Menopause - Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment - Avicenna Health

Do you suffer from changing periods - shorter or longer, lighter or heavier, with more or less time in between?

Do you have any sleeping problems

Do you have mood swings lately?

If yes, you may have menopause, so that we will explain it in our article.

Definition of menopause

Menopause is the condition when a woman's lifestyles change, so the menstrual period stops. It usually happens, most usually after age 45.

Menopause includes stopping ovaries from producing both hormones (estrogen and progesterone).

It is diagnosed after you have gone twelve months without a period.

Symptoms:

Irregular periods

Vaginal dryness

Hot flashes

Chills

Night sweats

Sleep problems

Mood changes

Weight gain and slowed metabolism

Thinning hair and dry skin

Loss of breast fullness

Causes:

Menopause is caused by a modification in the balance of the body's sex hormones, which happens, as you get older.

It happens once your ovaries stop manufacturing as much of the hormone estrogen and no longer release an egg every month.

Premature or early menopause may occur at any age, and there' no apparent cause in several cases.

Sometimes it's caused after a treatment such as surgery to get rid of the ovaries (oophorectomy), some breast cancer treatments, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or it may be brought on by an underlying condition, such as Down' syndrome or Addison' disease.

Risk factors:

• Previous cases in the family
• Surgery to remove the ovaries
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Taking medicines that lower estrogen levels
• Smoking
• Problems with the immune system

When to see a doctor:

It is recommended to a doctor if you have any symptoms of menopause that worry you or if you experience symptoms of menopause before the age of 45.

They can usually confirm whether you are going through menopause based on your symptoms. Still, a blood test to measure hormone levels can be done if you are under 45.

Diagnosis

The signs and symptoms are usually enough to tell most women that they have started going through menopause. If you have some concerns about irregular periods or hot flashes, talk to your doctor. In some cases, a more in-depth assessment may be recommended.

Tests are generally not necessary to diagnose menopause, but in certain circumstances, your doctor may recommend blood tests to check the level of:

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estrogen (estradiol): Your FSH levels increase and your estrogen levels decrease as you have menopause.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH): When women have hypothyroidism, it leads to cause symptoms similar to those of menopause.

Differential diagnosis:

Adjustment Disorders

Anemia

Depression

Dysthymic Disorder

Hypothyroidism

Dementia

Secondary depression

Endocrine disorder

Substance abuse

Medications



Treatment:

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) tablets, skin patches, gels, and implants that relieve symptoms of menopause by replacing estrogen creams, lubricants, or moisturizers for vaginal estrogen for vaginal dryness

cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) - a type of verbal therapy that can help with moodiness and anxiety

Eating healthily, balanced diet, and exercise regularly: Maintaining a healthy weight and staying fit and strong can improve some symptoms of menopause

References

Mayo clinic

Medscape

Medline plus