Menopause symptoms in women

Menopause, is a natural stage in every woman's life. At this stage  menstruation ends, ovulation stops, and the woman can no longer get pregnant and give birth - meaning she is no longer of reproductive age.
Unlike men who may continue to produce sperm until old age, women are born with a certain amount of eggs, which decreases over the years. When the eggs in the ovaries decrease, there is also a decrease in the amount of estrogen and progesterone in the woman's body.
It should be noted that this is a process that does not happen all at once, and may take several years. Menopause usually begins between the ages of 45-55, with the average age being 51.

What are the causes of menopause?

• A natural process: this is the situation for most women - menopause is a natural phase (if it occurs at the appropriate age), resulting from a decrease in the amount of hormones responsible for the menstrual cycle, thus leading to the end of the fertile period.
• Ovariectomy: Women who undergo ovariectomy, for various reasons, experience cessation of menstruation and menopause symptoms, for example hot flashes.
• Cancer treatment: Women who have undergone cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, may experience impaired fertility and even menopause. Therefore, women diagnosed with cancer during their childbearing years will often receive a recommendation to undergo fertility preservation treatments.
• Early menopause: There are women who enter menopause at a relatively young age, and this is usually due to a disturbance in the hormonal processes, which is known as early ovarian insufficiency and primary ovarian insufficiency. There are various factors affecting early menopause, including genetic predisposition. If the condition is detected at an early stage, when the woman is still fertile, the recommendation will often be to go through a fertility preservation process

Peri-menopause 

Menopause symptoms often begin a few years before menopause, in a period known as peri-menopause (and not pre-menopause, which is a common mistake), and originate from hormonal changes. The expression of this is mainly evident in menstruation, for example:

• Menstruation more or less frequently than usual
• Menstrual bleeding (period) is shorter than it was before
• 'Skipping' periods

In addition, sometimes women feel the onset of menopause symptoms during this period, like hot flashes. It should be noted that peri-monpause you should still use contraceptives if you do not wish to become pregnant, as you are still fertile. 

Please note that in any case of changes in menstruation - frequency, lighter or heavier bleeding, etc. - it is recommended to talk to your gynecologist. There are various causes that may lead to these changes, so please seek medical  advice in order to receive an appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

When the ovaries stop working and estrogen levels drop, typical symptoms may be occur. These symptoms vary from woman to woman - some women will experience mild symptoms (or none at all), and other women may feel a real impairment in their quality of life as a result of the symptoms.
Common symptoms of menopause include:

1. Hot flashes: the most common symptom. It usually starts as a sudden feeling of heat in the chest and face, which spreads to the rest of the body. The heat wave lasts several minutes, during which some women may sweat, feel palpitations and even anxiety.
   Sometimes the hot flashes start even before menopause. They may appear several times a day. The average time women suffer from hot flashes is about four years.
2. Night sweats: when the hot flashes waves appear at night they are called night sweats. Often the phenomenon interferes with sleep.
   It should be noted that various situations may lead to night sweats, so if you suffer from them, please consult your GP and/or gynecologist and make sure that the cause of night sweats is menopause.
3. Difficulty sleeping: Sometimes women may experience difficulty sleeping during menopause, regardless of night sweats. The disorder may manifest as difficulty falling asleep, multiple awakenings, and more. You should know that there are a variety of different treatments for sleep issues, so consult your doctor. 
4. Vaginal dryness: The drop in estrogen levels also affects the vaginal tissue, which may lead to dryness, itching, and pain during intercourse. You can try using a lubricant or apply vaginal estrogen, as a local treatment.
5. Changes in libido: Many women may feel a decrease in libido, which can be due to various reasons - hormonal changes, medical conditions and medications, and even depression and anxiety. A decrease in libido may lead to a feeling of frustration and harm your quality of life.
   If you identify with these feelings, it is worthwhile and recommended to share the issue with your physician, and to consult about treatment options. Sex is a natural part of our lives, and there is a place to address these difficulties as well. 
6. Depression: Many women suffer from changes in mood during menopause, which may manifest in sadness and/or irritability, concentration and memory difficulties, lack of interest in various activities, sleep difficulties (sleeping too much and/or difficulty falling asleep), changes in libido, and more.
   If you feel similar symptoms, it is important to seek treatment - from your family doctor, and/or from a mental health therapist such as a  psychologist and/or psychiatrist

In addition, the hormonal changes may also affect other body systems. Menopause may lead to osteoporosis (bone thinning), a relatively common condition that increases the risk of bone fractures. Also, during this period, the risk of cardiovascular diseases may increase, conditions that are not common among women of reproductive age.
Because of this, it is important to have regular follow-ups with your family doctor, who will recommend the appropriate tests in order to detect various diseases that are more common after childbearing age.

The treatment of menopause symptoms

Menopause in itself does not require medical treatment, but the symptoms can be alleviated through various treatments:

• Hormonal therapy based on estrogen (and usually with the addition of progesterone) is the most effective treatment for most symptoms. Many women shy away from this treatment for fear of side effects, but you should know that the treatment is safe, and there are only a few specific situations in which it is not recommended to try it. 
  You are welcome to consult with your gynecologist regarding the most suitable treatment for you
• Local hormonal treatment (vaginal estrogen): especially suitable for women who suffer mainly from symptoms of vaginal dryness, but without hot flashes. It is a treatment that is given locally in the vagina and releases a small amount of estrogen
• Antidepressants (SSRI): Certain antidepressants can reduce hot flashes, and are suitable for women who are not interested in hormone therapy. Of course, if there is also a mood disorder, the antidepressants may help in this matter as well.
• Alternative treatments: There are women who feel that breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, massages, and other treatments to reduce stress help them deal with menopause symptoms.
  You are welcome to contact Leumit's alternative medicine specialists for more information on suitable treatments.
• Additional treatments: As we mentioned above, the menopause period is accompanied by body-wide changes, for example an increased risk of osteoporosis. If treatment for these conditions has been recommended (for example taking vitamin D and/or calcium due to osteoporosis), it is important to persist with the treatment.

Adapting your lifestyle

There are small lifestyle changes and habits that can be adopted in order to improve your healht and reduce the risk of various diseases in the future. 

To alleviate the hot flashes try to dress in a layers. Of course, remember to drink plenty of water. 

In addition to hormonal therapy (local or systemic), the use of special lubricants can relieve the symptoms of vaginal dryness. 

Make sure to exercise regularly - as a tool to reduce stress, strengthen the muscles (muscle mass tends to decrease with age), maintain the health of the heart and blood vessels, and even for the health of the bones - regular exercise has a positive effect on the bones, an important issue for women during menopause and after. 

Perform exercises for the pelvic floor muscles, for example Kegel exercises and Pilates exercises. These exercises are important for reducing the risk of pelvic organ prolapse. 

A healthy diet rich in legumes, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits is important for maintaining the health of the heart and blood vessels, reducing the risk of diabetes, maintaining normal intestinal activity, and for the purpose of the body's sense of vitality.

Stop smoking, which is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, cancer, and more. There are various treatments that help in quitting smoking, and you are welcome to consult your GP or leave your details in the link and pne of our represetatives will get bak to you about our Stop Smoking Workshop

Do not forget to go for routine examinationsand screening, according to medical recommendations. Breast examinations and mammograms, pap smears, bone density test - all these and other tests are designed to maintain your health and help in the early detection of diseases. Contact your family doctor and consult about the tests recommended for you or look into Leumit's concentrated day of screening for women.