women s health issues
Menopause
Symptoms of Menopause
During perimenopause, symptoms may be mild, moderate, or severe, or there may be no symptoms. Symptoms may last from 6 months to about 10 years, sometimes longer. Sometimes symptoms that are thought to be due to menopause can be caused by other medical issues. If symptoms occur and the timing does not line up with menopause or if the symptoms do not improve with measures used for menopausal symptoms, a woman should discuss other possible causes with a health care professional. Irregular menstrual periodsmay be the first symptom of perimenopause. Typically, periods occur more often, then less often, but any pattern is possible. Periods may be shorter or longer, lighter or heavier. They may not occur for months, then become regular again. In some women, periods are regular until menopause. Hot flashesaffect 75 to 85% of women. Hot flashes usually begin before periods stop. They last for an average of almost 7 1/2 years but can last more than 10 years. Research shows that, on average, Black women experience hot flashes more frequently and over a longer period of time than Asian, Hispanic, or White women. Usually, hot flashes become milder and occur less frequently as time passes. What causes hot flashes is unknown. But it may involve a resetting of the brain's thermostat (the hypothalamus), which controls body temperature. As a result, very small increases in temperature can make women feel hot. Hot flashes may be related to fluctuations in hormone levels. During a hot flash, blood vessels near the skin surface widen (dilate). As a result, blood flow increases, causing the skin, especially on the head and neck, to become red and warm (flushed). Women feel warm or hot, and perspiration may be profuse. Hot flashes are sometimes called hot flushes because the face can become red. A hot flash lasts from 30 seconds to 5 minutes and may be followed by chills. Night sweats are hot flashes that occur at night. Other symptomsmay occur around the time of perimenopause or menopause. The changes in hormone levels that occur at this time may contribute to the following: Breast tenderness Moodiness Worsening of migraines that occur just before, during, or just after menstrual periods (menstrual migraines) Depression, irritability, anxiety, nervousness, sleep disturbances (including insomnia), loss of concentration, headache, and fatigue may also occur. Many women experience these symptoms during perimenopause. Although these symptoms may be related to other factors (such as aging itself or a disorder), they are often worsened by the hormonal fluctuations and decreases in estrogen during perimenopause. Night sweats may disturb sleep, contributing to fatigue, irritability, loss of concentration, and mood changes. In such cases, these symptoms may be indirectly (through night sweats) related to menopause. However, during menopause, sleep disturbances are common even among women who do not have hot flashes. Midlife stresses (such as struggles with adolescents, concerns about aging, caring for aging parents, and changes in marital relationship) may contribute to sleep disturbances. Thus, the relationship of fatigue, irritability, loss of concentration, and mood changes to menopause seems less clear. Many of the symptoms that occur during perimenopause, although disturbing, become less frequent and less intense after menopause. However, the decrease inestrogenlevels causes changes that can continue to negatively affect health (for example, increasing the risk of osteoporosis). These changes may worsen, unless measures to prevent them are taken. The following may be affected: The lining of the vagina becomes thinner, drier, and less elastic (a condition called vaginal atrophy). These changes may make sexual intercourse painful. Other Overview of the Female Reproductive System —the labia minora, clitoris, uterus, and ovaries—decrease in size. Sex drive (libido) commonly decreases with age. Most women can still have an orgasm, but some require more time to reach orgasm or feel that their orgasm is less intense. The lining of the urethra becomes thinner, and the urethra becomes shorter. Because of these changes, microorganisms can enter the body more easily, and some women develop Overview of Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) more frequently. A woman with a urinary tract infection may feel a burning sensation when she urinates. After menopause, women may sometimes experience episodes in which they have a sudden need to urinate (called Skin:The decrease inestrogen, as well as aging itself, causes a decrease in the amount of collagen (a protein that makes skin strong) and elastin (a protein that makes skin elastic). Thus, the skin may become thinner, drier, less elastic, and more vulnerable to injury. often leads to a decrease in bone density and sometimes to Osteoporosis because After menopause, levels of Cholesterol levels (LDL—the unhealthy) cholesterol, increase in women. Levels of Some postmenopausal women experience Burning Mouth Syndrome . Genitourinary syndrome of menopauseis a fairly new, more accurate term used to refer to symptoms that affect the vagina and urinary tract and that are caused by menopause. These symptoms include vaginal dryness, pain during sexual intercourse, urinary urgency, and urinary tract infections. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is a fairly new term used to refer to menopausal symptoms that affect the vagina, vulva, and urinary tract, such as vaginal dryness, pain during sexual intercourse, urinary urgency, and urinary tract infections. 