Causes of menopause. At what age does menopause begin? Menopause brings extremely negative changes

Despite efforts to preserve youth, with age, reproductive function in women decreases, and later completely fades away. All that remains is to prepare for it correctly: if you know how and when menopause occurs, women have the opportunity to take care of their condition in advance.

What is menopausal syndrome

Menopause is based on hormonal changes: with reaching a certain age, the production and activity of estrogen decreases, which subsequently inhibits the production of the pituitary gland. Critical days cease to be regular, the discharge becomes scanty, and soon disappears completely. Reproductive function ceases.

For some, the process goes smoothly, for others - with great success. severe symptoms and discomfort.

All these manifestations in total represent climacteric syndrome. It is usually quite easy to notice how menopause begins in women - the symptoms are similar for everyone.

Common signs of approach menopause:

• causeless headaches;
• heavy sweating;
• horse racing blood pressure, pulse;
• apathetic state;
• feeling of dryness in the vagina;
• discomfort when urinating, burning pain may appear;
• lack of sexual desire;
• sleep disorders.

The listed manifestations may intensify or, conversely, become invisible, depending on the stage of menopause and individual indicators female body.

How long does a woman remain in menopause?

It is impossible to identify a clear time frame for how long the menopause lasts in women. Like any physiological process, this period occurs individually for a woman. All that remains is to analyze the general statistics and highlight the average data.

By row various reasons age limits are shifting.

The first signs of approaching menopause appear after 45 years, the process ends at 50-55 years.

Among the factors that influence the age and duration of this process are biggest role Heredity plays a role.

With a high probability of being right, we can say that a woman’s menopause will occur in the same years that her mother or grandmother will experience the same period of time with similar symptoms.

Influencing factors are also:

• Lifestyle. Availability bad habits brings closer and more difficult the process;
• Nutrition. Abundant, fatty food or grueling strict diets also have a negative effect;
• Chronic diseases;
• Infections and other ailments of the genitourinary system;
• Previously undergone operations.

The general condition of the body, the level of immunity and heredity determine the nature of the menopausal state: the intensity of symptoms, the age of its onset, and duration.

On average, during a normal course, menopause lasts a little more than a year - about 15 months. Normal duration in the absence negative factors influence is considered a term from 1 to 3 years.

If there are various kinds pathology, the process can take 6-8 years.

Menopause, its stages

Since menopause is not a sudden condition, but a long and gradual process, for a clearer diagnosis it is divided into three stages:

• Premenopause. During this period, the woman at the physiological level realizes and feels that changes are taking place in her body. The menstrual cycle begins to go astray, and the volume of fluid released decreases;
• Directly herself menopause. The stage when menstruation stops completely;
• Postmenopause. The ovaries stop working and the woman loses her reproductive function.

Each stage is characterized by certain manifestations and changes.

How does premenopause manifest?

Perimenopause is the phase preceding menopause. During this period, ovarian activity gradually decreases. Sex hormones are produced in less volume, menstruation goes out of the usual rhythm. Premenopause is characterized by increased stress on the adrenal glands, since without the help of the ovaries they have to independently produce the hormone estrogen.

Symptoms of this period are also:

• sweat is produced intensely;
• menstruation occurs less frequently, the intervals between them increase to 3 months or more;
• makes you feel hot and your skin turns red;
• pulse quickens;
• frequent urge to urinate;
• there is dryness and itching in the vagina;
• disorders of the mental system occur.

The premenopausal stage lasts from 1 to 7 years, depending on the influence of the above factors.

What is typical for menopause?

The onset of menopause is preceded by the last menstruation. The intervals between menstruation during premenopause can reach six months; it is impossible to predict which one will be the last. It may take a long time to realize that this phase has arrived.

The symptoms of menopause have certain differences from the previous stage. The intensity of manifestations increases, discomfort increases. The mucous membranes succumb to atrophy, which can cause intense pain.

The following complications are likely:

• appearance overweight, especially in the abdomen, waist;
• dizzy;
• is formed inflammatory process on the cervix;
• osteoporosis develops.

Typically, this stage occurs in women at the age of 50, but under the influence of negative factors it can happen earlier.

U smoking women Menopause occurs 4-5 years earlier than in non-smokers.

