Understanding Menopause
Menopause is the signaling of the end of a woman's menstruation. It is a significant time in a woman's life, a part of a woman's natural aging process when her ovaries begin to produce lower levels of the hormone estrogen and progesterone and when she is no longer able to become pregnant.
Because of all these factors, it is often a difficult time of life for a woman to go through, not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well.
Signs and Symptoms
Although for many women the signs and symptoms of menopause are hardly noticeable, in most cases they are very much so and are what alert the women that she is now going through the stage of menopause.
There are many different possible signs of menopause and each woman feels them differently and at different times. Some of the most common signs include weight gain, hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, vaginal dryness, joint pain, fatigue, dry eyes, upset bowel, itchy skin, mood swings, urinary tract infections, and short term memory problems.
Learning to Deal With Menopause
These symptoms can definitely be difficult to deal with but there are certain things that a woman can do to gain relief and to make the experience of menopause as comfortable as possible. Each different symptom usually has to be dealt with separately. Hot flashes for instance, which are typically one of the first and most intense symptoms that a woman deals with during menopause, unfortunately cannot be prevented but can be helped and made less uncomfortable.
Wearing loose clothing is a good idea, so you can peel off the top layers as needed if you begin to experience a hot flash. There are also certain foods that tend to trigger hot flashes and which should be avoided. Stress is another major contributing factor to hot flashes, so you should use relaxation exercises like meditation and yoga to help you through.
There are also many medications available that can help with some of the symptoms, including upset bowel, urinary tract infections and fatigue.
It is important that you work closely with your doctor during this time, because the symptoms of menopause can become quite severe and it is important that you are given the proper attention and necessary treatment. If your doctor does decide to put you on medication, make sure that you keep in contact with them and inform them on how you are doing and whether you are getting the relief that you are looking for.
