Menopause: Why It Happens and What To Expect | Menopause Treatment in Bangalore

1. Menopause : Why it happens & what to expect Q & A with Dr. Rani Bhat

2. Introduction • Menopause affects women in different ways as they enter a new and significant phase of life. • Even at the physical level, menopause manifests through various symptoms in different women. As many as 25% of women will display no symptoms at all. • The other three-fourths may experience a wide variety of symptoms from hot flushes, weight gain, aching joints, sleeplessness, and inability to focus. Women start menopause at different ages, usually between 45 and 55 years and the average age is generally taken to be 51 years.

3. Menopause explained • Menopause is that threshold in every woman’s life when her menstrual cycles stop and her ovaries lose their reproductive capability. This condition is brought about by hormonal changes. • During her fertile years, a woman produces an egg each month due to the release of three reproductive hormones called oestradiol, oestrone and oestriol. Collectively these hormones are simply known as oestrogen. • The hormones are chiefly produced by the ovaries but small amounts are also generated by the adrenal glands, and by the placenta during pregnancy.

4. What happens in the body? The most common symptom of menopause is: • Hot flushes, occurring in three out of four women • Urinary incontinence & urinary tract infections • Sweating at night • Dryness in the vagina • Sleeplessness • Skin irritation • Mood swings and • Weakened sexual desire

5. Confirmation of menopause • Since menopause is a progressive phenomenon, it is not always easy to identify the actual time of menopause. • Though irregular periods and hot flushes are sure signs of perimenopause, pinpointing the arrival of menopause is quite difficult, particularly for women who are on the OC pill or those taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for the alleviation of perimenopausal symptoms.

6. Lifestyle changes during menopause So how do you deal with menopause and how does it affect your normal life? a healthy lifestyle can mitigate some symptoms of menopause. Here are some ways to better love your body after menopause: • Take care of your bones and heart • Exercising • Quit smoking • Drink in moderation • Have regular check-ups • Be calm and positive • Alternative therapies

7. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) HRT is the most popular form of treatment for menopausal symptoms. As the name suggests it is simply a procedure of replacing the lost hormone oestrogen during menopause. HRT relieves the troublesome symptoms caused by lack of oestrogen. The efficacy of HRT in alleviating symptoms like hot flushes, osteoporosis and vaginal dryness, sleep disorders and mood swings have been recorded.

8. Conclusion • Menopause is the natural termination of a woman’s fertility and presents itself as a medical condition with physiological changes in women’s bodies. These changes manifest in both emotional and physical symptoms, which have been enumerated above. • The important thing though is to be aware of the changes taking place in your body and take the advice of your doctor if you need medical help. There are various therapeutic interventions available to women who need help in alleviating their symptoms and maintaining their long-term health.

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