Menopause is a natural biological process and it's the time that marks the end of one's menstrual cycle. It causes a natural decline in reproductive hormones once a woman reaches her 40s or 50s. It's diagnosed after you've gone 12 months consecutively without a menstrual period. Menopause can happen in your 40s or 50s, but the average age is 51 in the United States of America.
The most common symptoms are hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Menopause can result in uncomfortable physical symptoms, such as hot flashes, emotional symptoms and weight gain; which may disrupt your sleep, lower your energy or affect emotional health. The combination of these symptoms causes depression or anxiety. There are many effective treatments available, from lifestyle adjustments to hormone therapy. For most women, medical treatment isn't needed for menopause.
How it starts
Most women first start developing menopause symptoms about four years before their last menstrual period. Symptoms often continue until about four years after a woman's last period.
A small number of women experience menopause symptoms for up to ten years (a decade) before menopause actually occurs, and 1 out of 10 women experience menopausal symptoms for up to twelve years following their last period.
The median age for menopause is 51, though it may occur on average up to two years earlier for African-American and Latina women. More studies are needed to understand the onset of menopause for non-Caucasian women.
Genetics and ovary health are the major factors that determine when you'll begin menopause. Perimenopause occurs prior to menopause. Perimenopause is a time when your hormones begin to change in preparation for menopause.
It can last for a few months to several years. Many women begin perimenopause some time after their mid-40s. Other women skip perimenopause and enter menopause suddenly.
About 1 percent of women begin menopause before the age of 40, which is called premature menopause or primary ovarian insufficiency. About 5 percent of women undergo menopause between the ages of 40 and 45. This is referred to as early menopause.
Menopause is a natural process and its treatments focus on symptomatic relief. For example, Vaginal dryness is treated with topical lubricants or oestrogen. Medications can reduce the frequency and severity of hot flushes. In special circumstances, oral hormone therapy may be used.
