Body Changes

Welcome to our section devoted to Menopause: symptoms, treatments and coping.  Here you will find the answers to all of your questions about the many symptoms of menopause like hot flashes , and more importantly: how to cope with hot flashes .  Other symptoms of menopause you might want to read up on are bone loss , bone thinning , urinary incontinence , moodiness , vaginal dryness , dry skin , fatigue and more.  By learning about the symptoms of menopause you will be ready for what may await you during this 'change' and be as prepared as you can be for dealing with the effects of menopause.

Treating Menopause

You can also learn more about the many options for reliving the symptoms of menopause such as HRT, or alternative treatments such as acupuncture or the use of herbs .  Also check out our article on natural cures for hot flashes .  Exercise can also be a big help when dealing with the annoyances of menopause and can help ward off a potentially deadly side effect of menopause: heart disease.  Find out more about how you can keep yourself strong and healthy during this time in your life.

Coping With Menopause

Discover now how you can best cope with this new chapter in your life and find out how you can embrace the changes that come with menopause.  Many women do not think of menopause as an ending, but rather as a new beginning.  Say goodbye to periods, PMS, and pregnancy worries.  Find ou...

The definition of menopause is the very last menstrual period experienced by a woman during her life. This event marks the end of a woman's reproductive years in the same way that her first menstrual period marked the inception of puberty and the beginning of these childbearing years.

Premature Menopause

Western women today live a full third of their lives after menopause has occurred. The modern woman tends to experience menopause between the ages of 48 and 55 with the average age for menopause falling at 51 or 52 years of age. When a woman experiences menopause prior to turning 40, this is termed premature menopause.

Experts have begun to use the term menopause to include the period during which the body adjusts to the final hormone fluctuations, or the "climacteric." For most women, these changes come on at a gradual pace over a period of 2-6 years after the final menstrual period. It is during this time that a woman may experience the symptoms of menopause. However, it is important to note that a significant number of women (20%) experience no symptoms, and 60% have only mild symptoms. This leaves only 20% who seek help for severe menopausal symptoms.

Menopause is deemed early when it occurs from age 41-45, but when menopause occurs before the age of 40, it is called premature. Premature menopause can be caused by early ovarian failure, having the ovaries removed through surgery, or as a result of chemotherapy as a cancer treatment. The symptoms of early or premature menopause do not differ from menopause that occurs at an average age by dint of nature.

Because menopause means that the body no longer produces estrogen, a woman who is menopausal is at greater risk for developing heart disease and osteoporosis. Women who experience early or premature menopause have an even greater risk for developing these diseases. For this reason, women who go into menopause at a young age must seek a doctor's advice. Your doctor may prescribe a long-term...

Menopause is not an illness so it doesn't necessitate medical treatment. When people speak of menopause treatments they refer to measures that are taken to reduce the signs and symptoms that come with this stage in your life. These treatments may also help to prevent or reduce the impact of chronic conditions that may arise as a result of the aging process. Such treatments include:

∗Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)—Estrogen therapy is still considered the most effective menopause treatment, at least for relieving hot flashes. Your doctor may prescribe a very low dose of oral estrogen and work toward adjusting the dose to the one that is the minimum dose needed to give you relief for your symptoms.

Vaginal Dryness

Applied locally as a cream or through a vaginal tablet or ring, estrogen can relieve the symptoms of vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, and urinary symptoms. These treatment methods deliver a very small amount of estrogen which is absorbed well by the vaginal tissue.

∗Antidepressants—Very low doses of Venlafaxine (Effexor), an antidepressant that is a type of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), can relieve hot flashes. There are other SSRI's that can be substituted including: fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), citalopram (Celexa) and sertraline (Zoloft).

∗Gabapentin (Neurontin)—This seizure treatment can give vast relief for hot flashes.

∗Clonidine (Catapres)—This patch or pill was created to treat high blood pressure but reduces the frequency of hot flashes. The downside is that it causes many unpleasant side effects. 

∗Bisphosphates—Your doctor may prescribe a medicine from this class to prevent or treat menopause-related bone loss (osteoporosis). Such medications include: alendronate (Fosamax), risedronate (Actonel) and ibandronate (Boniva).

∗Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs)—These dru...