All about menopause
Menopause occurs between the ages of 50 and 60, according to women, when the ovaries stop functioning. Medically, menopause occurs when a woman has not had a menstrual period after 12 consecutive months. Because, even after the appearance of the first signs of menopause, the rules can resurface after several months.
Menopause is a natural phenomenon, it is not a disease and there is no connection between taking a contraceptive and the appearance of the first symptoms.
Menopause does not occur suddenly and the ovaries do not stop their activity overnight. It occurs in stages, over a period of about 3 to 4 years, before complete cessation of ovarian function and menstruation. This intermediate period is called premenopause or perimenopause.
During perimenopause, the periods are more irregular and the excess of estrogen compared to progesterone causes an increase in breast volume or weight gain ...
The symptoms and the inconveniences that we observe ...
The decline in estrogen production may causing hot flashes, vaginal dryness, great fatigue in some cases, joint pain, disturbed sleep, bloating, a little cyclothymia ... Sexual intercourse can be more or less painful during this period. The skin becomes thinner and more fragile, the decline of sex hormones accelerates aging ...
Hot flashes may persist for years, sometimes up to 10 years. The intensity is variable according to each woman and causes a greater or lesser discomfort that can disturb and alter the quality of life. This phenomenon is observed in the vast majority of cases. The cerebral overactivity of the hypothalamus causes these puffs to overcome the deficit of estrogen.
After stopping the rules, estrogen production may continue for another two years. Prescription of a progestogen by your doctor can help you to have a normal cycle. The menopause will then be definitive only when this progestational treatment becomes ineffective and will no longer lead to the onset of menstruation.
Are hormonal treatments safe?
An American medical study on hormone replacement has recently caused panic among women. Risks of breast cancer, phlebitis or pulmonary embolism are associated with these hormones ... No study has really demonstrated these risks: treatments in the United States are very different from those administered in France and Europe. The risk of breast cancer is on the other hand highlighted by numerous medical studies ...
Hormonal treatments are advised to women suffering from severe symptoms of menopause, throughout the duration of these disorders. They can only be prescribed after a thorough examination of your health and in consultation with your doctor.
Some factors like tobacco can anticipate menopause : it can occur before 50 years in large smokers.
After a few years, when menopause is confirmed and that the ovaries stop producing hormones, this period is called post-menopause. Other symptoms appear: osteoporosis can develop, the risk of cardiovascular diseases is increased, urinary disorders appear ...
Your doctor may then prescribe treatment for these symptoms, do not hesitate to tell him about your daily inconvenience. and to have a mammogram once a year. The symptoms of menopause can also be treated by herbal medicine, because some plants contain natural estrogen, soy also helps to limit certain inconveniences such as hot flushes. Homeopathy, meanwhile, offers effective remedies, Sepia or Pulsatilla.
To keep fit, from 50 yearsExercise very regularly: walking, jogging or swimming are both good for the physical and the moral, while allowing you to stay dynamic and look after your figure.
Menopause does not sign the stop of sex life : to overcome the vaginal dryness, use lubricants that you will find in pharmacy.
Our advice
After At age 50, it is recommended that each woman perform a screening smear and mammogram once a year: the risk of developing breast or uterine cancer is greater.
