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Menopausal FAQ

What is Menopause?
 
Menopause is a natural biological process. But the physical symptoms, such as hot flashes, and emotional symptoms of menopause may disrupt your sleep, lower your energy or affect emotional health. There are many effective treatments available, from lifestyle adjustments to hormone therapy.
 
Symptoms of Menopause
The onslaught of menopause has different reactions and shows different symptoms in different women. Before the actual start of menopause, there are several signs and symptoms which may or may not be common to different women. The most common symptom that brings about the onset of menopause is the beginning of irregular menstrual periods. The irregularity may vary from woman to woman and the frequency or flow of periods might see some variation. With decreasing trends in ovulation, a woman might still become pregnant though the chances become lesser with everyday.  
 
With menopause, the lining of the vagina and the urethra gradually have less elasticity and become drier and thinner. Some women also have burning and itching sensations in the urinary tract and even vaginal infections is cause by menopause from time to time. Sometimes women experience involuntary passing of urine while coughing, sneezing or laughing. The urge to urinate very frequently is also another common symptom of menopause. In some cases women may have pain during sexual intercourse, or at the least be uncomfortable.  
 
Most women encounter what is known as the hot flashes during menopause. The hot flash is thought of as one of the most frequently experienced of symptoms, which is an outcome of low estrogen levels which makes blood vessels increase in size. During such hot flashes, women tend to sweat and have a flushed appearance.
 
Weight gain is another avidly seen symptom of the onset of menopause. Weight concentration is usually seen around the waist and abdomen areas. Other physical changes are also seen in the form of thinning hair, wrinkles, fuller breasts, adult acne, besides others.
 
Types of Menopause
There are different types of menopause when it comes to the time before and after menopause occurs. As menopause itself signals the end of a woman’s reproductive years, the period before (perimenopause) and after (postmenopause) are not without their share of signs and symptoms. If you’re a female patient in your 40s or one who is currently going through menopause, it’s a good idea to know what to expect as your body undergoes changes. 
  • Perimenopause is also referred to as “menopause transition,” and can occur up to 10 years before menopause actually begins. The most common effect of perimenopause is a drop in estrogen levels, particularly in the two years preceding actual menopause. Women should be careful, however, as this drop in estrogen does not make it impossible to get pregnant. Patients should continue to use birth control practices (unless pregnancy is desired) up until true menopause begins. 
  • Menopause is the halt of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Once menopause begins, patients cannot get pregnant, as the body is not producing an egg for fertilization. Menopause can be accompanied by some troubling symptoms, which will be discussed in detail below. 
  • Postmenopause is considered the 10 years that follow menopause. This period of time can bring with it the end to uncomfortable symptoms, such as hot flashes, but women should be aware that this time period also puts them at risk for other health conditions, such as osteoporosis, because of the sharp decline in estrogen. During this time, it’s a good idea to stay in close contact with your physician. 

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