The stages and cycles of menopause can be quite confusing. There's 'pre' 'peri' 'post' and of course, full-blown menopause. Let's take a closer look at the cycles and stages of menopause.
Pre-menopause is the cycle of a woman's life leading up to her last menstrual cycle. During this time estrogen levels start to become very erratic and low. Withdrawal from estrogen may be apparent during this phase.
Menopause is a cycle in a woman's life when she becomes permanently infertile. It occurs long before the end of her lifetime. When menopause sets in, the end of menstruation occurs. The term, menopause, is based on two greek words men (month) and pausis (cessation). The literal meaning of the word is "end of monthly cycles".
The period of perimenopause includes the years when a woman is transitioning through menopause. During this time the famous "hot flash" sets in. During a hot flash the body temperature increases suddenly. Hot flashes can be very intense to the point of raising the body temperature 2 to 3 degrees in a very short timespan. This can leave you feeling very weak and cause a lot of sweating. Prescriptions are available that can alleviate the intensity of hot flashes, they are called SSRI medication. Homeopathic medicine and OTC plant estrogens are also great for helping to alleviate troublesome hot flashes.
Other symptoms of perimenopause include memory loss, tiredness, migraine headaches, increased risk of atherosclerosis, frequent urination, incontinence, vaginal bleeding or discharge, change in mood or loss of sleep. During this time there is a larger chace to acquire UTI (urinary tract infection) and candidiasis. The signs of this will be either infection or inflammation in the vaginal area.
Once a woman has been infertile for a year or longer she enters a cycle called post-menopause. These two cycles typically happen around the middle of a woman's life, between the ages of 45-55. In the United States 51 years old is the average age for women to begin experiencing menopause.
The life-impacting change that happens during menopause is the cessation of estrogen production. Once estrogen stops being produced all sorts of effects are experienced. These effects can be felt in the brain, skin and the entire reproductive system. Even sexual behavior is typically changed during the stages of menopause.
If the ovaries fail to work at the age of 40 this is not considered to be menopause. Rather it is called premature ovarian failure (POF). POF is not a result of the normal aging process. Chemotherapy, thyroid disease and autoimmune disorders are known to cause POF.
Premature ovarian failure can be diagnosed by taking a measure of the luteinizing hormone and follicle stimulating hormone levels. If the levels read as being too high then that is proof-positive that menopause is already in the works
Author Resource:-
Dee Braun, a single mom of 6, is a Cert. Aromatherapist and natural health practitioner. Click now to visit Health or High Water at http://www.HealthOrHighWater.com/ where you'll find info to improve your health using nutritional supplements to battle the ravages of time, poor nutrition, & toxins.
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