 |
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
MenopausePublished by Bupa's health information team, August 2007. This factsheet is for women who are going through the menopause, or anyone who would like information about it. Menopause is the point when your periods stop for good. It's a natural part of ageing, signalling the end of your reproductive years. The average age of natural menopause is 51, although this varies from woman to woman and can happen earlier or later. It may also be brought on by surgery, drugs or radiotherapy.
What is the menopause?The menopause happens when there are no more eggs in your ovaries. Your eggs stimulate your ovaries to produce oestrogen, so there is drop in the levels of oestrogen in the blood when the eggs in your ovaries run out. This fall in hormone levels disrupts your menstrual cycle and produces the other symptoms that are associated with menopause. When does the menopause happen?The menopause usually happens gradually. For a few years before menopause, your periods may become irregular, happening every two to three weeks to every few months. There may be a change in the amount of bleeding - slightly heavier periods are more common. If you have started noticing these changes or other menopause symptoms (see Symptoms of Menopause), you are said to be perimenopausal. The perimenopausal stage lasts around four years and starts on average at 47. You are considered to be through the menopause when it's been a year since your last period. Women who smoke go through the menopause an average of two years early. Menopause is likely to happen later in women who have taken the contraceptive pill or given birth. Surgery that removes the ovaries causes an immediate menopause. Surgery to remove the womb (hysterectomy), some types of radiotherapy and some types of chemotherapy can also result in menopause. When menopause happens before the age of 40, it's considered a premature menopause (or early menopause). You should see your GP for advice if you are under 40 and you begin to get menopause symptoms. Symptoms of menopauseAlthough some women have no symptoms other than the ending of their periods, eight in 10 experience menopause symptoms. These can include:
The reduced levels of hormones can increase the risk of various health problems in the long term. These include:
Treatment of menopausePhysical activityRegular exercise can help improve some symptoms of the menopause, including hot flushes and night sweats, difficulty sleeping and mood changes. Physical activity that stresses the bones, such as running and walking, can slow down the loss of bone density. Physical activity can also help protect against heart disease and stroke. The recommended amount of physical activity is at least half an hour of moderate intensity physical activity on at least five days each week. DietYour diet should include enough calcium and vitamin D, which help keep bones strong and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. You need at least 700mg of calcium per day, which you can get from milk, other dairy products, tinned fish with bones such as sardines, and leafy green vegetables. Our skin produces most of the vitamin D we need when it's exposed to sunlight. In the diet, vitamin D is found in oily fish, eggs and some fortified breakfast cereals. Make sure your diet includes plenty of vitamin D if you are indoors a lot of the time, avoid the sun or cover up your skin completely. Eating more than 1.5mg of vitamin A per day may increase the risk of osteoporosis. High levels of vitamin A are found in liver and liver products such as pate, so you should only have these once a week, or eat small portions You are more likely to gain weight around your waist after the menopause. This puts you at a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, breast and endometrial cancer, so it's important that you try to keep at a healthy weight for your height. Hormone replacement therapyHormone replacement therapy (HRT) replaces some of the hormones that are reduced during and after the menopause. It usually includes a combination of oestrogen and progesterone, rather than just oestrogen. This is because taking oestrogen on its own increases the risk of cancer in the lining of the womb. You can have oestrogen-only HRT if you have had an operation to remove your womb (a hysterectomy). Combined HRT (oestrogen and progesterone) comes in tablets and patches. Alternatives include skin gels and implants. Vaginal creams, pessaries or a vaginal ring may be helpful for vaginal problems such as dryness. HRT can have side-effects, including tender breasts, heavier periods, water retention, weight gain, depression and irritability. Changing the type and dose of HRT may reduce the side-effects. You can ask your GP for more information and advice on different forms of HRT. Benefits of HRTThe long-term benefits of HRT are a reduced risk of osteoporosis, and, for combined HRT, a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Other benefits include:
Risks associated with HRTTaking HRT for a long time may slightly increase the risk of developing certain conditions, including:
You should talk to your GP about weighing up the benefits and risks of taking HRT. Non-HRT treatmentsOther treatment options include the following. For hot flushes and night sweats:
For loss of libido and vaginal dryness:
For mood disturbances, your GP may recommend counselling or antidepressant medicines. HRT is not recommended if depression, anxiety or other mood disturbances are your only menopause symptoms. Complementary therapiesThere isn't enough evidence for doctors to recommend taking phytoestrogens (naturally occurring oestrogen-like compounds found in plants), but some studies have found that one type, called isoflavone, may reduce hot flushes. However, there may be an increased risk of endometrial cancer. Dietary sources of phytoestrogen include roasted soy beans, soy milk, tofu and miso. There is little scientific evidence to show that herbal remedies are effective. However, some women may find they help relieve symptoms. Examples include black cohosh, angelica and evening primrose oil. Bear in mind that herbal remedies are medicines, and should be used with care as they can have side-effects and interact with other medicines. There is no statutory regulation of herbal medicines at present, so you can't be sure that a herbal medicine definitely works, what it contains or whether it was produced properly. However, the UK government is in the process of introducing a system to regulate both herbal medicines and medical herbalists. You should ask your GP or pharmacist for advice if you decide to try any herbal treatments. Other complementary therapies that promote relaxation, exercise, and wellbeing (such as aromatherapy, acupuncture, yoga and reflexology) may help reduce symptoms in some women. Further information
Related topicsSources
This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional. Publication date: August 2007
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![Print-friendly version [opens in a new window]](/images/icons/icn_printer.gif){kind=icon}
|
|
|
||||
 |
 |
|||||
| ||||||
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|