be addressed by hormone health formulations designed for those dysfunctions.

For more information on natural approaches to menopause and on how to cutomize treatment choices please see: Protocols for each menopause type and the protocols for specific menopause symptoms.

Here is the original post:
Menopause Types | Your Hormones

What Is Menopause?

Menopause is a normal condition that all women experience as they age. The term "menopause" can describe any of the changes a woman goes through either just before or after she stops menstruating, marking the end of her reproductive period.

A woman is born with a finite number of eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. The ovaries also make the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which control menstruation and ovulation. Menopause happens when the ovaries no longer release an egg every month and menstruation stops.

Menopause is considered a normal part of aging when it happens after the age of 40. But some women can go through menopause early, either as a result of surgery, such as hysterectomy, or damage to the ovaries, such as from chemotherapy. Menopause that happens before 40, regardless of the cause, is called premature menopause.

Natural menopause is not brought on by any type of medical or surgical treatment. The process is gradual and has three stages:

Premature menopause can be the result of genetics, autoimmune disorders, or medical procedures. Other conditions that may cause early menopause include:

See more here:
What Is Menopause? Causes, Symptoms, What Happens

Treatment may include lifestyle changes or hormone therapy. Treatment depends on many factors such as:

HORMONE THERAPY

Hormone therapy may help if you have severe hot flashes, night sweats, mood issues, or vaginal dryness. Hormone therapy is treatment with estrogen and, sometimes, progesterone.

Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of hormone therapy. Your doctor should be aware of your entire medical and family history before prescribing hormone therapy (HT).

Several major studies have questioned the health benefits and risks of hormone therapy, including the risk of developing breast cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots.

Current guidelines support the use of HT for the treatment of hot flashes. Specific recommendations:

To reduce the risks of estrogen therapy, your doctor may recommend:

Women who still have a uterus (that is, have not had surgery to remove it for any reason) should take estrogen combined with progesterone to prevent cancer of the lining of the uterus (endometrial cancer).

ALTERNATIVES TO HORMONE THERAPY

There are other medicines that can help with mood swings, hot flashes, and other symptoms. These include:

DIET AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Lifestyle steps you can take to reduce menopause symptoms include:

Diet changes:

Exercise and relaxation techniques:

Other tips:

More here:
Menopause: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Menopause Menopause Overview

Menopause, the time when a woman stops having menstrual periods, is not a disease or an illness. It is a transition between two phases of a woman's life.

Many women experience a variety of symptoms as a result of the hormonal changes associated with the transition through menopause. Around the time of menopause, women often lose bone density and their blood cholesterol levels may worsen, increasing their risk of heart disease.

Premature menopause: The average age of U.S. women at the time of menopause is 51 years. The most common age range at which women experience menopause is 48-55 years. If menopause occurs in a woman younger than 40 years, it is considered to be premature. Menopause is considered late if it occurs in a woman older than 55 years. For most women, menopause is a normal occurrence.

Perimenopause: The hormonal changes associated with menopause actually begin prior to the last menstrual period, during a three to five year period called the perimenopause. During this transition, women may begin to experience menopausal symptoms and may lose bone density, even though they are still menstruating.

Surgical menopause: Surgical menopause is menopause induced by the removal of the ovaries. Women who have had surgical menopause often have a sudden and severe onset of the symptoms of menopause.

Menopause occurs due to a complex series of hormonal changes. Associated with the menopause is a decline in the number of functioning eggs within the ovaries. At the time of birth, most females have about 1 to 3 million eggs, which are gradually lost throughout a woman's life. By the time of a girl's first menstrual period, she has an average of about 400,000 eggs. By the time of menopause, a woman may have fewer than 10,000 eggs. A small percentage of these eggs are lost through normal ovulation (the monthly cycle). Most eggs die off through a process called atresia (the degeneration and subsequent resorption of immature ovarian follicles - fluid filled cysts that contain the eggs).

Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 5/9/2014

Continued here:
Menopause: Click for Symptoms and Home Remedies

According to theNational Institute on Aging, the average onset of menopause in the United States is age 51, but the normal range is between ages 45 and 55. Some women enter this stage of life before the age of 40. This is calledpremature menopause. Many different factors can cause premature menopause, such as:

Although menopause is a completely natural stage of a womans life cycle and not a disease, a series of uncomfortable physical and emotional symptoms usually accompany it. Various forms of treatment can typically lessen these symptoms.

From the time a woman begins puberty until she enters menopause, she generally has a period around the same time every month. Of course, irregular periods happen from time to time. Pregnancy and other medical conditions interrupt your period.

During the first half of a womans normal menstrual cycle, the ovaries, two glands located on either side of the uterus, produce higher levels of the hormone estrogen. This causes the lining of the uterus to thicken to prepare for possible pregnancy. An egg in one of the ovaries also starts to mature during this time.

On day 14 of a womans menstrual cycle, the mature egg is released in a process known as ovulation. After the egg is released, the ovaries make more of the hormone progesterone. If the egg is not fertilized, the levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease, leading the body to shed the lining of the uterus. This causes a period.

As a woman approaches menopause, her ovaries produce less estrogen, which can cause irregular periods. The term menopause is defined as a womans last menstrual cycle. After a womans final period, a year without further periods confirms the permanent cessation of fertility.

Menopause is defined by three stages. These stages happen over a series of months or even years.

Perimenopause begins several years before menopause, when a woman is still having periods. A womans hormone levels may rise and fall because the ovaries are gradually producing less estrogen. This change can cause hot flashes or other symptoms. Periods will become irregular and may be shorter, longer, lighter, or heavier. This stage can last four to five years or longer, until your period stops and menopause begins. Although its possible to get pregnant during this time, its unlikely.

A woman enters menopause when it has been 12 months since her last period. At this point, her ovaries have stopped releasing eggs. Production of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone significantly decreases. This stage indicates an end to fertility.

The years following menopausal changes in a womans body are called postmenopause. During this time, symptoms like night sweats and hot flashes ease for most women.

Most women go through menopause without complications. They may experience negative symptoms, but these are normal and to be expected. While some women have an easy menopause with few side effects, others have more difficult symptoms.

Conventional and alternative treatment methods are available to lessen these symptoms and ease the transition period. There are many avenues for relief: from hormone replacement therapy to herbs and stress reduction techniques. By talking with your doctor about menopause, you can decide what, if any, treatment is right for you.

Continued here:
Menopause - Healthline

The menopause can cause a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms.

The first symptom is usually a change in the pattern of your monthly periods.

The start of the menopause is known as the perimenopausal stage, during which you may have light or heavy periods (menorrhagia).

The frequency of your periods may also be affected. You may have one every two or three weeks, or you may not have one for months at a time.

Other menopausal symptoms include:

It's difficult to predict how long the menopause will last because it affects each woman differently.

The severity of symptoms and the overallduration of the menopause will vary depending on a number of factors including genetics, lifestyle, diet, stress and overall health.

The perimenopause (the initial stage) may only last for a few months or for some women it may continue for as long as 10 years. The average duration of the perimenopause is around four years.The perimenopause ends when a woman has gone 12 months without having a period.

Vaginal symptoms, such as dryness, can sometimes persist and get worse with age.

If you experience the menopause suddenly, rather than gradually, your symptoms may be worse.

The rest is here:
Menopause - Symptoms - NHS Choices

Reviewed byDrJeniWorden, GP

The menopause, also called the change of life, is defined as the end of the last menstrual period.

In Western women, it occurs on average at 51 years, but there's a wide range extending from your 30s to 60s.

Going through the menopause before the age of 40 is known as premature menopause and between 41 and 45 as early menopause.

The menopause occurs when the ovaries no longer respond to the controlling hormones released by the pituitary gland of the brain.

As a result, the ovaries fail to release an egg each month and to produce the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone.

It is the fall in the levels of these hormones in the bloodstream that gives rise to the symptoms of menopause.

Research into the menopause is relatively recent. One hundred years ago, when life expectancy was shorter, most women did not live long after the menopause and so little was known about it.

Many women experience symptoms of the menopause and irregular periods for several years up to the menopause itself.

This is called the climacteric, or 'perimenopause', and represents the gradual decline in the normal function of the ovaries.

