Natural Health Care Blog

Most of us are familiar with menopause. But do you know that there are several stages of menopause? You might have heard of perimenopause. What is perimenopause? What are the symptoms of perimenopause?

Perimenopause means the menopause transition years, the years both before and after the last period ever, when the majority of women find that they undergo at least some symptoms of hormonal change and fluctuation, such as hot flashes, mood changes, insomnia, fatigue, memory problems, etc.

During perimenopause, the production of most of the reproductive hormones, including the estrogens, progesterone and testosterone, diminishes and becomes more irregular, often with wide and unpredictable fluctuations in levels. During this period, fertility diminishes.

Symptoms of perimenopause can begin as early as age 35, although most women become aware of them about 10 years later than this. Perimenopause can last for a few years, or for ten years or even longer. In this respect it resembles puberty, a similar process which surrounds menarche. In fact menopause can usefully be compared to “puberty in reverse”, and the psychological challenges and adjustments which take place over this time span can be compared to adolescence.

Read more

What Are the first Signs of Menopause and Menopause Symptoms?

Here are some of the most common symptoms of Menopause:

- Changes in periods.

One of the first signs may be a change in a woman’s periods. Many found that their period is less regular and others found that their period is lighter flow than normal. On the contrary, some may experience unusually heavy flow. Periods may come less than 3 weeks apart or last more than a week. There may be spotting between periods. Women who have had problems with heavy menstrual periods and cramps will find relief from these symptoms when menopause starts.

- Hot flashes.

A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat in the upper part or all of your body. Your face and neck become flushed. Red blotches may appear on your chest, back, and
arms. Heavy sweating and cold shivering can follow.Flashes can be as mild as a light blush or severe enough to wake you from a sound sleep (called night sweats). Most flashes last between 30 seconds and 5 minutes.

Read more

It is commonly believed that some of the most unpleasant symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and night sweats, have long been believed to originate in the ovaries. But new research challenges that assumption, and instead suggests that menopausal symptoms, at least in part, may begin in the brain.

That’s because the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland stop reacting normally to estrogen in some women, suggesting they may have developed a reduced sensitivity to estrogen, researchers at the New Jersey Medical School report in the Dec. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

“This is an important new concept: Menopause doesn’t just originate in the ovary, but also in the brain,” said Laura Goldsmith, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and women’s health at the New Jersey Medical School of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

Read more