Body Changes During Menopause

What is Menopause?

Menopause is a normal part of life when your monthly menstrual periods permanently end. This is usually confirmed when you no longer have periods for twelve consecutive months and are no longer fertile. Menopause usually happens during a middle age, when you are also going through other physical and hormonal changes. This is why menopause is occasionally called the “change of life.”

Most women experience menopause around the age of 51. Occasionally, menopause happens after the age of 60 or as young as 45 years of age.

You can also go through menopause f you have had your ovaries removed or have sustained damage to your ovaries, like the damage that can occur from radiation treatments. Perimenopause, which occurs three to five years before menopause happens, is also something to watch out for that signals menopause is not far away. This is when biological and hormonal changes as well as physical symptoms start to occur. There are many body changes during menopause that women go through.

Hormones

When you reach menopause, your ovaries produce less progesterone and estrogen because of aging. These are the hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle. This does not happen overnight; it is a slow process that begins in perimenopause. During this time of falling hormone levels, your menstrual bleeding pattern typically becomes irregular.

Some women may go through bleeding that is greater than usual during their periods. Others go through periods that are very light, missed or overdue for numerous months to even a year before the periods stop completely. It is critical to understand that you can still become pregnant even when your periods are missed or light until menopause is complete.

Hot Flashes

One of the most common symptoms of menopause is hot flashes. When you have a hot flash, you may feel warm from your chest up to your head, usually in wave-like feelings. This can result in a flushed, red look in the face and neck, especially in fair-skinned women.

Many women sweat or feel sick to their stomach and dizzy. Some additionally have a headache and feel like their heart is beating very fast and their pulse rate increases, and can make you perspire in order to cool the body down. Hot flashes are frequently followed by a cold chill and some women only feel the chill.

Vaginal Dryness

During and after menopause, as estrogen levels fall, the vagina’s lining slowly becomes thinner and less able to stretch. The vagina additionally is not able to manufacture as much lubrication or wetness throughout sexual arousal. These changes in the body can cause sex to be very uncomfortable or painful. You can talk to your physician about the risks and benefits of utilizing prescription estrogen cream for vaginal problems.

Additionally, there are some over-the-counter water-based sexual lubricants or vaginal moisturizers to make sex less painful. It can also lead to vaginal inflammation called atrophic vaginitis. These changes can make you more prone to get bacterial overgrowth, urinary tract infections or yeast infections.

Other Changes

There are some other body changes during menopause that you might experience. Some women experience sleep disorders, such as nighttime hot flashes and lack of sleep. Even though the chemical changes that occur in your body during menopause does not increase the chance of having depression, many women have major life changes during menopause and middle age that can increase the chances of her becoming depressed.

Some women complain of irritability or other mood problems during menopause. Part of the problem could be the poor sleep because of the nighttime hot flashes and lack of sleep. Since estrogen levels drop and stay at a low point during menopause, there is a greater chance of developing osteoporosis which is a condition of the bones thinning. Each woman experiences menopause in a different way. There are many ways to resolve the body changes during menopause.

Resources

Menopause And Perimenopause. (2007). Retrieved January 6, 2011, from HealthCentral.com: https://www.healthcentral.com/menopause/menopause-symptoms-154555-75.html

Menopause Basics. (2010, June 3). Retrieved January 6, 2011, from The North American Menopause Society: https://www.menopause.org/expertadvice.aspx#whatismenopause

Menopause: What to Expect When Your Body is Changing. (2010, August). Retrieved January 6, 2011, from FamilyDoctor.org: https://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/women/reproductive/menopause/125.html