What’s menopause?
Menopause is the time in your life when you quit having periods because of hormonal changes.
What happens during menopause?
Menopause is a normal and natural process that occurs to you as you become older. Psychotherapy usually occurs between ages 45 and 55, with 51 being the most frequent age.
Menopause begins when your ovaries stop making estrogen and slow down making other reproductive tissues, such as progesterone. Without these hormones, you stop getting your period and stop being able to get pregnant.
If you are between 45-55 and you also haven’t had your period in a year, you are not pregnant, and also you don’t have a serious illness, you may be going through menopause.
Not everybody goes through menopause because of aging. Sometimes other wellness issues kickstart menopause. If your ovaries are removed through surgery, you might experience sudden symptoms of menopause instead of the gradual change that usually happens. Medical treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can also make menopause happen early or suddenly.
Your doctor or nurse can help you figure out if you’re going through menopause. They can also assist you to manage menopause symptoms.
What’s perimenopause?
Perimenopause means the time leading up to menopause at which you may have symptoms. This stage can last anywhere from a few months to around 10 decades and is a process that may start, stop, and begin again.
Perimenopause usually begins in your 40s, but it might begin sooner, too. Individuals who smoke usually start perimenopause 2 years earlier than nonsmokers.
The quantity of estrogen made from the ovaries starts to alter from your 30s and 40s — it can go down and up. You might notice that this is happening because your periods start to change. Changes to intervals during perimenopause is not uncommon and completely regular.
Some changes you might notice include:
- The time between one period and another changing (either longer or shorter)
- Entirely skipping a period
- Bleeding patterns shifting during your period (lighter or heavier )
- Bleeding between periods
Changes in menstrual discomforts are pretty normal during perimenopause, but it is nonetheless a good idea to talk with your doctor or nurse about these.
You may still get pregnant during perimenopause. Your doctor or nurse may talk to you about quitting your birth control method and also answer any other questions you have about perimenopause.
Taking them as medication can assist with symptoms and also have additional health benefits for many people.
What’s hormone therapy?
There are two distinct kinds of hormone therapy:
Estrogen: If you have had a hysterectomy and don’t have a uterus, estrogen treatment is given.
Combined hormone therapy: If you still have a uterus, your physician may prescribe joint hormone therapy. That helps in
- Reducing hot flashes
- Vaginal dryness
- Sleep problems
- Urinary tract infections and sudden urges to pee
- Arthritis pain
- Lowering your risk of diabetes
A few of the options for how to choose hormone treatment are like the options for taking hormonal birth control. These choices are:
- Pills
- Stains
- Rings
Vaginal creams (best for men and women who just have vaginal dryness as a symptom)
What are the side effects of hormone treatment?
Hormone therapy can have some side effects, but they’re usually mild and tend to go away after a couple of months. Side effects can include:
- Fat
- Headaches
- Upset stomach
- Vaginal bleeding