Menopause - Permanent Stoppage of Ovarian Function Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Menopause can be defined as the cessation of ovarian function occurring sometime before the lifespan ending. Read this article to know the causes, symptoms and treatment of menopause.

Menopause can be defined as the permanent stoppage or cessation of ovarian function occurring sometime before the lifespan ending. Menopause usually happens in females and it happens more or less in midlife, indicating the end of the fertile phase of a women’s life. Menopause also occurs in some of the animals who do not have monthly periods.

Perhaps menopause can be easily understood as the process opposite to menarche, the start of monthly periods. In women menopause cannot be satisfactorily defined as the cessation of monthly periods on permanent basis, as because in this matter functioning of ovaries is the primary factor than the functioning of uterus. Ovaries in human females play a key role. If ovarian function gets stopped menstrual cycle also stops and then it’s called as menopause. 

Causes of menopause

The causes of menopause can be considered from complementary proximate and ultimate (adaptive evolutionary) perspectives -

Proximate perspective

Physiological and natural menopause occurs as a part of women's normal ageing procedure. Vaginal atrophy and Osteoporosis can also be caused by its long-term effect. Menopause can also be caused by the surgical removal of ovaries which is done very often and removal of uterus and fallopian tubes can cause menopause. 

Cigarette smoking has been found as one of the vital cause for menopause. When females smoke it decrease the age of physiological menopause by one year and women who have undergone hysterectomy with ovary conservation also suffers menopause

Signs and symptoms of menopause

There are certain signs and symptoms which indicate that the woman is suffering from menopause. They can be:

Vascular instability
1. Hotflashes or hot flushes including night sweats, cold flashes can be seen in few people.
2. Migraine
3. Rapid heartbeat 
4. Itching 
5. Dryness
6. Bleeding
7. Back pain
8. Joint pain
9. Thinning of the membranes of the vulva, the vagina, the cervix.

Psychological
1. Depression and anxiety
2. Irritability
3. Mood disturbance
4. Memory loss
5. Insomnia

Sexual
1. Dyspareunia or painful lovemaking
2. Vaginal dryness
3. Decreased libido


Treatment for menopause

Hormone replacement therapy or HRT, in Britain known as Hormone Therapy or HT refers to the use of estrogen and progestin in women who is suffering from menopause. This kind of therapy fights against menopause and cures it. Earlier this therapy was provided as tablets but nowadays it is available in the form of gels, skin sprays, subcutaneous implants etc.

Menopause problems can be reduce by taking herbal supplements, which is safe and effective too. Try some herbal remedies and see the difference.

Article Tags: Permanent Stoppage, Ovarian Function

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