Menopause has a bad rap, at best. This is one of the most
misunderstood times in a woman's life. However, it is natural
and can be controlled through both medicinal and non-medicinal
means. The following information regarding menopause will,
hopefully, answer some questions and offer some treatment
options for the millions of women who will soon be entering this
next stage of life.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) has been the standard of care
for menopausal women since the 1970's. In fact, more than 40
million women every year receive prescriptions for this
treatment. However, in recent years this form of treatment has
come under attack as it is being thought that it causes an
increase in heart disease.
The use of soy and vitamin E as a treatment for the symptoms of
menopause are gaining momentum among those women who do not want
to use hormone replacement therapy. Nevertheless, these options
have not been subjected to the same scrutiny as prescription
drugs. The reason for this is that vitamins, minerals and other
non-traditional methods are classified as food items and not
drugs. Therefore, the studies that may have been conducted are
not done in accordance with the FDA guidelines. This means that
any information gleaned from such studies may not be accurate.
There are a myriad of symptoms that signal the beginning of
menopause. Irregular bleeding, menstrual cycles that are longer
or shorter than normal, hot flashes and night sweats are some of
the more common signs. It is important to note however, that
even with a list that is this varied in symptoms that not all
women have the same symptoms or experience the same severity of
those symptoms. One woman's experience of during this time in
her life may vary greatly from the experiences of her friends
and family.
It is best to talk to your health care provider if you suspect
that you are entering the early stages of menopause. Together,
you will be able to decide upon a course of action to alleviate
some of the more uncomfortable aspects of this time of your
life. Treatment does not need to follow either traditional or
non-traditional methods, in fact, for many women a combination
of the two works best.
The first step to alleviating some of the fear that is
associated with menopause is to understand what menopause is.
Simply put, it is the time when a woman's ovaries cease to
function. The ovaries control such functions as producing eggs
and estrogen, when the ovaries stop working, so does the
production of these two things. The cease in production of
estrogen can lead to a fluctuation in hormone levels and can
cause osteoporosis later in life. This is why hormonal
replacement therapy (HRT) is the treatment of choice.
One last piece of information, menopause is not considered
complete until the absence of a menstrual cycle for 12
consecutive months. During this time, you may experience an
occasional cycle. It is important to note that pregnancy may
still occur, if menopause is not completed. It would be wise to
continue any birth control that you prefer during the menopause
phase, if pregnancy is not wanted.
About the author:
John Mancini has been writing about Menopause online and offline
for a long time. Visit
http://menopause-home.info or
http://my-menopause.com to read more about matters like stop hot
flashes and menopause.
