A woman is born with a stock of certain number of oocytes in her ovaries by birth. On an average one egg is released every month by an alternate ovary during ovulation and menstruation occurs around two weeks following ovulation. When your ovaries run out of stock of natural number of oocytes provided, you stop ovulating and menstruating. This phase, when you stop having your periods is termed as menopause. Menopause is said to have occurred when you have not had your periods for twelve months in a row.
Menopause is a normal physiological process and not a disease.
The average age of menopause is 50 years. The symptoms of menopause may start to occur before menopause ranging from few months or years before menopause and this phase is known as the perimenopause. Symptoms of menopause can persist afterwards for around four years or sometimes as late as ten years.
The kind of symptoms that a woman experiences during menopause and its severity can vary to a great extent.
Changes to your periods:
Prime sign of menopause is change in your normal menstrual pattern. The frequency of your periods may become around 18-21 days or you may not have them for several months at a time.
Your bleeding pattern also may change. You may start having very less bleeding or it can be heavy as well.
Common menopausal symptoms:
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- Vaginal dryness – Low levels of hormone estrogen cause thinning and shrinking of vaginal tissues. Lubrication is less as well. This leads to dryness and inflammation of the vaginal tissues.
Dyspareunia (painful sex) is a symptom which occurs due to vaginal dryness during menopause. - Urinary problems – Vaginal dryness and dryness of the tissues around urethra (opening of the urinary tract) lead to urinary problems such as recurrent urinary tract infections, frequent urination, urgency, spontaneous urination with coughing, sneezing or laughing. This also happens due to laxity of muscles related to vagina and urethra.
- Hot flashes and night sweats – You may feel a sudden sensation of heat typically in the face, neck and chest. The skin may become red and patchy along with sweating which can be profuse at times. This can be accompanied by change in heart rate which can be fast or irregular.When hot flashes are experienced at night, they are called night sweats.They can last for around five minutes at a time. The frequency by which a woman experiences hot flashes varies from several times day to 2-3 times a week.
- Disturbed sleep – You may find it difficult to fall asleep or have a sound sleep during menopause. Anxiety or night sweats can add up to the sleep problems.
- Emotional changes – Hormonal changes during menopause lead to depression or low mood. Disturbed sleep and low mood can go hand in hand. You may experience mood swings as well. Low sex drive may also be felt due to the hormonal changes resulting into vaginal dryness and emotional changes.
- Concentration issues – You may experience problems in focusing and may also have short term memory loss.
- Obesity – Fat deposition around lower abdomen and hips is commonly observed during menopause. You may also find it difficult to lose weight as compared to earlier phase of life.
- Hair problems –Hair loss or thinning of hair may be experienced as well.
- Breast size – Size of breast may shrink with menopause.
- Vaginal dryness – Low levels of hormone estrogen cause thinning and shrinking of vaginal tissues. Lubrication is less as well. This leads to dryness and inflammation of the vaginal tissues.
Complications of menopause –
Some complications may result as a consequence of menopause.
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- Cardiovascular diseases – A drop in the levels of hormone estrogen has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease after menopause.
- Osteoporosis – Decreased levels of estrogen hormone can lead to lower density of bones. This may also increase the risk of bone fractures.
- Breast cancers – Risk of breast cancer increases with menopause owing to the hormonal changes.
Menopause – It’s only a phase; you can deal with it.
Symptoms of menopause occur due to various changes occurring at physiological level. They can give you a tough time, true. But, don’t forget- you are and have been much tougher. It is very important to understand that this phase of menopause can be managed and needs to be managed. It certainly is not anything just to go through and suffer.
At Dyumna Women’s clinic we provide a well-studied plan for you based on our experience of helping hundreds of ladies make their journey of menopause a smooth one.
Our treatment plan comprises of medications and specialised procedures that function at various levels to help you relieve from different symptoms of menopause. They also aim at prevention of the possible complications after menopause.
Herbomineral preparations – Personalised herbomineral preparations are prescribed as per your physiological constitution and symptoms.
Specialised procedures – Procedures such as Yoni Pichu, basti, Yoni Dhavan act at various levels. They help to alleviate the dryness of tissues of vagina and urethra and strengthen them as well. This also helps to control symptoms like dryness, itching, burning sensation at vagina and urethra. Dyspareunia and urinary problems are controlled by these procedures as well.
Shirodhara and Nasya help to induce sound sleep as well as create peace at mental levels, thus helping with the mood swings and depression. They also aid in improving the focus and memory.
Life style modifications – We suggest necessary changes in your everyday life such as diet modification and sleep pattern.
Correct exercise, Yogasanas, Pranayam and Meditation in a disciplined manner have excellent proven effects in controlling symptoms of menopause.
It is a very well established fact that women are doing a great job in all fields across the globe. It is a bitter truth though that when it comes to self-prioritisation majority is still on back foot. Menopausal phase is just an example of it. Point is there IS help for menopause, be aware about it and please do seek help to ease your life and that of your loved ones.
Our motto is health and vigour should be the zest of life with ‘No pause with Menopause’.