Menopause Overview

Menopause Overview 

Menopause does not occur overnight, but rather is a gradual process of transition. This transition period (known as perimenopause) is different for each woman.

Perimenopausal women may experience similar symptoms to PMS, or no symptoms at all. For some women, the cessation of periods can be the only symptom of menopause they have. About half of women experience slight physical or mental changes while approximately 25% inconvenient and/or distressing problems.

Scientists are still trying to identify all the factors that initiate and influence this transition. Women in perimenopause transition typically experience abnormal vaginal bleeding such as erratic periods or abnormal bleeding patterns. Eventually a woman's periods will completely stop as she completes this transition into menopause.

The average age of onset of menopause process is 51 years old. But there is no single method to predict when a woman will enter menopause. The age at which a woman starts having menstrual periods is also not related to the age of menopause onset. As a rough "rule of thumb" women tend to undergo menopause at an age similar to that of their mothers.

Alternative treatments include optimizing diet, such as increasing calcium intake to protect against osteoporosis. Soy and phytoestrogen-rich food intake can be increased, which are naturally occurring estrogen-like compounds. Natural medicines such as the use of acupuncture and homeopathy have been found by many women to be helpful with symptoms of menopause. Herbs and vitamins can also help with symptoms.

Hot flashes are common among women undergoing menopause. A hot flash is a feeling of warmth that spreads over the body. A hot flash is sometimes associated with flushing and is sometimes followed by perspiration. Sometimes hot flashes are accompanied by night sweats (episodes of drenching sweats at nighttime). The cause of hot flashes is not yet understood.

Recent research theory suggests that women with hot flashes seem to start sweating at a lower environmental temperature than women without hot flashes. There is currently no method to predict when hot flashes will begin and how long they will last. Hot flashes occur in up to 40% of regularly menstruating women in their forties, so they may begin before the menstrual irregularities characteristic of menopause even begin. About 80% of women will be finished having hot flashes after 5 years. Sometimes (in about 10% of women), hot flashes can last as long as 10 years. There is no way to predict when hot flashes will cease, though they tend to decrease in frequency over time. On average, hot flashes last about 5 years.