What happens during postmenopause

The last stage of the menopausal state - the ovaries stop their activity, the reproductive function completely fades away. Postmenopause is considered to be the period 1-1.5 years after the last menstruation, and then throughout life.

Due to the inability of the ovaries, they sharply decrease in size, which helps to get rid of discomfort.

In general, symptoms such as sleep problems, pain, sweating, and hot flashes gradually disappear. Instead, the woman experiences significant disturbances in the metabolic process, and a large load is placed on the heart and blood vessels. The problem of excess weight also remains relevant.

Even taking into account the almost zero activity of the reproductive system, it is just as susceptible to the development of pathologies as during reproductive age.

At the postmenopausal stage, due to the high concentration of male hormones, the likelihood of tumor formation is high.

Regardless of age, it is important to remember regular visits to the gynecologist.

How to ease the onset and progression of menopause

Women perceive and experience menopause differently. To minimize Negative consequences menopause, it is important to prepare for this process in advance, or at least survive it correctly.

In order to more easily overcome all three phases of menopause, you should keep your body in good shape: exercise regularly, spend a lot of time on fresh air. Swimming is very beneficial.

Women also need to pay attention to their diet: add foods rich in beneficial microelements and vitamins, in particular vitamin D and calcium. These include dairy products, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.

To relieve symptoms, doctors prescribe various medications: usually phytoestrogens and probiotics that normalize the vaginal microflora. However, women are recommended to take them only as directed by their doctor.

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Almost every woman fears the onset of menopause, although they are more frightened. There is no need to be afraid of this period, since any stage of a person’s life is accompanied by special changes in the body. With the advent of old age, hormonal levels change, reproductive system And psychological condition, which is why various unpleasant symptoms appear. Menopause is not a disease, so it should be treated as new stage life. At what age does menopause begin in women and what to do to get through this period calmly, you will find out below.

The concept of menopause

The menopause is a decline in sexual and reproductive functions associated with the depletion of the ovaries, which leads to an abrupt lack of female sex hormones. Over the years there is a complete decline reproductive function ovaries and this is noticeable by the absence of menstruation. Menopause can begin at the age of 45-55 years; cases of menopause development have been observed at 40 years of age and earlier.

The onset of menopause is accompanied by the cessation of reproductive function, which signals the beginning of aging of the female body. During these years, a woman is highly susceptible to the development of heart and vascular diseases, as well as pathologies of the central nervous system etc. After the cessation of menstruation, you may notice sagging skin, the appearance of wrinkles, and decreased libido. All this indicates the beginning of aging of the body, and as a consequence the impossibility of conceiving and bearing a fetus.

How to understand that menopause has arrived

A busy life makes it difficult for women to monitor their menstrual cycle, and disruptions often go unaddressed. At the age of 50, the symptoms of menopause are already noticeable; they can be so strong that you have to take special medications to alleviate the condition.

Most often, during menopause, women experience the following symptoms:

1. Profuse sweating, feeling of heat in the chest, head and neck, in other words,.
2. Frequent urination, vaginal dryness.
3. Headache, irritability, tearfulness, Bad mood, depression, causeless anxiety.
4. Tachycardia, high blood pressure (blood pressure).
5. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding.
6. Atrophy of the perineal mucosa.
7. Violation metabolic processes, obesity.
8. Disturbances in the urinary system.
9. Inflammatory pathologies of the vagina caused by bacteria.

The onset of menopause manifests itself individually, one woman practically does not notice it, another suffers so much that she is forced to see a doctor.

When menopause occurs, almost all patients complain of hot flashes during menopause. The condition is characterized by a feeling of heat, redness, tachycardia and fever. You can expect hot flashes even at night; the attack lasts no more than five minutes, but is repeated often. All these signs make it possible to determine the onset of menopause and the beginning of aging of the body. But how to find out when the menopause is caused by deviations, we will figure out below.

Factors influencing the age of menopause

Menopause does not bypass any woman, the only difference is in its manifestations and age. It is important to take it calmly, take care of yourself and your health, and lead a normal lifestyle. Today there are no methods to accurately determine the age at which changes begin. It has been scientifically proven that a girl who kept a regular sex life, may delay menopause.

