Women and Menopause

Menopause in its simplest terms is the end of menstruation for women. It occurs mostly in women aged 50 and older yet can affect women as young as 40.

Some women will spend a third of their life in menopause. The following article will touch on the basics of menopause and how to treat it.

Some of the symptoms of menopause include; decreased sex drive, vaginal dryness, mood swings, headaches, hot flashes and trouble sleeping.

Some women will experience no symptoms at all while some women will experience these symptoms for up to 10 years.

There are different stages of menopause. Pre-menopause is when a woman's period starts to become irregular, yet they do not show any symptoms of menopause yet.

Pre-menopause is when period starts to become irregular and they may experience vaginal dryness, but none of the symptoms of menopause.

Menopause is when you no longer have a period or have had one for over a year. Post-menopause is when you have not had period for a year and have passed all of the symptoms of menopause until your death.

To treat menopause, there are many routes to take from changing your diet, exercising, medications and other supplement.

Following a few of the tips below, one can reduce their symptoms or treat menopause effectively.

Try changing your lifestyle. Exercise more. Drink less alcohol and try to quit smoking. Just by changing your diet and exercising, you can feel a whole lot healthier and alleviate some of the symptoms of menopause.

For vaginal dryness, try one of the many lubricants that are on the market over the counter. There is KY jelly, Replens and Astroglide. Also, by keeping sexually active, this may help reduce vaginal dryness.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) works really well also. By supplementing the estrogen and progesterone that your body is no longer producing, you can feel the effects of an easier menopause.

It is also a good way to prevent osteoporosis and heart disease. Estrogen and progesterone are used in women who still have their uterus. For women who have had a hysterectomy, estrogen only is used.

Some unproven techniques to alleviate the symptoms of menopause include, acupuncture, meditation and relaxation therapies. While they are unproven, they may still help in alleviating the symptoms of menopause.

For those who suffer from hot flashes, there are medications that can help. These include; Catapres (a high blood pressure medication), anti-depressants, other hormones such as Provera and Megace, and lastly and anti-seizure medication called Neurontin.

While medications do help with menopause, consult your doctor about which treatments will be right for you.

There are many courses you can take to treat menopause. And just remember, not all women experience menopause the same way. What is mild for you may be severe for someone else.

By : Jocelyn_O_Iyog