Natural changes in the female body that are associated with the end of the reproductive period are called menopause in women. The main symptom of menopause is the termination of menstruation, however, menstrual function during menopause can fade away gradually. Usually such changes are overtaken by each woman aged from 40 to 50 years. The duration of menopause can vary from 2 to 10 years, during this period there is a complete restructuring of the woman's endocrine system.
Natural menopause begins after 50, if menstruation ceases in 40-45 years, then this is an early menopause. And in some modern women there are age-related deviations in the onset of menopause: after 35 years in the woman's body there is a decrease in the level of hormones produced by the ovaries, and premature menopause occurs. If a woman has a uterus or ovaries removed, the absence of menstruation is called artificial menopause. Early and premature menopause can occur due to an incorrect lifestyle associated with stress, ecology, bad habits, and past illnesses.
The first signs of menopause
- feeling of chronic fatigue;
- mood swings and a tendency to depression;
- persistent headaches;
- sleep disturbance;
- a state of psychophysiological exhaustion;
- unpleasant sensations in the vagina: itching, burning, easy incontinence.
Then vegetative disturbances, called "tides" (sensation of spreading fever in the face, neck and chest) are added to these symptoms. Tides can overtake a woman at any time of the day and last from 3 to 30 minutes.
Early and premature menopause are associated with untimely ovarian malnutrition, so women who face this problem should contact a specialist to determine the cause and purpose of the treatment.
Treatment of early menopause
1. The main method of treatment is the appointment of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in order to make up for the lack of sex hormones. The main strategy for the appointment of HRT is to provide the maximum therapeutic effect with minimal adverse reactions. The main tactics of prescribing HRT according to the International Congress on Menopause:
- HRT should be selected individually, depending on the existing diseases and preferences of the woman herself;
- HRT should become part of an overall strategy aimed at improving a woman and including prevention of cardiovascular disease;
- HRT positively affects the elimination of menopausal symptoms, as well as urogenital disorders, osteoporosis.
However, hormone treatment has its own concerns, for example, HRT does not increase the risk of developing breast cancer and reduces the overall mortality by 30%, but at the same time the question of the effect of hormones on the development of Alzheimer's disease or bowel cancer has not yet been resolved.
2. There are other tools that can alleviate menopause, for example, such as phytoeclogens. These substances of plant origin can favorably affect the human body, as well as reduce the risk of diseases associated with lowering the level of sex hormones.
3. Healthy eating plays a significant role in eliminating the symptoms of menopause. According to experts, the right diet can help women to fight changes in the body. For example, proteins are very important for women, a complex of grains and carbohydrates, while the consumption of fats should be reduced, but not completely eliminated. Dairy products, fruits and vegetables should be included in the daily diet, while the consumption of alcohol and caffeine should be significantly tempered.
4. A healthy lifestyle will help to cope with the "tides". In compulsory daily procedures, walks are necessary, walking on stairs and lifting weights are also useful to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
5. Special greases and creams help to keep the discharge from the vagina during the menopause.