Menopause- Symptoms and Management

Understanding Menopause

Nearly 20 million women in India attain menopause every year. And the fact of the matter is that it will happen to every woman. It’s the start of a new phase in women's health.

Menopause is the time during which, the monthly periods of a woman come to a halt. But, not suddenly, it’s a transitional process. 

The average age of menopause in India women is 46.2 years. The usual age range for it to start is between 45-55.

This phase of a woman's life comes with its own hormonal ride, just like puberty and pregnancy. And it could become overwhelming for a woman to go through menopause. 

But just absent periods don’t necessarily signal menopause. Your periods would have to be absent for a period of 12 months, to diagnose menopause. 

When Does Menopause Start? 

In Indian women, symptoms of menopause might start around 3-4 years before their periods finally stop. Many women in India, start facing symptoms after the age of 40.

But there are certain factors that determine when a woman may face menopause. For example, ovary health, family history of menopause. 

Before it makes its grand arrival, women’s hormones start to change in order to prepare for it. This phase is called perimenopause. Perimenopause starts sometime around in the mid-40s and may stay for a few months or years.

It’s not necessary that every Indian woman will definitely face perimenopause. Some Indian women, don’t go through perimenopause and enter the menopausal phase directly. 

Although the menopausal age as mentioned above is somewhere between 45-55, some women experience menopausal symptoms before the age of 40. This is called early menopause and is usually a sign of concern. 

Symptoms

During menopause, there is a huge shift in the hormones, leading to various symptoms. For instance, The ovaries stop the production of the hormone estrogen.

Estrogen is responsible for many vital functions in a women’s body including maintaining good bone and skin health along with good mood. That’s why many women experience extreme mood swings, during perimenopause and menopause. 

Reminder: If you are facing any of these symptoms, please take our free symptoms assessment and know your risk levels of having menopause.

Menopause is not a disease or disorder it is a phase in a women’s life where her menstrual cycle comes to a stop. Symptoms may seem similar to other disorders, that is why it is extremely important to assess them timely and correctly. 

What happens in the body?

During menopause, the ovaries in women produce less ovarian hormones, due to ageing. Estrogen, Progesterone, Luteinizing Hormone, and Follicle Stimulating Hormone are vital reproductive hormones.

They play a huge part in the overall health of women. The levels of estrogen and progesterone start dropping during perimenopause, and the levels of Luteinizing Hormone and Follicular Stimulating Hormone increases, leading to a lighter flow, short duration of periods and spaced out periods.

And, after a point, the periods come to a complete halt, this is menopause. In some women, the drop could be sudden, because of which their symptoms are more severe. And in some women, menopause is induced due to other reasons.

For instance, removal of ovaries or uterus or any other pelvic organ, an injury, or complications related to pelvic surgery and hormone therapy. 

Diagnosis

In most women, menopause is a transitional event, whose symptoms start way before it actually happens and the periods gradually stop. 

But if these symptoms are severe and interfering with your day to day life or if you are experiencing these symptoms before the age of 40, you must discuss with your gynaecologist for the correct diagnosis. 

Alternatively, some blood tests can also be performed to check the levels of the reproductive hormones, which may provide insight into a woman’s menopause achievement. 

Treatment for menopause symptoms

The drop in the hormones can cause myriads of symptoms and vitamin deficiencies.

Therefore, treatment of menopause is directed towards managing these symptoms and addressing the deficiencies through medications and supplements respectively. 

Since all of the reproductive hormones play a vital role in maintaining many important functions in women’s body the treatment is targeted towards relieving symptoms that are caused by these low levels of reproductive hormones.

The gynaecologist may also recommend some lifestyle and nutrition modifications to you, which helps in managing these symptoms effectively. 

For menopausal women, the best way to manage their symptoms is to have a structured and disciplined lifestyle, which addresses the nutritional deficiencies caused by the low levels of the reproductive hormones. 

Summary

Menopause is not a disease or a disorder but an event just like puberty and pregnancy. It happens or will happen to every female. The average menopausal age in Indian women is 46.2 years.

Menopause happens between the age of 45-55 but its symptoms start 3-4 years before the last and final menstrual period. The primary symptom includes the absence of periods for more than 12 months.

Other symptoms include hot flushes, night sweats and irregular period flow. If a woman experiences the absence of periods for over a year before the age of 40, it’s called early menopause and is usually a cause of concern. 

Menopause can be overtaxing just like any other menstrual phase: Puberty & Pregnancy. It's extremely important to take the right steps before its too late. if you are facing any symptoms, which might be concerning to you, please take our Free Symptom Assessment to understand your risk.