It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question at what age menopause begins in women, but there are some predisposing factors:

• Availability chronic pathologies– this could be oncology, diabetes, thyroid disease and of cardio-vascular system, hormonal imbalance;
• Operations performed – surgical intervention on the ovaries, uterus, breasts and others reproductive organs causes a variety of disorders, including chemotherapy, cytostatics and radiation exposure;
• Psycho-emotional factors - nervous system disorders, constant stress and unstable emotional condition has a bad effect on the entire body;
• Poor ecology and improper lifestyle - bad habits, polluted air, lack of normal alternation of sleep and rest, too hard work or a sedentary lifestyle. All these factors can trigger an earlier, more severe menopause.

If a woman has sex regularly, avoids stress, eats right and treats illnesses on time, menopause begins later and proceeds more calmly.

When does menopause begin?

Every woman wonders when menopause occurs. This process lasts for years and can accompany you for the rest of your life. Many centuries ago, the average age of menopause was 40-45 years. Such early changes are associated with multiple births and lack of normal treatment gynecological diseases. Now optimal age menopause - 45-51 years.

This whole process is divided into 3 stages, each of them has its own characteristics. What time menopause can begin depends only on the patient’s lifestyle and hereditary factors. The first stage is called premenopause or perimenopause, the age of onset is 40-45 years. Sometimes a lot of time passes from this period to menopause. The premenopausal stage involves a gradual decrease in the level of sex hormones - estrogens.

• Klimonorm contains the active component estradiol valerate, which provokes the production of progesterone and estrogen. Thanks to the intake it is normalized menstrual cycle, the development of hyperplasia, oncology, osteoporosis and other pathologies is prevented. The medicine is available in the form of yellow and brown tablets. The first ones are drunk starting from the fifth day of the cycle, and then they begin to take the second tablets. Joint therapy helps to improve the psycho-emotional background and normalize the condition of blood vessels and the genitourinary system.
• Klimaxan is a product that contains a lot active ingredients, but in small doses. The daily norm is 2 tablets per day. The medicine can be taken until all the symptoms of menopause disappear. In addition, a complete lifestyle change is recommended. You can't get carried away fatty foods, alcohol, cigarettes, and also letting various diseases take their course.

Content

Menopause is a natural physiological process that is inevitable for every woman. Its onset means that the body ceases to perform reproductive function. Menopause may begin in at different ages. It’s worth talking in more detail about when the fairer sex should prepare for it.

When does menopause occur in women?

With age, the body ends the process of producing the female sex hormone - estrogen. Because of this, the functioning of a woman’s ovaries gradually ceases. Egg maturation occurs less and less often and disappears. Menstruation stops. Lack of menstruation is one of the main symptoms of menopause. Along with it, signs of aging appear: wrinkles, sagging skin. All these are straight and indirect signs that female body no longer ready to conceive, bear a fetus, or give birth.

At what age does menopause begin?

In every woman, the decline of ovarian function occurs in different years. The average age when menopause begins is considered to be 45-50 years. However, this does not happen for all representatives of the fair sex. There is an early menopause, which begins around 40-44 years of age (in rare cases, after 35). There are also situations when the menopausal period begins after 60. This is typical for only 3% of women.

When does menopause occur?

The whole process is conventionally divided into three main stages, each of which has its own characteristics. The first is perimenopause. The body enters this state after approximately 40-45 years. It can take a very long time from perimenopause to when menopause occurs. The premenopausal stage is characterized by a gradual decrease in the amount of estrogen. Menstruation begins to occur irregularly and may be more scanty. As a rule, this period does not cause any physical or psychological discomfort.

Changes characteristic of the body during premenopause:

• the chances of conceiving a child are reduced to a minimum;
• the menstrual cycle is very disrupted;
• the interval between menstruation becomes longer and longer;
• gradually volume bloody discharge decreases, menstruation ends.

Next comes the turn of menopause, the period when menopause occurs directly. Estrogen production ends and menstruation stops completely. The climatic period lasts a year from the day when the last menstruation ends. On average, it occurs in women after 51 years of age, but there are many factors that influence at what age menopause begins, so it happens both earlier and later. If during premenopause there was still a chance of getting pregnant, albeit small, now it is completely excluded.

