What is menopause? Explanation of symptoms, causes, treatments, prevention and countermeasures

What is menopause

Menopause is defined as “the five years before and after menopause (the absence of menstruation for one year or more)”, and the ten years from the mid-40s to mid-50s is generally called “menopause”. The menopause age for Japanese women is said to be around the age of 50.

Women go through four life stages during their lifetime: puberty, sexual maturity, menopause, and old age, and menopause is one of them.

• Puberty: Female hormone secretion begins around age 7, and menarche occurs between age 10 and 12.
• Sexual maturity: 20s to 30s. The most active ovarian function during an important period related to pregnancy and childbirth
• Menopause: mid 40’s to mid 50’s. Decreased ovarian function occurs, the amount of female hormone secretion drops sharply, and menopause occurs
• Old age: Ovarian function stops completely, and menopausal discomfort gradually stabilizes.

Menopause is a period that all women experience, although there are individual differences in symptoms and severity. It can be said that it is the period until the female hormones that have been secreted for many years decrease and the body adjusts to the changes in the environment, such as menopause.

The period from the late 30s to the mid-40s is called “pre-menopause,” and although there is still some time before menopause, changes begin to occur in the mind and body in preparation for menopause.

Menopausal Disorders and Menopausal Symptoms

Various symptoms that occur during menopause are called “menopausal symptoms”. How the symptoms appear, how they feel, and the severity of the symptoms differ from person to person .

Menopause is associated with a variety of symptoms, but they can be broadly divided into two categories: physical symptoms and psychological symptoms.

“Feeling hot in the face and body (physical symptoms),” “Dizziness and feeling tired (physical symptoms),” “Feeling annoyed or irritated by trifles.” If you experience symptoms such as (mental symptoms) or having difficulty falling asleep even after getting into the futon at night (mental symptoms), it may be a sign of menopausal symptoms.

Menopausal disorders can also be self-checked , so if you think, “Is it possible that you have menopausal disorders?”

Causes of menopausal disorders and menopausal symptoms

From here, I will explain the causes of menopausal disorders and menopausal symptoms.

Age-related decrease in estrogen

Menopausal disorders and menopausal symptoms occur because the ovarian function declines toward menopause, and the amount of female hormone secretion called “estrogen (ovarian follicle hormone)” decreases sharply.

When the body cannot keep up with the drastic decrease in estrogen, mental and physical disorders are more likely to occur.

Estrogen secretion is controlled by the pituitary gland in the hypothalamus of the brain. However, after the age of 45, the function of the ovaries declines, making it difficult for the pituitary gland to secrete female hormones, even if they command the ovaries to secrete them.

As a result, the pituitary gland continues to send out commands in an abnormal state, and the brain becomes confused. The hypothalamus also controls the autonomic nerves that regulate various functions of the body at the same time, and when confusion is transmitted to the autonomic nerves, symptoms similar to autonomic imbalance are caused.

psychological and environmental factors

Menopause is said to be the most stressful period for women of all ages.

During menopause, the environment surrounding women undergoes significant changes, such as a sense of loss after child-rearing is over, marital problems that become apparent after a child leaves the nest, and a sense of loss due to the fatigue of caring for a parent or the death of a parent. There is also the anxiety and stress associated with changes as a woman, such as changes in appearance, decline, and menopause.

Menopausal disorder/symptoms of menopause are considered to be a kind of stress-related disease because stress due to such psychological factors and environmental factors overlaps in addition to decrease in estrogen.

Typical symptoms of menopausal disorders and menopausal symptoms

Menopause occurs in everyone, but it is characterized by individual differences in how symptoms appear and whether or not you feel them. Some people experience very little discomfort, while others suffer severe symptoms that interfere with their daily lives.

The following are typical menopausal disorders and symptoms of menopause.

• Neuropsychiatric symptoms: dizziness, headache, insomnia, depression, irritability, anxiety
• Vasomotor symptoms: hot flashes, sweating, night sweats, swelling, palpitations, shortness of breath
• Symptoms of the skin and secretory system: dry eyes, dry throat
• Gastrointestinal symptoms: diarrhea, constipation, heavy stomach, nausea, heartburn
• Symptom of movement organ system……stiff shoulder, low back pain, back pain, joint pain, finger deformation/numbness/pain
• Symptoms of the urinary and reproductive system: menstrual irregularities, pain during sexual intercourse, urinary incontinence

During menopause, the amount of female hormones secreted greatly decreases, so the number of days that menstruation lasts becomes shorter and longer, the cycle becomes irregular and irregular, and the amount of menstrual blood changes during menstruation. You will see changes in your cycle and menstrual flow.

