Menopause Stages

Menopause is the result of natural progression in a woman’s life. For some women, menopause is a dreaded phase whereas for others it is just another new phase. Women who have a positive attitude are sure to sail through this phase smoothly. Menopause is truly an inevitable part of a woman’s life that sets in during the mid 40s to the mid 50s. It is accompanied by several symptoms as a result of the decreased levels of estrogen in the female body.

However, many others find it to be an extremely distressing phase of life. Menopause is seen to have 4 distinct stages:

• Pre-menopause: Pre-menopause or the normal reproductive function phase of a woman’s life is the fertile period. This stage includes the period from the very first menstrual cycle to the last menstrual cycle.

• Perimenopause or the second stage is the period around menopause. This can last from about a year to 10 years.

Perimenopause could set in anywhere from 35 to 55 years of age in a woman’s life. Perimenopause could be accompanied by several symptoms caused as a result of hormone levels in the body.

• Menopause refers to the stopping of the menstrual cycle. The hormone levels in the body decreases drastically leading to symptoms like hot flashes, depression, osteoporosis, sleeplessness to name a few. This is the phase when the ovaries stop functioning and thus, do not release an ovum or egg. Menopause marks the end of the fertile period for a woman.

• Post menopause as the term suggests means after menopause. Post menopause begins with the expiry of one year after the last period and is actually the phase that the woman would be for the rest of her life.

The symptoms experienced during the different stages of menopause differ from one woman to the other depending on factors such as the exercise level, diet and attitude. Even the medication used by some women may have an effect on the menopausal symptoms. The treatment of these symptoms would thus, differ from one woman to the other.

A nutritious diet, a regular exercise regime and most importantly a positive attitude would help you cope with the symptoms during the various stages of menopause without difficulty. You may experience several symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleeplessness, anxiety, depression and the like at each of the stages of menopause.

It is very important to communicate with your doctor about the symptoms experienced by you. Only if you talk about it will others know about your specific problems and thus, be able to find a suitable solution. However, do not expect your symptoms to be the same as that experienced by your friend, mother or sister.

What one must understand is that menopause is an unavoidable part of a woman’s life. If you look at your life with a smile, it will smile back at you. Accepting menopause gracefully is the key to leading a healthy and happy life even during menopause.

One reference book I keep at home is the Peoples Chemist . I bought it last year and have found it invaluable for checking out symptoms and treatments of every day health problems.

Ann Marier writes health articles on many general health issues which can be found at http://www.ultimatehealthinfo.com

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