The last stage of decline in ovarian function is postmenopause. It begins a year after menopause occurs. The duration of this period depends on how quickly it adapts endocrine system and the entire body as a whole, but, as a rule, symptoms disappear after 3-15 years. Postmenopause is characterized by the development of osteoporosis, diseases thyroid gland, heart, blood vessels. They can begin due to the lack of sex hormones in the body. During postmenopause, the following changes occur in a woman’s body:

• the skin becomes flabby;
• pubic hair is thinning;
• the shape of the breast changes, the nipples become flatter;
• at gynecological examination a lack of mucus is detected on the cervix.

At what age can menopause begin with risk factors?

You already know that there is a concept of early menopause. It is worth talking in more detail about why this happens and at what age menopause occurs if the decline of reproductive function is caused by external factors. Early menopause can begin due to:

• surgery to remove the ovaries or uterus;
• a number of autoimmune diseases in which antibodies are produced to ovarian cells;
• silent ovarian syndrome;
• chromosomal disorders;
• hereditary predisposition;
• premature ovarian failure;
• stress;
• radiation therapy;
• oncological diseases;
• chemotherapy;
• bad habits, including in adolescence;
• lack of sex life;
• uncontrolled use of oral contraceptives;
• abortions;
• gynecological diseases.

All these factors can trigger the onset of menopause in a woman under 45 years of age, with pre-menopause. As a rule, menstruation either stops altogether or turns into heavy bleeding. Early menopause always occurs very abruptly, in an accelerated manner. A woman experiences severe hot flashes nervous disorders, sleep disturbances, shortness of breath, increased sweating. The condition of her skin, hair and nails is deteriorating.

Menopause is the absence of menstruation for 12 consecutive months in women over 40 years of age.

At what age does menopause occur?

Most often, the menstrual cycle stops completely between the ages of 45 and 55. Average age onset of menopause - 51 years. However, for some women, periods may stop as early as 40 years old, while for others they continue until 60 (for example,).

When do the first signs of menopause appear?

Some women do not notice any changes until their periods finally stop. Many, on the contrary, experience various symptoms for several months or years before and after the last menstrual period.

MAIN SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE AND CLIMAX IN WOMEN

There is a certain set of symptoms that most women encounter when approaching menopause.

1. Night sweats

Increased sweating and hot flashes, especially at night, are the body’s response to a decrease in estrogen. For many women, this symptom begins during perimenopause, and its severity may increase for several years after menopause before gradually decreasing.

Excessive sweating at night interferes with normal sleep. Women wake up with clothes soaked in sweat, have trouble falling asleep, and feel tired during the day. This menopause symptom also makes relationships difficult and general sleep with a partner, a woman begins to feel uncomfortable in bed with another person.

In addition, a new study has found a connection between nocturnal hot flashes and obstructive apnea (breathing disorders, sleep retention) in women during menopause. This disorder, like other sleep disorders, occurs more often in older people. A recent study found that women with severe hot flashes during the day or night may experience significantly more high risk obstructive sleep apnea than those who experience mild or no hot flashes.

You can see how to remove hot flashes in the video below.

1. Anxiety, depression and mood swings

Women going through menopause not only have to deal with sleep problems, but also anxiety and sudden changes moods. In addition to these signs, women often experience panic attacks and others physical symptoms anxiety, including sweating and rapid heartbeat.

One of the functions of estrogen in a woman's body is to regulate other hormones and neurotransmitters, including those that affect mood. Serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are hormones and neurotransmitters that can elevate and stabilize mood. They also play a role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. When estrogen levels become unstable, it affects “mood hormones”, which also affect sleep and well-being during the day.

A decrease in another hormone, progesterone, with its calming, relaxing, estrogen-balancing effects, can also contribute to feelings of anxiety, irritability, and restlessness that make it difficult to relax.

These problems interact with each other. Anxiety and depression can cause sleep problems, and insomnia makes depression and anxiety worse. The higher the stress level in Everyday life, the more likely you are to experience mood swings during menopause.

1. Lack of concentration and memory loss

One of the signs of menopause in women is absent-mindedness and lack of concentration. Estrogen helps keep your mind sharp by fueling the production of neurotransmitters that not only support your mood, but are also responsible for thinking, reasoning and decision-making. Female hormones play an important role in memory and support overall brain health.

