sxc.woman
This WMD started way back in 1984, and was designed to bring increased awareness to menopause.
Every woman is bound to go through menopause in her life, so let’s find out more about what menopause is without the myths…
What is menopause?
Menopause refers to a period in a woman's life when her menstruation eventually stops and the body goes through changes that no longer allow her to get pregnant.
When does it occur?
Menopause usually occurs in women aged 45 to 55. During these years, a woman's ovaries stop making eggs and they produce less oestrogen and progesterone. Due to the changes in these hormones, symptoms of menopause occur.
What are the symptoms?
Some of the common symptoms of menopause are:
• A change in the menstrual cycle.
Menstruation may occur less often and eventually stop. This may happen suddenly, but most of the time, periods slowly stop over time.
• Heart pounding or racing
One of the symptoms of menopause is when a woman often feels her heart pounding (Heart Palpitations).
The causes of heart palpitations during menopause are generally a result of fluctuating hormones. Constantly changing levels of oestrogen and progesterone can wreak havoc on the body, and this causes the heart to pound aggressively or the body to sweat profusely.
• Hot flashes and skin flushing
Hot flashes are a feeling of intense heat with sweating and rapid heartbeat, and may typically last from two to thirty minutes for each occurrence. The sensation of heat usually begins in the face or chest, and sometimes may appear elsewhere such as the back of the neck, and can spread throughout the whole body.
• During menopause, women are known to experience insomnia (sleeping problems) and night sweats.
• Decreased interest in sex, vaginal dryness, vaginal infections, and painful sexual intercourse are also some of the symptoms of menopause.
• During the menopause period, women usually experience mood swings including irritability, depression, and anxiety.
Treatment for Menopause
Menopause occurs naturally and it may be impossible to prevent it, but taking hormone therapy may help. Hormone therapy is treatment with oestrogen and, sometimes also progesterone. The hormone therapy helps if you have severe hot flashes, night sweats, mood issues, or vaginal dryness.
The important thing to remember about menopause is that it is a natural process, and every woman will experience it sooner or later. It is nothing to be ashamed about, and should rather be embraced as part of the uniqueness of being a woman.
