Menopause is a natural phase in every woman’s life, marking the end of her reproductive years. While it is a normal biological process, menopause and hormonal changes can bring significant physical and emotional shifts. This blog will discuss what happens particularly during the menopausal period, the symptoms, causes, and how this kind of hormonal shift is managed.
What is Menopause?
Menopause is usually recognized as a state when a woman has not menstruated for 12 months continuously. It gives a stop of ovulation and menstruation, in simple terms, she cannot get pregnant naturally anymore. The menopause and hormonal changes that occur with menopause have an impact on many different systems of a woman’s body, including the skeletal and nervous system.
Hormonal Changes in Menopause
The most affected hormones for menopause the estrogen, which is responsible for menstruation; and progesterone for pregnancy. These are hormones secreted by the ovaries, but with time as a woman reaches the time for menopause, her ovaries will secrete little or estrogen hence the many symptoms.
- Oestrogen: During the menopausal phase it will be observed that the levels of the oestrogen in women’s bodies start to decline. Oestrogen is present in the female body to control the female cycle and aid the heart, skin and bones. This may cause hot flashes and night sweating and is also toxic to osteoporosis or an illness that thins the bones.
- Progesterone: Another one of the hormones for menopause that is decreased during the menopausal period is the hormone that is responsible for preparing the body to undertake conception. This leads to several illnesses some of which include but are not limited to Irregular menstrual periods, among women.
- Testosterone: It should be noted, however, that whereas testosterone is thought to be a male hormone, the substance is present in women but in much smaller quantities. With the onset of menopause, some of the lifestyle changes include hormonal changes which make the size of testosterone shrink, libido and muscle decrease.
Symptoms of Menopause
The signs of menopause and hormonal changes may seem very different from one woman to another. While some women may feel relatively fine and have few symptoms, others may have more serious transformations.
Below are some common symptoms linked to menopause hormone levels:
- Hot Flashes and Night Sweats: flushes are brief sensations of warmth, which occur mainly in the upper part of the body. These are one of the most commonplace signs of menopause and result from hormonal changes. Night sweating is similar to hot flushes which can disturb sleep throughout the night and result in fatigue.
- Irregular Periods: With ageing and more specifically, approaching the menopause hormone levels stage, the periods become irregular. Some women have full periods of less bleeding, others have more bleeding or more often before they stop having periods altogether.
- Vaginal Dryness and Discomfort: It has been reported that reduced level of oestrogen causes vaginal dryness, inflammation and pain during cohabitation. This is the case because oestrogen plays a role in maintaining the vaginal walls sealing ability and elasticity.
- Mood Swings and Depression: Some of the effects of steroidal hormones as a result of the menopause hormone levels period include mood swings, irritability and even the development of postnatal depression. This may be made worse by sleep disorders that come along with hot flashes and night sweating.
Causes of Menopause
Menopause is a natural biological process, but it can be influenced by various factors, including:
- Age: The most common cause for menopause is age and any normal woman can observe them at the correct age. The average age that many women undergo the menopause period is 45 to 55 and the mean age is 51.
- Premature Menopause: This is so especially when the situation occurs when a woman has not yet reached the age of forty; it may be as a result of genetic make-up, illnesses such as Autoimmune illnesses or even as a side effect of certain treatments for diseases such as radiotherapy.
- Surgical Menopause: Surgical menopause, for example after hysterectomy, is caused by a surgical removal of a woman’s ovary or uterus. In others, it may begin immediately following the surgery and this often indicates low hormone levels coupled with worse symptoms.
- Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy: These types of cancer treatments accomplish the task of damaging ovaries to such an extent that they stop functioning earlier resulting in menopause.
Treatment Options for Menopause
Fortunately, several possibilities exist for treating hormones for menopause and other hormonal changes to the body.
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Since it’s a life phase that patients undergo, HRT is among the most prevalent treatments for menopause hormone levels. It is distinguished by the use of drugs for the elimination of hot flashes, night sweating, and vaginal dryness, including oestrogen or its combinations with progesterone at the onset of the menopausal period. However, HRT is contraindicated in some cases because it may cause blood clots, breast cancer, or heart disease among some women. However, it is always wise to seek the opinion of a healthcare provider and possibly the odds and pros of having the operation done.
- Non-Hormonal Medications: Symptomatic pharmacological therapy is used if hormonal treatments are either contraindicated or not well tolerated, Antidepressants or anti-seizure medicines may help to reduce hot flashes and improve mood.
- Lifestyle Changes:
- Diet: Mineral and vitamin supplementation can play a pivotal role in minimising the chance of suffering from osteoporosis through a balanced diet with appropriate calcium and vitamin D intake. Some foods have compounds similar to oestrogen, termed phytoestrogens, including soy, and flax seeds which could compete for place with oestrogen in a woman’s body.
- Exercise: Exercises can control one’s weight, improve mood and influence bone mass. Of all exercises, weight-bearing exercises are especially helpful for preserving bone mass.
- Stress Management: Healthy exercises like Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises should be done to overcome stress and anxiety which are attributed to hormonal imbalance.
- Vaginal Estrogen: For women that experience the situations of vaginal dryness and discomfort, low-dose vaginal oestrogen in the form of creams, tablets, or rings are useful. It provides localised treatment so that the health of the vagina is preserved without disturbing the overall hormones very much.
During the menopausal phase, people are vulnerable and therefore need assistance in coping with this change. It is crucial to seek the advice of your doctor – preferably, a specialist who is familiar with the intricacies of the process and the changes in hormonal background related to menopause Dr. Moxit Shah, a health specialist could help you decide when to take hormones, how to alter your diet or even other treatments depending on your body needs.
Final Thoughts
Hot flashes, mood swings and other symptoms associated with menopause and hormonal changes are physiological changes that come with age. The symptoms, causes, and available treatments can assist women to overcome this phase of their transition more easily.
Whether it’s through hormone replacement therapy, lifestyle adjustments, or consulting an Endocrinologist Specialist in Ahmedabad like Dr Moxit Shah, women can manage menopause and live a healthy, fulfilling life postmenopause.
