Essay Example on Menopause: A Natural Process of Change

Introduction

Menopause is the end of a woman’s reproductive period that comes after attainment of a certain age in the late 40s to early 50s (Moore, 2009). There are various natural phases of menopause which are explained as follows. Perimenopause is that period before menopause when ovaries gradually start to make less estrogen. This period sets in for several years before the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last one to two years of the perimenopause phase, women may start showing menopause symptoms as the levels of estrogen reduces faster than previously until the production of eggs stops.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Types

Surgical menopause occurs after a woman undergoes surgical procedures to remove ovaries in the process called bilateral oophorectomy, among other vital reproductive organs (Bushman, Varner & Digre, 2018). Various surgeries on women that affect their reproductive system can cause surgical menopause. They include removal of the uterus in the process called hysterectomy, removal of fallopian tubes, cervix, or a combination of these organs (Bushman, Varner & Digre, 2018). When both ovaries are removed during the surgical process, menopause begins instantly. However, if some or all of the other organs such as the fallopian tube, the uterus and cervix are removed leaving either one or both ovaries intact, menopause may start after about five years (Bushman, Varner & Digre, 2018). Individuals who undergo surgical menopause experience similar symptoms as those who go through the natural process; however, their symptoms are more severe due to the instant hormones changes.

Stress menopause is the phase where the levels of estrogen begin to fall as a result of perimenopause leaving the body with a reduced ability to regulate cortisol (Bushman, Varner & Digre, 2018). When the body is under stress, it produces cortisol to help in coping up with it. The hormone estrogens play an essential role in the regulation of cortisol levels in the body; therefore, when it reduces the effects of stress are likely to become severe and regular.

Postmenopause is the period after which a woman has not experienced the menstrual cycle for an entire year (Bushman, Varner & Digre, 2018). At this stage, most women stop experiencing the menopausal symptoms; however, some women may experience the symptoms even for a decade or longer following these transition. Due to the production of less estrogen, women in this phase risk developing some health conditions, including heart disease and osteoporosis. The condition can be managed through changes in a healthy lifestyle and hormonal therapy.

Signs

At the onset of menopause, women begin to experience some or all of the following signs and symptoms. Hot and cold flashes; most women begin to experience a sudden feeling of warmth throughout the body mostly during the day, and a cold feeling at night while others develop night sweat or both (Santoro, Epperson & Mathews, 2015). The vagina becomes dry, which leads to discomfort during sex. At this stage, women may also experience urinal urgency, emotional changes, insomnia, and dryness in the eyes, mouth and skin.

The periods become irregular or can be skipped, and sometimes they become heavier or lighter than usual. Premenstrual syndrome becomes worse, and the breast becomes tender. Santoro, Epperson & Mathews (2015), notes that other women may experience regular headaches, libido changes, a racing heart, joint aches and muscle pains. Thinning, hair loss, weight gain, and temporary memory lapse have been reported in some cases. These signs are not unique to menopause, and some of them can be as a result of other health issues. Equally, some women experience mild symptoms such as hot flashes for a short time during menopause while others show more signs for long.

Life Changes

During menopause, women may also undergo stress, eventual insomnia that is caused by other life events such as the death of loves ones (Moore, 2009). Women also experience the economic burden of undergoing hormonal therapies and other medications such as the VMS and antidepressants. Hot flushes during this period also caused cognitive decline and mild memory lapse sessions.

Highest Risk

Women above the age of 50 years are at the highest risk of developing osteoporosis (Moore, 2009). It occurs due to continued loss of bone mass or lack of sufficient development of bone. The bone density reaches the maximum at around the age of 30 years, and as people grow old, the bone begins to lose mass. Women with poor eating habits are also likely to develop the disease at old ages (Santoro, Epperson & Mathews, 2015). Equally, thin-bodied individuals also risk developing osteoporosis for the reason that their bone mass is considerably lower than huge bodied people. Hence, they have a lesser pool of mass to lose than their counterparts.

Traditional and Alternative Therapies

One of the traditional and alternative therapies include cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) in combination with sleep hygiene, relaxation techniques and learning to develop a healthy mood (Greendale, Huang & Wight, 2009). CBT improves the hot flush perception, stress, insomnia and anxiety, hence it is highly recommended. Another alternative remedy is the use of herbs such as the St John's Wort which is known to relieve vasomotor symptoms and the Black Cohosh which helps in managing hot flashes.

Conclusion

According to Greendale, Huang & Wight (2009), middle-aged and older adults should maintain a comfortable and safe weight and eat a balanced diet. Eating around 1-1.2 grams of proteins per kilo of body weight and use nonfat dried milk is a safe way of taking more necessary proteins without compromising body health. Consume approximately 1,000 Vitamin units and 1000 mg of elemental calcium every day to prevent osteoporosis (Greendale, Huang & Wight, 2009). Involve in exercises such as walking, tai chi, senior yoga, swimming and low impact dancing.

References

Bushman, E. T., Varner, M. W., & Digre, K. B. (2018). Headaches through a woman's life. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey 73(3), pp. 161-173.
https://europepmc.org/article/med/29595872

Greendale, G. A., Huang, M.H., Wight R.G. (2009). Effects of the menopause transition and hormone use on cognitive performance in midlife women. Neurology. 72, pp. 1850–1857. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2690984/

Moore, D. (2009). Women's health for life: Written by women for women: symptoms, treatment, and prevention. New York: DK Pub.

Santoro, N., Epperson, C. N., & Mathews, S. B. (2015). Menopausal Symptoms and Their Management. Endocrinology and metabolism clinics of North America, 44(3), 497–515.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecl.2015.05.001