Menopause- Know Common Signs and Preventive Tips

Menopause is a term related to pausing or stopping of the menstrual cycle. It occurs mostly at the age of 45-51. After menopause, a female will not reproduce in her life. Menopause happens due to changes in women hormones.

Women produce testosterone as it is required for sexual arousal. The sexual impulse is not tied to reproduction women can engage in sexual activity even when they are not fertile. Very  little is known about what facilitates or inhibits feminine sexual arousal. The premenopausal process usually begins in the early ’40s. The level of sex hormones in women diminishes as early as her mid-30’s. A woman is said to have menopause when she has had 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.

Menopause is also called the change of life of women. It is regulated by the hormones.

At this time regular menstruation stops and she can no longer conceive.

Some common  symptoms of menopause are:

• Hot flashes

• Mood swings

• Diminished sexual desire

• Vaginal dryness

• Urinary incontinence

• Trouble sleeping

After menopause women become more prone to diseases such as osteoporosis, arthritis, breast cancer, uterus or cervix cancer, depression.

Women can prevent all these situations by living a healthy life. If you adopt a healthy lifestyle you can stay healthy and feel energetic. Some steps for healthy living are:

• Avoid alcohol, excess salt, caffeine, smoking and sugar.

• Take a balanced diet which includes whole grains, leafy vegetables, and nuts to keep your body healthy and help relieve hot flashes.

• Take calcium for strong bones.

• Vitamin D also helps to keep bones strong.

• Daily do exercise at least for 30 minutes.

• Choose foods with low saturated fat and cholesterol.

For  easing hot flashes some tips are:

• Use comfortable clothes and sleep in a cool room.

• Reduce stress by practicing meditation

• Avoid taking alcohol

• Do not take hot and spicy foods

• Take fruits or fruit juices instead of alcohol or energy drinks

Tips for Reducing Vaginal Dryness:-

Vaginal lubricants and moisturizers are available without any prescription.

It can help lubricate the vagina and make the sexual intercourse more comfortable during the menopause and in the postmenopause.

If over-the-counter treatments don't work, ask your doctor about the topical estrogen, available in creams, tablets, or in a vaginal ring.

This type of the estrogen will not improve the other symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes.

The traditional way to treating the symptoms related to menopause -- like the hot flashes and the insomnia -- has been hormone replacement therapy (HRT).The HRT consists of the estrogen given as a pill, patch, or the vaginal cream, either alone or combined with progesterone (for women who still have their uterus).

If you are not a candidate for HRT and if your symptoms are not severe, or if you simply decide not to use HRT, medications originally used as antidepressants may help relieve hot flashes. These include a low doses of the fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Brisdelle, Paxil), venlafaxine (Effexor)), and many other SSRI’s. In addition, the Bazedoxifene (Duavee) has been shown to increase sleep quality. And the two other drugs -- the anti-seizure drug gabapentin and the blood pressure medication clonidine -- also may be effective for menopausal symptom.