Menopause - types, symptoms, complications, diagnosis

Menopause is a process in which a woman loses her fertility and menstrual cycles stop. Menopause occurs naturally throughout life and is not considered a disease. Although it is a natural process, it can lead to a number of complications if neglected.

Briefly about menopause

• Climax indicates that a woman’s reproductive life is over.

• Symptoms of menopause include: sudden onset of heat, night sweats, mood swings, and several cognitive changes.

• Symptoms of menopause are caused by a decrease in the amount of female hormones in the blood.

• Hormonal therapy, self-management techniques, and home remedies can help in the fight against menopause.

Types of menopause

There are basically two types: natural and artificial. Natural menopause is associated with the depletion of follicle reserves in the ovaries, depending on age. If a woman feels the need to quickly stop the synthesis of sex hormones, an artificial menopause is created. Such pathologies include:

• Fibromas;

• Uterine fibroids;

• Endometriosis;

• Uterine bleeding of various origins;

• Poor quality tumors.

The advantage of artificially created menopause is that it stops the growth of pathological tissue and leads to atrophy.

Artificial menopause is triggered in the following ways:

1. Surgical procedure - ovarian incision, ovariectomy. Indications for this operation: tumors of the breast, uterus and ovaries.

2. Taking medications. A slightly easier method is to temporarily stop menstrual cycles with the help of special drugs.

3. Exposure to the ovaries with X-rays. This method is used in malignant tumors.

When does menopause begin?

In most women, menopause begins between the ages of 47 and 52 years. The onset of this condition can start very early or be delayed for several years. Menopause that begins at age 40 occurs in the early menopause and in the evening between the ages of 56-65. The occurrence of menopause is influenced by the following factors:

1. Genetic. The number of follicles that synthesize estrogen in the ovaries is programmed at the gene level. This also applies to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which control menstrual cycles.

2. Geographically. Sunlight affects the early or late cessation of menstrual cycles.

3. To a woman's character. Menopause begins late in women who lead an active sex life and satisfy their sexual desires.

4. Socio-economic. Menopause starts late in women who do not feel long-term mental stress, get a good menstrual cycle, and do not engage in strenuous physical labor.

5. Psychological. Frequent stresses and long-lasting psychoemotional tensions bring menopause closer.

Signs and symptoms of menopause

Menopause is not considered a disease, but it leads to profound changes in the body. This condition occurs twelve months after the last menstruation. However, menopausal symptoms begin earlier than this period.

Disorders of menstrual cycles

Changes in menstrual cycles are the first sign of menopause. In some women, menstruation may be observed every 2-3 weeks, while in others it may not be observed for several months.

Decreased fertility

Perimenopause is a period that occurs 3-5 years before the onset of menopause. During this period, the amount of estrogen decreases significantly. Decreased estrogen levels reduce the chances of getting pregnant.

Dryness of the vagina

During perimenopause, the vagina becomes dry, itchy and uncomfortable. As a result, women experience pain during sexual intercourse. The cause of pain is atrophic vaginitis caused by a decrease in estrogen levels.

Atrophic vaginitis is an inflammation of the vagina caused by a decrease in tissue volume and poor secretion of mucus, which is a natural lubricant.

Heat transfer

A feeling of sudden intense heat infusion into the upper parts of the body. This sensation can start on the face and spread to the neck, chest and lower body. The skin may become red and spots appear at this time. The heartbeat speeds up, intensifies, or begins to beat irregularly. This feeling bothers a woman for years after her last menstrual period.

Sleep disorders

Women experiencing menopause complain of difficulty sleeping or not being able to fall into a deep sleep for several hours. Sleep problems can also be caused by night sweats and psychoemotional disorders.

Urinary incontinence

Involuntary urination at night, urinary incontinence, urinary incontinence due to increased intra-abdominal pressure, recurrent inflammatory processes in the bladder are associated with degeneration of urinary tract sphincter cells and connective tissue due to decreased estrogen levels. 'liq.

Osteoporosis

As a result of the disruption of the hormonal background, the calcium in the bones is washed away and they become thin and easily broken.

Metabolic disorders

Impaired metabolism of fats and carbohydrates due to metabolic syndrome leads to an increase in body mass, obesity.

There are also symptoms such as hair loss, headache, weakness, memory loss, attention deficit, shortness of breath, increased or decreased blood pressure, aggression, decreased libido, and heaviness in the chest area.

Photo: Getty Images

Complications of menopause

• Diseases of the cardiovascular system. Decreased estrogen levels always increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

• In the early years of menopause, bone tissue density decreases. Decreased bone density increases the risk of developing osteoporosis several times.

• Urinary incontinence. At menopause, the vagina and urethra lose their elasticity. This leads to unexpected, irreversible acts of urination. A woman may urinate when coughing, sneezing, laughing, or lifting heavy objects.

• Breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer increases after menopause.

Diagnosis

It is not difficult for a specialist to diagnose menopause. The diagnosis can be made depending on the symptoms of the disease. The difference between patients is in the amount of sex hormones'The following facts are revealed in the analysis and analysis:

• Increased testosterone levels;

• Decreased serum estrogen levels below 30 ng / nl;

• Increased follicular stimulating hormone (FSG);

• The ratio of estrodiol to estrone is less than 1;

• Decreased inhibition;

• The ratio of luteinizing hormone to FSG is less than 1;

In addition to laboratory tests, the following tests are performed:

1. Ultrasound examination of small pelvic organs (UZI);

2. Osteodensitometry. It is an X-ray examination that determines bone density for early diagnosis of osteoporosis.

3. Papanicolau smear is a cytological examination of the cervix. The examination determines the degree of atrophy.

Treatment

Menopause in women is not a pathological condition, but a normal physiological stage that lasts throughout life. The goal of treatment during this period is to reduce the unpleasant symptoms of menopause and prevent unpleasant complications such as atherosclerosis and osteoporosis. The main focus is on the correction of ovarian function. For this, replacement hormonal therapy is used. Progesterone and estrogen-based drugs are used in this therapy.

Instructions for use of hormone replacement therapy:

• early menopause;

• artificial climax;

• atrophic changes in the genitals;

• osteoporosis;

• obvious climatic disturbances.

If the above pathologies are detected in a woman, the doctor will develop an adequate replacement therapy regimen. A course of antidepressants is also prescribed.

Researchers at the Medical College at Koryo University in Seoul reported, substitution hormonal therapy significantly reduces the development of gonarthrosis in postmenopausal women.

Prevention of early menopause

It is not possible to stop the climax, but it is possible to prolong its arrival. The timing of menopause depends in many ways on heredity: if it occurs early in the mother, the same awaits her daughter. In this case, to prevent its early occurrence, it is necessary to follow the following:

• proper nutrition;

• leading a regular sex life;

• avoid stress;

• regular gynecological examinations;

• intake of vitamins and mineral complexes;

• go in for sports, lead an active lifestyle;

• giving up harmful habits;

• adherence to personal hygiene, proper care of the genitals.

Author: Sarvar Ganiev, doctor.
Source: Daryo.uz