Menopause

Menopause is a period of life that every single woman will face. There are several big moments in a woman's life. One of them is menstruation and one of them is menopause. Menopause is when the menstruation ends. That is the definition of menopause. It is also the end of a woman's reproductive life.

Menopause is the permanent cessation of menstruation. Menopause usually takes place when a woman is between the ages of 45 and 55. The age often varies according to where the woman is located geographically. For instance in some still developing countries such as India and the Philippines, the average woman reaches menopause at the age of 44.

For U.S women the terms early menopause and late menopause are often used. Early menopause is said to occur between the ages of 45 and 50. Late menopause is said to occur between the ages of 55 and 60.

Menopause is not a disease. However, because of some of the intense symptoms that go along with menopause, menopause may seem like a sickness. Symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, and sometimes osteoporosis or vaginal atrophy.

Research is continually being done on ways to ease menopause symptoms. There are hormonal options, creams, and other non-hormonal options. Hot flashes are often treated with hormone replacement therapy. This type of therapy is used to supplement the body with estrogen. Estrogen can also be prescribed as a cream.

While hormone replacement therapy is one of the most commonly used treatments, there are risks that come with this treatment. One of the types of therapies, the use of the estrogen-progesterone combination, has been shown to increase breast cancer risk, heart disease, stroke and blood clotting.

There are some botanical treatments that may not be as risky when it comes to replacing estrogen in the body. However, one must make sure that all FDA requirements are satisfied. There are also some over the counter treatments for hot flashes. These include several types of vitamins, ibuprofen medicines, and soy protein that can be found in food.

Oftentimes doctors will also prescribe antidepressants such as Zoloft, Paxil or Effexor.

As mentioned before, menopause is a normal part of life and should be treated as such. While there are many ways to treat menopausal symptoms, one must keep themselves educated on all of the risks of every treatment and any possible side effects. Staying informed will help menopause treatment go much smoother.