10 Things Women Should Know About Menopause

Menopause is a normal part of aging for women. It can be very uncomfortable and cause many symptoms, but there are ways to ease the discomfort. If you know what to expect, it will make things easier when your body changes during menopause. The following are some frequent symptoms you may encounter throughout this phase in your life:

• Menopause is the phase in a woman’s life when she no longer has menstrual periods.. This can happen anytime between age 45 and 55 but usually happens around age 50. The process of menopause begins with an irregular menstrual cycle called perimenopause, which may last several years before complete menopause occurs.
• Perimenopause: This stage of a woman’s life begins years before her final menstrual period and can last anywhere from 2-8 years. During this time, estrogen levels begin fluctuating which can lead to hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and vaginal dryness among other symptoms that women seek help for during this time of their lives.

Perimenopause and menopause are often confused, with many women believing the two are one and the same.

• Suffering from a lack of energy? Irritability? Less interest in sex? These are just some of the symptoms that can be caused by menopause. When a woman’s ovaries stop generating oestrogen, her body stops developing follicles to produce eggs, and she no longer has monthly periods. In addition to these changes, other symptoms may include hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, and mood swings.
• Hot flashes are an intense feeling of heat on the skin. They usually happen during menopause, but some women have them at other times in their lives. There’s no way to stop a hot flash from happening, but there are things you can do to lessen the severity and frequency of them. Drink water,Eat healthy foods that may help reduce hot flashes.
• Menopause can be an intense and difficult time for many women. One of the most common symptoms is bone loss. As oestrogen levels fall, women lose calcium levels, resulting in a loss of bone density. This means that osteoporosis becomes a serious risk for both men and women after age 50.
• Women are at a higher risk of dying from heart disease than men because they’re generally older when they go through menopause. This means that their bodies have been exposed to estrogen longer than men, which has been linked to an increased risk of developing coronary artery disease. For this reason, many doctors advise pre-menopausal or early post-menopausal women to take preventative measures against heart disease by eating healthier and doing cardiovascular exercises on a regular basis.
• Women often experience weight gain during menopause.  The average woman gains about ten pounds in the five years after they stop menstruating. A widespread assumption is that this weight gain is due to a loss of muscle tissue; instead, it is due to an increase in fats and fluids storage.
• Some people have more severe symptoms than others may have, while some people might not even notice any changes at all. 
• Hormone replacement therapy is a safe option for the management of menopausal problems. It is important to consult with your doctor before starting this therapy, as they will be able to assess whether or not additional treatments are needed. 
• Menopause is an inevitable part of every woman’s life and it can come with troubling side effects such as hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal dryness, and night sweats. HRT may alleviate some of these symptoms by providing the body with estrogen and progesterone hormones that are typically absent during menopause.  When administered through alternative routes (such as subcutaneous injections), hormone replacement therapy can provide women who have undergone hysterectomy relief from their symptoms without having to take estrogen orally.