See the rest here:
The menopause - Netdoctor

Menopause Overview

In addition to dealing with hot flashes, mood swings, and other symptoms that accompany menopause, many women undergoing premature menopause have to cope with additional physical and emotional concerns.

Prematuremenopauseismenopausethat happens before the age of 40 whether it is natural or induced. Women who enter menopause early get symptoms similar to those of natural menopause, likehot flashes, emotional problems,vaginal dryness, and decreasedsex drive.

Menopauseis the end of a woman's menstrual cycle andfertility. It happens when the ovaries no longer makeestrogenandprogesterone, two hormones needed for a woman's fertility, and periods have stopped for 1 year.

Discuss these frequently asked questions and answers about menopause with your doctor.

The term "menopause" is commonly used to describe any of the changes a woman experiences either just before or after she stops menstruating, marking the end of her reproductive period.

Menopausesimply means the end ofmenstruationfor one year. As a woman ages, there is a gradual decline in the function of her ovaries and the production ofestrogen.

Some women experience induced menopause as a result of surgery or medical treatments, such as chemotherapy and pelvic radiation therapy.

If menopausal symptoms occur, they may include hot flashes, night sweats, pain during intercourse, increased anxiety or irritability, and the need to urinate more often.

Loss of estrogen is believed to be the cause of many of the symptoms associated with menopause.

Read the original here:
Menopause - Symptoms and Types of Menopause - from WebMD

Introduction

Menopause, is when a woman stops menstruating and can no longer get pregnant, which is a natural event, not a disease or illness. However, for some women the physical and emotional symptoms can be difficult.

Menopause involves hormonal changes that may cause physical symptoms; the ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone, the female sex hormones, and estrogen levels decline over several years. That decline can cause:

For some women, menopause may bring on feelings of sadness. However, it is important to remember that menopause does not mean an end to your sexuality, or that you are any less feminine. In fact, some women find the years after menopause to be a time of freedom, when they no longer have to think about having a period or becoming pregnant.

Today, an estimated 50 million women in the United States have reached menopause. Most women will spend at least one-third of their lives in or beyond menopause.

Technically, menopause is considered complete when a woman has not had a period for an entire year. On average, menopause occurs at age 51, but it varies from person to person. Because menopause is a process that happens over several years, it is divided into two phases:

Another type of menopause, known as surgical menopause, happens if both ovaries are removed for medical reasons. This may be done if you have a hysterectomy, the removal of the uterus.

After menopause, women lose the protective effects of estrogen and are at increased risk for osteoporosis and heart disease. There are a variety of treatments available, however, to help ease the symptoms and reduce health risks associated with menopause.

Symptoms of menopause vary from woman to woman. Some studies suggest that the signs and symptoms of menopause may vary between cultural groups. For example, up to 80% of American women experience hot flashes while only 10% of Japanese women have that symptom. Some researchers think that may be due to differences in diet, lifestyle, or cultural attitudes toward aging.

The following are general symptoms of menopause:

See the rest here:
Menopause | University of Maryland Medical Center

Menopause facts Menopause is defined as the absence of menstrual periods for 12 months. It is the time in a woman's life when the function of the ovaries ceases. The process of menopause does not occur overnight, but rather is a gradual process. This so-called perimenopausal transition period is a different experience for each woman. The average age of menopause is 51 years old, but menopause may occur as early as the 30s or as late as the 60s. There is no reliable lab test to predict when a woman will experience menopause. The age at which a woman starts having menstrual periods is not related to the age of menopause onset. Symptoms of menopause can include abnormal vaginal bleeding, hot flashes, vaginal and urinary symptoms, and mood changes. Complications that women may develop after menopause include osteoporosis and heart disease. Treatments for menopause are customized for each woman. Treatments are directed toward alleviating uncomfortable or distressing symptoms. Continue Reading

1/13

Medscape. The 2012 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society.

Medscape. The Role of Soy Isoflavones in Menopausal Health.

Rossouw JE; Anderson GL; Prentice RL et al. Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy postmenopausal women: principal results From the Women's Health Initiative randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2002 Jul 17;288(3):321-33.

