What is menopause and what are its symptoms?

The previous period, which is usually characterized by irregular periods, is called perimenopause and begins on average at the age of 46.

During this time, many women notice that it has become difficult to predict their period date, or that it has become more abundant, and they are exposed to feelings and physical problems that they did not have before.

When 12 months have passed since menopause, it means that the woman has entered menopause.

Some women go into menopause early, either naturally or as a result of treatment after an illness.

The levels of hormones in a woman’s body change, especially estrogen, which controls the menstrual cycle.

As women get older, the ovaries produce fewer eggs and estrogen levels fluctuate and decline gradually, leading to menopausal symptoms.

However, this does not happen overnight.

It can take many years for this vital hormone to drop to low levels – and then stay there – causing changes in a woman’s body.

When the ovaries completely stop producing eggs, pregnancy is no longer possible and menopause occurs.

Menopause and previous years affect women in different ways.

The brain, menstrual cycle, skin, muscles, and emotions are all affected by low estrogen levels.

There are a large number of possible symptoms and a woman can have some, all or none and at varying times.

The most common symptoms are:

Also, poor memory and lack of concentration, which is usually called brain fog, are symptoms that women usually suffer from at that stage, as are joint pain and dry skin.

Most women – about 75 percent – have these symptoms.

A quarter of menopausal women describe their symptoms as severe.

These symptoms can last an average of seven years, and a third of women have them longer.

If a woman is taking birth control pills, it may be more difficult to tell if she has entered menopause because the pills can affect the menstrual cycle in several ways.

Lack of estrogen. This hormone plays a role in the regulation of body temperature.

The body usually adjusts to changes in temperature, but when estrogen decreases, the part of the brain responsible for thermoregulation does not work as well and the brain mistakenly thinks that the body temperature is excessively high.

Estrogen can also affect mood. It interacts with chemicals in the receptor and transmitting areas of the brain that control mood, and when hormone levels drop, it can cause feelings of anxiety and depressed mood.

Yes, progesterone and testosterone, but they don’t have the same effect as low estrogen levels.

Progesterone helps prepare the body for pregnancy each month, and its level in the body decreases when ovulation stops and the cycle is interrupted.

Testosterone, which a woman’s body produces at high levels, is linked to sexual desire and energy levels.

This hormone decreases in a woman’s body from the 1920s onwards, and some women need to take medications to increase it.

Is there a break test?w؟

There are tests sold and marketed to diagnose whether a woman is going through menopause, but experts agree that these tests are not useful after age 45.

The best way is to see your doctor or nurse and talk to them about your period and any symptoms you are experiencing.

Tests measure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. However, hormone levels rise and fall continuously in the body, even throughout the day, so the test cannot tell exactly what is going on.

It is possible for a woman to become pregnant even after her menstrual cycle has become irregular, and experts recommend using contraception until the age of 55.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increases the levels of hormones such as estrogen, which begin to decline as menopause approaches and helps relieve symptoms.

But it may not be suitable for some women who have a history of certain cancers, blood clots, and high blood pressure.

Women can improve their health:

Some research suggests that taking phytoestrogens – found in soy and red clover – can help relieve symptoms, and vitamin D tablets can improve bone health.

What Happens After Menopause?w؟

One year after the last menstrual period, postmenopausal begins.

With estrogen production completely stopped, there are long-term effects on the bones and heart. This is mostly considered an inseparable part of aging or aging.

With life expectancy increasing, women now live more than a third of their life after menopause.