Progesterone also supports brain health and function. A recent study found that its levels in postmenopausal women affect verbal memory and cognitive performance.

Testosterone also promotes mental acuity and memory, and it can cause problems with memory and concentration as you age.

The surges and declines in these hormones during menopause can interfere with a woman's daily life. Many notice changes in memory, thinking, concentration, which also affects performance.

1. Decreased sex drive

Like other signs of menopause, a change in this function is not necessarily a symptom for every woman. But in some cases, a decrease in estrogen, progesterone and testosterone leads to less interest in intimacy, reducing pleasure. Some women experience pain during intercourse. Estrogen helps maintain elasticity and lubrication of vaginal tissues, and a decrease in estrogen can lead to thinning and vaginal dryness, which can make intimacy uncomfortable.

This sign of menopause affects your emotional state, which in turn can again cause sleep problems.

During perimenopause, when estrogen, progesterone and other hormones begin to fluctuate, some women experience severe PMS and heavy periods, accompanied by cramps, bloating and breast tenderness.

Headaches and migraines can be a sign of low estrogen. They occur in some women during menopause, when estrogen levels decline. Headaches may also appear during perimenopause due to fluctuations and a general decrease in female hormones.

Muscle and joint pain is another sign of menopause for many women. One of the functions of estrogen in the body is to control and reduce inflammation. When it decreases, its anti-inflammatory effect decreases. This is one of the reasons why women experience joint pain and arthritis during menopause.

Sleep and pain are also interconnected. The presence of pain makes it difficult to fall asleep and impairs the quality of sleep. And lack of sleep, in turn, makes a woman more sensitive and susceptible to pain.

1. Weight gain

Weight gain - common symptom menopause. Weight gain with age can be the result of several factors, including individual genetics, daily habits, physical activity and general state body. Hormone fluctuations associated with menopause also contribute to weight gain and changes in appetite. Research shows that estrogen helps control appetite in the same way that the hormone leptin does by making you feel full and signaling the brain to feel full. A decrease in female hormones can change a woman's appetite, increasing cravings for fatty and sweet food. Low estrogen in women it also contributes to the accumulation of visceral harmful fat in the abdominal area.

This sign of menopause also has a connection with sleep. Lack of sleep can encourage you to consume more calories, especially at night. Insomnia reduces levels of leptin, the satiety hormone, and increases production of ghrelin, a hormone that promotes hunger. Lack of sleep is also associated with a higher BMI, increased risk of obesity and metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes.

1. Frequent urination

Constant need to urinate and incontinence - common symptom menopause in women. This is affected by the thinning of the vaginal tissue, a decrease in its elasticity, weakening of the pelvic muscles, and urinary tract infections.

Waking up at night to go to the toilet becomes a habit, which again disrupts sleep.

ONCE OF MENOPAUSE: SIGNS WOMEN DO NOT NOTICE

There are some other menopause symptoms that many women are unaware of.

1. Dry skin

Estrogen is responsible for the elasticity of the skin, and when its levels drop, a woman notices that her skin is drier and thinner, and the number of wrinkles has increased.

1. Burning in the mouth

This is an uncommon menopause symptom that many women experience. Changes in hormonal levels can lead to a burning or tingling sensation on the lips, tongue and mouth. Taste perception may also change - food tastes slightly different.

1. Thin hair

During menopause, women often experience thinning and loss of hair due to hormonal changes.

1. Oral problems

During menopause, many women experience drier mouths, which can lead to bacterial growth. Saliva washes them away from the teeth, but when there is not enough saliva, bacteria can remain in the cavity.

1. Cardiovascular diseases

One more serious symptom menopause is increased risk cardiovascular diseases, is one of the leading causes of death among women.

1. Irregular periods

Before the age of 40, a woman may have many reasons why her menstrual cycle cannot be called stable and regular, including. After 40–45 years, periods may become irregular, but menopause will only occur when their absence lasts for at least 12 months.