IMAGES:

1. iStock

2. MedicineNet

3. iStock

4. Getty Images

Excerpt from:
Menopause Symptoms, Perimenopause, and Treatment

Comedy lynette sheppard

Lisa Hartman generously allowed me to reprint her fabulous, funny essay about the Big M. It reads like she was at our first Menopause Goddess gathering. Enjoy!

Open Letter to Women A Change is Gonna Come by Lisa Hartman

You are not, or were not, prepared. It is likely that your body, without your knowledge or consent, will, or already has begun to, upend your perception of yourself and the universe. It will, or already does, suck.

They prepare you for your drivers test, your SAT. There is a plethora of relationship and sex advice. How to cook, garden, use your computer, parent. Classes and books, whole sections of libraries and bookstores devoted to unraveling the mysteries of life. Why, then, the dearth of guidance and information when it comes to mid-life the change that more than half the population will face? Oh, sure, its out there books, articles, even talk shows will address peri/menopause but the event, rather, the slow unfolding process, is a sneak attack in our youth-obsessed culture. You dont seek information or educate yourself before the fact, when it could help you. No, you seek it at 3 am, in a panic, and devour it in the hope that something, anything, can save you now. No one will prepare you, and on the eve of your commitment, your mother will say, Now that you mention it, it was difficult at times. I do remember crying for days on end. Thanks for the heads up, Ma.

The female body is an amazing piece of work. It has ferried you this far, with its cycles, its ebb and flow. Perhaps it has given you children, the miracle of life, and nourished them. You have nurtured and loved, children or not, and built a life on the foundation of this body. A brilliant machine I get it. But what is all this noise about intelligent design? Really? There is intelligence in these screaming, chaotic hormonal fluctuations? Intelligence in the crippling of my sanity? Sometimes, it seems more like a freshman design project. At a party school.

Here is what will happen:

Your teen daughter will look at you, hand on cocked hip, head in that Girlfriend?! tilt. Eye rolling will increase, as will stomping and slamming. You cant blame her, of course she is having her own design issues at the moment and you are useless.

Your young adult sons will also look at you, as if you have sprouted a third eye. Then they will leave. You will weep and gnash your teeth, like a madwoman, in spite of the fact that their departure makes your life much easier. All reason has fled.

Your husband will be a rock. He will shop and cook and still love you. You will catch him, however, muttering, rolling his own eyes and blowing air. It will really piss you off.

View post:
Menopause Goddess Blog

The menopause, sometimes referred to as the "change of life", isthe end of menstruation.

This is where a woman's ovaries stop producing an egg every four weeks. She no longer has monthlyperiods and is unlikely to get pregnant.

In the UK,51 is the average age for a woman to reach the menopause, although some women experience the menopause intheir 30s or40s.

If you experience the menopause before the age of 40, it's known asa premature menopause.

Menstruation (monthly periods) cansometimes stop suddenly when you reachthe menopause. However, it's more likely that your periods will become less frequent, with longer intervals between each one, before they stop altogether.

The menopause is caused by a change in the balance of the body's sex hormones.

In the lead-up to the menopause, known as the perimenopause, oestrogen levels decrease, causingthe ovaries to stop producing an egg each month (ovulation). Oestrogen is the female sex hormone that regulates a woman's periods.

Read more aboutwhat causes the menopause.

The reduction inoestrogen causes physical and emotional symptoms, including:

Read more about the symptoms of the menopause.

Follow this link:
Menopause - NHS Choices

What is the menopause?

Strictly speaking, the menopause is your last menstrual period. However, most women think of the menopause as the time of life leading up to, and after, their last period. In reality, your periods don't just stop. First they tend to become less frequent. It can take several years for a woman to go through the menopause completely. Women are said to have gone through the menopause (be postmenopausal) when they have not had a period at all for one year.

A natural menopause occurs because as you get older your ovaries stop producing eggs and make less oestrogen (the main female hormone). The average age of the menopause in the UK is 51. Your menopause is said to be early if it occurs before the age of 45 and premature if it occurs before the age of 40 years. Early menopause is uncommon.

