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Menopause is a natural biological process that usually occurs when a woman stops having periods. It’s generally diagnosed if you’ve gone more than a year without any periods. After reaching menopause, your body is not capable of conceiving.
According to the Mayo Clinic, 51 is the average age for getting menopause in the US, but it can vary between the late 40s and early 50s depending on an individual.
Read the article to understand how menopause affects your overall health.
When Does Perimenopause Start?
Perimenopause is a transitional phase that you experience before reaching the actual menopause. It usually begins when you’re in the late 40s and can last for a couple of months or years.
Most of the women undergo perimenopause for approximately 4 years before their menstruation stops.
Common Symptoms Of Perimenopause
You’ll likely experience irregular periods due to changes in the hormone levels along with other symptoms including lighter or heavier periods than usual, shorter or longer periods than normal, etc.
Perimenopause Symptoms:
- Dry Skin
- Weight Gain
- Vaginal Dryness
- Night Sweats
- Hot Flashes
- Heavy Breasts
- Problems Sleeping
- Thinning Hair
- Mood Changes
These symptoms of perimenopause can vary from woman to woman. Some of them don’t require any medication to manage such symptoms, while others with more critical symptoms need immediate treatment.
Early Menopause
Usually, menopause occurs before the age of 40 is known as premature menopause. The following factors can enhance the possibility of experiencing early menopause:
- Smoking and drinking
- History of pregnancy or miscarriage
- Cancer treatments such as pelvic radiation or chemotherapy can damage the ovaries causing menopause to appear sooner than expected.
- Family history of early menopause
- Certain diseases including chronic fatigue syndrome, HIV, thyroid disease, Rheumatoid arthritis, and other chromosomal disorders
- Surgery to remove your uterus (hysterectomy) or ovaries (oophorectomy) may send you directly into menopause right away.
If you think you are experiencing the aforementioned symptoms, consult with your doctor. They can suggest several tests such as FSH ELISA Kit to determine whether you have entered the early phase of menopause.
Health Risks Associated With Early Menopause
According to a study, early menopause will increase the chances of developing several medical problems, such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Shorter Life Expectancy
- Bone Fracture / Osteoporosis
- Stroke Or Heart Attack
- Loss Of Bone Density
Experiencing early menopause has some benefits such as it lowers the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancers.
On the other hand, women who experience menopause after 55 are exposed to more estrogen during their life and have more risk of developing breast cancer.
How Can You Delay Menopause?
At present, there is no confirmed way to delay, but changing your lifestyle can help:
- Consume high amounts of vitamin D and calcium
- Maintain healthy weight
- Eating low in calories fruits and vegetables
- Drinking 8–12 glasses of water a day
- Avoid caffeine, smoking, alcohol, and sugary or spicy foods
- Performing regular exercise to improve your metabolism
- Eating foods that are rich in phytoestrogens
Regularly Consult With Your Doctor
Regularly visiting your doctor can help with your concerns about perimenopause and menopause. You must ask the following questions to your doctor.
- What types of periods are normal during perimenopause?
- Will you need any other tests?
- How long should you continue birth control?
- What treatments are available to manage symptoms?
- What are the alternative natural ways to relieve your symptoms?
- What routine should you follow to maintain a healthy life?
If you are experiencing bleeding from the vagina after reaching menopause then you must see your doctor right away. It may be a symptom of some serious health issues.
Conclusion
Menopause is a part of aging and you can expect it nearby the same time as your mother or sister did. It causes some undesirable symptoms that can be treated with proper medications.
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