Women approach the onset of menopause differently. Some perceive it as the next stage of natural changes in the body. Others are afraid, expecting unknown signs of deterioration in health. There are also those who perceive it as the end of life. Even the thought of the approach of this period drives such women neuropsychiatric disorder. Menopause is characterized by a number of unpleasant symptoms associated with hormonal changes. Having discovered the symptoms of its onset, a woman can take timely measures to alleviate them.

Premenopause starts around 40-45 years old. At the same time, periods come irregularly, at larger intervals, and become more scanty. The likelihood of pregnancy is significantly reduced.
Menopause- this is the period of 12 months after the last menstruation.
Postmenopause means a complete cessation of egg production in the ovaries.

The timing of menopause and its duration may vary, depending on the characteristics of physiology, the number of pregnancies and abortions, psychological and other factors.

Early menopause is considered to occur before the age of 40, late - after 55 years.

Signs of menopausal changes in women

The first signs of menopause in women are:

1. Hot flashes are a sudden change in sensations of heat and chills. Hot flashes are accompanied by weakness, attacks of dizziness and palpitations, migraines, and sweating.
2. Changes in appearance: formation of wrinkles, impaired skin pigmentation, dry skin, deterioration of hair and tooth enamel, brittle nails.
3. The occurrence of diseases of the skeletal system associated with calcium deficiency in the body.

The menopausal period is characterized by a deterioration in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, signs such as increased blood pressure, headaches, impaired heart rate, also often indicate the onset of menopausal changes.

All this is the result of age-related hormonal changes. In the body of a young woman main role play by ovarian hormones (estrogen, progesterone), which determine sexual activity and the ability to renew cells of various tissues. During menopause, the level of the so-called follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) increases, due to which the level of estrogen decreases. This causes aging of the body.

How to determine the onset of menopause

Knowing about the beginning of this period, a woman will be able to pay increased attention to her health, undergo regular examination from a gynecologist and other specialists. This will help avoid many serious diseases.

To determine the onset of menopause, it is done special test on FSH. When it occurs, there is a steady increase in the level of this hormone in the urine in comparison with the reproductive period, when it fluctuates at different points in the menstrual cycle.

If a woman still has her period, but signs of menopause have already appeared, then such a test is carried out on one of the 6 days from the start of menstruation, then repeated another week later. 2-3 tests are performed to determine the content of FSH in the urine. If it is consistently high, this indicates the onset of menopausal changes.

If menstruation has already become irregular and occurs rarely, then the first test is done on any day, and subsequent ones - at intervals of 1 week.

Video: Hormone therapy for menopause

Symptoms of early menopause

Sometimes symptoms of such changes appear after 35 years. Deterioration of thermoregulation due to decreased functions of the hypothalamus causes hot flashes. Common symptom, characteristic of women with the early onset of menopause, is vaginal dryness, which often causes inflammatory diseases genitourinary organs.

The first symptom of early menopause is decreased sexual activity. Women experiencing this condition more often experience insomnia, as a result, irritability, bad mood, and depression.

Causes of early menopause

One of possible reasons Onset of menopausal changes in women 35-40 years old may have an early onset of menstruation (up to 12 years). Important role The factor of heredity plays a role, as does lifestyle. Constant stress, emotional and physical overload, unhealthy environment, and bad habits accelerate the process of decline of childbearing abilities.

The following can also speed up the onset of menopause:

• use of oral contraceptives;
• long-term treatment with hormonal drugs;
• diseases of the thyroid, pancreas, genital organs;
• weakened immunity;
• infectious and tumor diseases.

Video: Causes and prevention of early menopause

Prevention and treatment of early menopause

Early onset of menopause increases a woman's risk of diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, heart disease. The likelihood of tumors increases.

Recommendation: Early menopausal changes can be stopped if the first symptoms are noticed in time and the cause is discovered. It is recommended to undergo a gynecological examination at least once every six months.

Of great importance for the prevention of early menopause is a timely visit to a doctor when gynecological, endocrine diseases, a cautious approach to the use of hormonal drugs (in particular, contraceptives). An important role is played by hardening the body, strengthening the immune system, fortified nutrition, physical activity, regular sex.

When the first signs of early menopause appear, a woman should consult a doctor and undergo an examination to detect the causes in a timely manner. If necessary, hormone therapy, drugs to strengthen the immune system, and vitamins are prescribed.