Menopause is an inevitable effect of aging in people assigned to females at birth. Your doctor will diagnose your menopause if you are above 40 and have gone at least one year without menstruating. Collaborating with Dr Wallace McLean is critical to minimize the symptoms associated with menopause, like night sweats and hot flashes.
Defining menopause
If you go twelve months without seeing your period and are over 40, you are experiencing menopause. This period is associated with infertility because your ovaries stop releasing eggs.
Most patients undergoing menopause report various symptoms that may hinder their well-being. Some of the most common signs of menopause to expect are weight gain and night sweats. Although there is no treatment for menopause, your doctor may recommend various management techniques to minimize the impact of menopausal symptoms on your wellness.
The beginning of menopause
You will experience menopausal symptoms about four years before your period stops. These symptoms may not resolve until four years after your last period.
Factors determining when you will begin menopause
There is no standard age to begin menopause. However, menopause is inevitable. Various factors determine the start of your menopause. For example, genetics and ovary health will influence how early or late you stop seeing your period.
What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the stage preceding menopause. You will experience hormone reductions during this stage in preparation for ovulation cessation.
Perimenopause begins around age 40. However, premature menopause can happen, where you skip perimenopause and enter menopause before age 40. Another name for premature menopause is primary ovarian insufficiency.
The difference between perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause
Perimenopause involves irregular periods. Most women experience delays in their menstrual cycle during this stage. You should expect your period to be lighter or heavier during perimenopause.
Menopause occurs after perimenopause and is the lack of menstruation for one year. Postmenopause is the years following menopause.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Your menopause experience will be unique. However, understanding the typical symptoms of menopause will help you determine your reproductive status and push you into seeking appropriate medical intervention to manage your symptoms. Early menopause and skipping perimenopause will cause severe menopausal symptoms. Moreover, underlying health conditions like cancer and certain lifestyle choices like smoking may impact the severity and duration of menopausal symptoms.
Signs of menopause
The biggest sign of menopause is menstrual changes. Other typical signs of perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause include:
- Vasomotor symptoms (VMS), including hot flashes, night sweats, and flushing
- Mood changes
- Insomnia
- Vaginal dryness
- Weight gain
- Trouble remembering things
- Headaches
- UTIs
- Increased or reduced sex drive
- Increased hair growth
- Painful intercourse
Why do menopausal symptoms occur?
Menopausal symptoms occur due to lesser production of reproductive hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH), which causes loss of active ovarian follicles.
Injury or surgical removal of the ovaries and related pelvic structures may also induce menstruation. Contact Women’s Healthcare Physicians of Naples to inform your doctor about any menopausal symptoms you are experiencing to receive management protocols that will optimize the quality of your life.
