What is Menopause?
Menopause, also known as the “change of life,” is a stage of a woman’s reproductive cycle that occurs when ovaries stop producing estrogen, causing the reproductive system to slowly shut down. It’s confirmed when 12 months have passed since a woman’s last menstrual period. Menopause can also occur when the ovaries are surgically removed. Most women experience menopause from 40 to 58 years of age, with a median age of 51.4 years. However, what most women actually experience is not an event but rather a phase, like puberty. This phase, called premenopause or perimenopause, is the transitional stage before complete cessation of the menstrual cycle. It usually begins in a woman’s 40s. During this phase, a woman gradually stops ovulating and her ovaries taper off their production of estrogen and progesterone. The process of menopause usually is completely natural. This change, which can occur throughout adulthood, can be prompted by surgical removal of the ovaries. It can also result from s
Menopause, also known as the “change of life,” is a stage of a woman’s reproductive cycle that occurs when ovaries stop producing estrogen, causing the reproductive system to slowly shut down. It’s confirmed when 12 months have passed since a woman’s last menstrual period. Most women experience menopause from 40 to 58 years of age, with a median age of 51.4 years. Menopause can also occur when the ovaries are surgically removed, often resulting in a sudden onset of menopausal symptoms. However, what most women actually experience is not an event but rather a phase, like puberty. This phase, called premenopause or perimenopause, is the transitional stage before complete cessation of the menstrual cycle. It usually begins in a woman’s 40s. During this phase, a woman gradually stops ovulating and her ovaries taper off their production of estrogen and progesterone. The process of menopause usually is completely natural. This change, which can occur throughout adulthood, can be prompted by
Menopause means the pausing of menstruation; and more precisely the last menstruation. It is, in fact, diagnostic term that describes a period of time that has elapsed where there have been no menstrual periods for 1 year. Today, the term is sometimes loosely used to cover all the years of hormonal change. Even though there is more predictability that a woman is anovulatory she is also consistently being challenged emotionally, day after day. If no hormonal intervention is made symptoms may persist or abate, but the aging process will continue to accelerate, affecting many aspects of the cardiovascular system, bone metabolism, etc. If you think you may be menopausal, please take our free Questionnaire.
- Irregular or skipped periods
- Insomnia
- Mood swings
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Irritability
- Racing heart
- Headaches
- Joint and muscle aches and pains
- Changes in libido (sex drive)
- Vaginal dryness
- Bladder control problems
- Hot Flash
This phase of hormonal imbalance typically begins around the age of 50 and may continue for many years. It is defined as cessation of menses for one year. Depending on many hereditary, environmental and lifestyle factors, some women have an easy transition with very few symptoms while others can suffer from intense symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, vaginal dryness, irritability, altered thyroid activity, decreased sex drive and much more.