There are certain things that may cause an early menopause. For example:

Early menopause and premature menopause are not discussed in detail in this leaflet

The menopause is a natural event. Every woman will go through it at some point. You may have no problems. However, it is common to develop one or more symptoms which are due to the low level of oestrogen. About 8 out of 10 women will develop menopausal symptoms at some point.

These short-term symptoms only last for a few months in some women. However, for others they can continue for a few years after their last period:

Your doctor can usually diagnose the menopause by your typical symptoms. Hormone blood tests are not usually needed to confirm that you are going through the menopause. However, they may be helpful in some cases. For example, if your doctor suspects that you are going through an early menopause, or if you have had a previous hysterectomy (and so are no longer having periods), or if you are not experiencing typical symptoms of the menopause.

Without treatment, the short-term symptoms discussed above last for 2-5 years in most women. In some women they may last longer. HRT is available to ease the symptoms of the menopause. It has benefits and risks, which are discussed below.

There are treatments other than HRT for menopausal symptoms. As a rule, they are not as effective as HRT, but may help relieve some symptoms. (See separate leaflet called Menopause - Alternatives to HRTfor details of menopausal symptom treatments other than HRT, which are not mentioned further here.)

Read more here:
Menopause and HRT - symptoms and signs. The average ...

Many women experience some physical and emotional symptoms during menopause, caused by hormonal imbalance. Typically, a woman will begin to experience menopause symptoms around her mid-40's as her body's reproductive capability comes to the end.

This prolonged stage of gradually falling and fluctuating hormone levels is called perimenopause, which can last upwards of two years before a woman's final period. For most women, perimenopause symptoms end at menopause; however, some symptoms will continue.

http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com was designed to guide women through the menopausal transition with knowledge, ease, and peace of mindmenopause. It contains helpful information about menopause treatments and practical suggestions for relieving menopause symptoms.

Women can look here for expert advice on any of the 34 menopause symptoms, whether it be hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, loss of libido, and vaginal dryness, or any other.

1

Hot flashes, also known as hot flushes, are a sudden, transient sensation of warmth or heat that spreads over the body, creating a flushing, or redness, that is particularly noticeable on the face and upper body. The experience of hot flashes can range between delicate flushes and a sensation of engulfing flames.

Hot flashes result from the body's reaction to a decreased supply of the hormone estrogen, which occurs naturally as women approach menopause. Not all women experience hot flashes, but more than half do. For some women, estrogen production decreases gradually, producing fewer hot flashes. But for others, the ovaries stop estrogen production more abruptly; for these women, hot flashes can be a rollercoaster ride. About 75 to 85% of American women are estimated to experience hot flashes during menopause.

Postmenopausal women are still at risk for enduring the pains of menopause. Certain symptoms, such as hot flashes, are highly common. Hot flashes can be extremely disruptive and may continue well into the later years of life. Women must learn how to recognize and manage this unfortunate persistent symptom of growing older.

2

Night sweats are classified as severe hot flashes that occur during sleep accompanied by intense bouts of sweating. Also known as sleep hyperhidrosis, night sweats aren't actually a sleep disorder, but a common perspiration disorder that occurs during sleep in menopausal women. These episodes of nighttime sweating can range in severity from mild to intense, and can be caused by hormonal imbalance combined with environmental factors, such as an excessively warm sleeping environment.

More:
34 Menopause Symptoms

Home > Menopause > Menopause symptom relief and treatments

Most women do not need treatment of menopausal symptoms. Some women find that their symptoms go away by themselves, and some women just don't find the symptoms very uncomfortable. But if you are bothered by symptoms, there are many ways to deal with them, including medications and lifestyle changes. Read here about how to deal with specific symptoms and what medication options are available. If you're interested in learning more about menopausal hormone therapy (formerly called hormone replacement therapy) and natural alternatives, you can jump to those sections.

You may find it hard to decide about treatment options like menopausal hormone therapy because of the possible side effects. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks and benefits so you can choose what's best for you. No one treatment is right for all women.

When you talk about treatment options with your doctor, discuss issues like:

Return to top

Below are some symptoms that women may have around the time of menopause and tips for dealing with them.

Return to top

A number of medications can help with symptoms during the years around menopause.

Return to top

Content last updated: September 22,2010.

