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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The Change of Life

By Loise Servage

The menstruation cycle comes to an end permanently when a woman goes through menopause. Women, on average, go through menopause at the age of 51 in the USA. On a world wide basis there is no average age for women who go through menopause, this is due to differing health care and nutrition.

No two women suffer the same symptoms when going through menopause, nor is it possible to judge how long it will take when comparing to other women. Some women can begin menopause in their mid thirties and may continue to suffer until their early fifties.

A woman's period becomes more irregular when approaching menopause, it also becomes shorter, lighter, longer lasting or heavier. Symptoms can become more severe and noticeable when reaching their forties.

Symptoms suffered by menopausal women can include and is not restricted to dryness of the skin, hot flashes, severe mood swings, bladder control, increase in weight, headaches, sleep disorders and muscle and joint pains. Depression can also be a very concerning symptom for menopausal women.

As a result of menopause a woman's breasts will begin to lose their fullness and her hair may begin to thin out. Sometimes women will find that their sex drive will go in decline. Vaginal dryness may be the cause for the declining sex drive because the sex act can become quite uncomfortable unless a lubricant is used.

Estrogens and Progesterone are produced in women, with onset of menopause less is produced and fewer eggs ripen for fertilization. When the eggs that are produced during menopause ripen, there is a reduction in the surge of progesterone for the post ovulation surge.

Menopause can cause a shift in the hormone levels of women and influence or cause severe mood swings. Blood tests can be performed by doctors to ascertain Estrogens levels and also to look for FSH (follicle stimulating hormones).

If Estrogens levels are below normal there is a good chance that the patient is moving into menopause. Should the woman be considered too young to have started the process the doctor can and should take appropriate measures for treatment, such as hormone therapies.

Some medical procedures such as chemotherapy, radiation treatment and hysterectomies can cause early menopause. If a woman is undergoing these treatments and menopause is thought by the doctors to be too early the doctor can take steps to lessen the effects of the symptoms.

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