The hormonal changes associated with menopause actually begin prior to the last menstrual period, during a 3- to 5-year period called perimenopause. The ovaries begin producing lower amounts of estrogen and other steroid hormones prior to menopause during a phase called perimenopause. Perimenopause is heralded by the onset of irregular periods. 

Menopause is the end of the reproductive years rather than the beginning, and thus it is the opposite of menarche, nonetheless it can usefully be compared with that event: the menopause transition years are in many ways similar to puberty in that women experience hormonal fluctuations which usher in a new stage of life. 

Menopause is the permanent cessation of menstruation which occurs a considerable length of time before the end of the lifespan. Menopause is considered premature if it occurs before age 35. It is considered late if it occurs in a woman older than 55 years. Menopause is a natural biologic event that does not need to be prevented.

Menopause Symptoms

Symptoms related to menopause are caused by changing or dropping hormone levels and usually end 1 or 2 years after menopause. As menopause approaches, women often experience a number of physical and emotional symptoms including:

Irregular menstrual periods

Hot flashes and night sweats

Disturbed sleep patterns, insomnia

Anxiety

Significant mood changes

Depression

Dry skinIrritability

Vaginal dryness and pain with sexual intercourse

Difficulty concentrating

Trouble remembering things

Diminished interest in sex

Frequent urination or leaking of urine

Headaches

Achy joints

Fatigue

Early morning awakening.

Symptoms may last from 6 months to about 10 years.

Understanding the natural progression of age in a woman\’s body and becoming acquainted with the therapies available, allows women today to manage their symptoms, however hideous and to be proactive in maintaining their health for their later years.

Women of different ethnicities report significantly different types of menopausal \”symptoms\”. One major study found Caucasian women most likely to report what are sometimes described as psychosomatic symptoms, while African-american women were more likely to report vasomotor symptoms. 

Herbal Treatments For Monepause

It is a personal choice for women who desire menopause relief, and this choice should be made after much consideration about the possible side effects of the treatments.  Some women concerned about the risks of hormone therapy choose alternative therapies, including homeopathy, herbal treatments, and Chinese medicine. Now that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) no longer commands the primary focus since its reputation has been tarnished, an abundance of prescription drugs are primed to fill the void and sell us treatments for osteoporosis, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and heart disease. 

Menopause Gum

Menopause Gum is the relief of menopausal symptoms, naturally and without a prescription.  The Gum is unique in it\’s form of delivering the needed help for sufferers of menopausal symptoms, in a much more appealing form. Menopause Gum is ingested without water through the membranes of the mouth, so more of the essential supplement is delivered to and retained in your body.

Menopause Gum is safe and effective thanks to a scientific blend of old-world herbs. While all four of these ingredients – dong quai root, black cohosh root  extract, damina leaf, mexican wild yam root - are in common use and available in health-food stores nationwide. Zoft Menopause Gum is the only herbal supplement to combine all four of these powerful herbal ingredients. 

Conclusion

A natural or physiological menopause is that which occurs as a part of a woman\’s normal aging process. Rather than a single point in time, menopause is a process or transitional period when women move away from the phase of life where reproduction is possible. 

Learn what menopause is, the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, and the treatments for menopause from traditional hormone replacement therapy or HRT to natural and bioidentical treatments for menopause. Women need to remember menopause is simply another stage of life, not a disease.



Thanks to Paul Rodgers for contributing this article to our Menopause blog:

Perimenopause And Weight Gain

If you are an Endo sufferer, and you have just about had enough of the debilitating pain, you may be tempted to ask your doctor will there be symptoms of endometriosis after hysterectomy operations have been carried out?

This article covers some of the main considerations and implications of having a hysterectomy to eliminate endometriosis symptoms.

Having a hysterectomy was often used as treatment option with severe Endometriosis symptoms. The idea behind it is that by removing the ovaries you are removing the main source of the female hormone estrogen, which controls menstruation, so the endometriosis will go away.

It’s not surprising then that women with severe Endo symptoms might think having a hysterectomy is an obvious solution. They understandably believe that after the surgical operation, the symptoms will be relieved and the debilitating pain disappears. However this is a misconception.

Endometriosis is a chronic disease that causes women varying degrees of pain and discomfort, especially during the menstrual cycle. It can also hamper their lifestyle as the normal processes of having a bowel movement or engaging in sexual intercourse can be made very painful by the disease.

These symptoms can therefore effect the way a woman regards herself and her relationships with other people.

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the uterus and ovaries, or either from the body.

The removal of the uterus does not guarantee to eradicate the pain and discomfort of endometriosis. The effects of endometriosis may persist even after hysterectomy if a woman retains her ovaries as these can continue producing hormones that can effect any endometrial tissue left in the body.

Should the ovaries be removed too, this will bring on menopause and all the delightful symptoms that entails.

Also, female hormones are still produced by the body even when the ovaries are removed, leaving the women to potentially suffer with both menopause and endometriosis symptoms.

Typical menopause symptoms include joint pains, headaches, insomnia and even hair loss. Behavior and attitude may also change.

There may be constant mood swings and feelings of nervousness, anxiety or depression. Weight gain isn’t uncommon and then there’s vaginal dryness to deal with too, not to mention the hot flashes.

As Endometriosis isn’t only found on the uterus and ovaries, but can be anywhere in the pelvic cavity it makes taking hormonal treatment for menopause not viable. By taking female hormone supplements or HRT you can encourage the endometriosis to continue it’s destructive cycle.

There are also additional risks other than endometriosis that a woman exposes herself too after artificially bringing on menopause through a hysterectomy. She can be prone to arthritis, heart diseases and even osteoporosis.

Continue reading to discover how to naturally combat endometriosis and sign up for our free endometriosis newsletter.

There are many crucial decisions that a woman will make in trying to resolve the problem of endometriosis. However, before taking drastic action there are options that must be carefully evaluated, like the effects on endometriosis after hysterectomy.



Thanks to Shelley Ross for contributing this article to our Menopause blog:

Menopause And Bleeding