Read the original:
Menopause symptom relief and treatments | womenshealth.gov

Natural Menopause
Natural Menopause with the Raw Food Diet I found that I could skip "estrogen drugs" by drinking wheatgrass shots and eating or juicing a pound of greens a day. This Youtube Channel is my journey...

By: Kelly Granite Enck

Continue reading here:
Natural Menopause - Video

Menopause, also known as the climacteric, is the time in most women's lives when menstrual periods stop permanently, and she is no longer able to have children.[1][2] Menopause typically occurs between 45 and 55 years of age.[1] Medical professionals often define menopause as having occurred when a woman has not had any vaginal bleeding for a year.[3] It may also be defined by a decrease in hormone production by the ovaries.[4] In those who have had surgery to remove the uterus but still have ovaries, menopause may be viewed to have occurred at the time of the surgery or when hormone levels fall.[4] Following the removal of the uterus, symptoms typically occurs earlier, at an average of 45 years of age.[5]

Before menopause, a woman's periods typically become irregular, which means that periods may be longer or shorter in duration, or be lighter or heavier in terms of the amount of flow. During this time, women often experience hot flashes; these typically last from 30 seconds to ten minutes, and may be associated with shivering, sweating and reddening of the skin.[6] Hot flashes often stop occurring after a year or two.[2] Other symptoms may include vaginal dryness, trouble sleeping, and mood changes.[6] The severity of symptoms varies between women.[2] While menopause is often thought to be linked to an increase in heart disease, this primarily occurs due to increasing age and does not have a direct relationship with menopause. In some women, problems that were previously present like endometriosis or painful periods will improve after menopause.[2]

Menopause is usually a natural change.[7] It can occur earlier in those who smoke tobacco.[3][8] Other causes include surgery that removes both ovaries or some types of chemotherapy.[3] At the physiological level, menopause happens because of a decrease in the ovaries' production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone.[1] While typically not needed, a diagnosis of menopause can be confirmed by measuring hormone levels in either the blood or urine.[9] Menopause is the opposite of menarche, the time at which a girl's periods start.[10]

Specific treatment is not usually needed. Some symptoms, however, may be improved with treatment. With respect to hot flashes, avoiding smoking, caffeine, and alcohol is often recommended. Sleeping in a cool room and using a fan may also help.[11] The following medications may help: menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), clonidine, gabapentin, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.[11][12] Exercise may help with sleeping problems. While MHT was once routinely prescribed, it is now only recommended in those with significant symptoms, as there are concerns about side effects.[11] High-quality evidence for the effectiveness of alternative medicine has not been found.[2]

During early menopause transition, the menstrual cycles remain regular but the interval between cycles begins to lengthen. Hormone levels begin to fluctuate. Ovulation may not occur with each cycle.[13]

The date of the final menstrual period is usually taken as the point in time when menopause has occurred.[13] During menopausal transition and after menopause, women can experience a wide range of symptoms.

Menstrual patterns can show shorter cycling (by 27 days);[13] longer cycles remain possible;[13]irregular bleeding (lighter, heavier, spotting).[13]

Physical symptoms include: lack of energy, joint soreness, stiffness,[13]back pain,[13] breast enlargement,[13]breast pain,[13]heart palpitations,[13]headache,[13]dizziness,[13]dry, itchy skin,[13] thinning, tingling skin, weight gain,[13]urinary incontinence,[13][14]urinary urgency,[13] interrupted sleeping patterns,[13][15][16][17] heavy night sweats,[13]hot flashes.[13]

Psychological symptoms include: anxiety,[18]poor memory,[13] inability to concentrate,[13] depressive mood,[13][18]irritability,[13]mood swings.[13]

Sexual changes include: painful intercourse,[13] vaginal dryness,[13] less interest in sexual activity.[13]

Read this article:
Menopause - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Female Killer Whales Take Leadership Roles After Menopause Study NBC News
Turns out killer whales revere their grandmas, too. After observing 102 killer whales in the wild, British researchers have determined that female killer whales become key leaders in their...

By: Fan Made

See the article here:
Female Killer Whales Take Leadership Roles After Menopause Study NBC News - Video