Since hormonal imbalance occurs after the age of 40, you may experience various menstrual problems . These are called “menstrual disorders” and have a wide variety of symptoms.

Prolonged menstruation or unstoppable bleeding may be caused by a hidden disease such as cancer. It is important to visit a hospital.

Menopausal Disorders/How Menopause Symptoms Appear/Symptoms Change with Age

Changes in ovarian function and estrogen decline in menopausal women are related to time and symptoms, and the types and presentation of menopausal symptoms also vary with age.

• Around age 40: menstrual irregularities
• Mid-40s: Vasomotor symptoms (dizziness, sweating, hot flashes, etc.)
• Late 40s to 50s: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (fatigue, dull headache, depression, insomnia, anxiety, loss of memory, etc.)
• After mid-50s: Osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease (arteriosclerosis, hypertension, coronary insufficiency, stroke, etc.), urogenital atrophy (sexual intercourse disorder, atrophic (senile) vaginitis, vulvar pruritus, incontinence, etc.)

First of all, menstrual irregularities occur from around the age of 40, which is the pre-menopausal period. After that, as estrogen decreases, vasomotor symptoms such as dizziness, sweating, and hot flashes (hot flashes, facial flushing), and neuropsychiatric symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and depression begin to appear.

Declining estrogen also affects organs. As a result, bone mass decreases, susceptibility to osteoporosis, atrophy of the urogenital organs, and arteriosclerosis progresses gradually.

Menopausal symptoms usually subside in the late 50s to early 60s.

menopause treatment

Menopausal disorder develops due to a complex combination of physical factors caused by female hormones, other psychological factors, and social factors. It may be improved by reviewing smoking and drinking habits and adjusting lifestyle habits such as regular eating habits and exercise.

From here, we will explain the main drug treatments for menopause.

• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
  A treatment that improves menopausal symptoms by supplementing a small amount of decreased estrogen. It is highly effective for typical symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes and sweating, and is effective for general menopausal symptoms. There are types such as patch, ointment, and oral medicine. The benefits of preventing diseases that occur in old age, such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis, are beginning to be rediscovered.
• Chinese Herbal Medicine Herbal medicines are made from a combination of natural herbs that work to restore imbalances in the mind and body as a whole. For menopausal women who complain of multiple disorders at the same time, various prescriptions are used, centering on the “three major gynecological prescriptions” and Chinese herbal medicines.
• Psychotropic drugs Severe
  psychiatric symptoms may be treated with psychotropic drugs such as antidepressants, antianxiety drugs, and sedative hypnotics.
• Placenta
  Placenta is a placental extract purified from the placenta, which is responsible for the development and growth of the fetus. It balances the autonomic nervous system, promotes recovery from fatigue, stabilizes the mind, and promotes blood circulation. No reports of infections so far

The optimal treatment method varies depending on the symptoms and wishes, so please consult with your doctor at the hospital.

Among these, Kampo medicines can be purchased over-the-counter and are sold in small packages. I will pick up some of the herbal medicines listed above and introduce them.

• Kamishoyosan: Recommended for those with medium or lower physical strength, irritability, hot flashes, and insomnia.
• Tokakujokito: Recommended for those who have moderate physical strength or more, who tend to be constipated and suffer from hot flashes, headaches, mental anxiety, and stiff shoulders.
• Hachimijiogan: It can be expected to have the effect of warming the body and improving the functional decline of the entire body for those with moderate or lower physical strength, fatigue, coldness, swelling, and nocturia.

For Kampo, if you do not have a doctor or pharmacist who is familiar with Kampo, it is recommended to use a service that offers free online consultation and delivery .

You can rest assured that you will be able to choose the herbal medicine that suits you according to your symptoms and constitution. If it does not suit your constitution, not only will it not be effective, but it may also cause side effects, so be careful.

Prevention and countermeasures for menopausal disorder and menopausal symptoms

The various symptoms that appear during menopause are highly individual. There are big differences between people, such as those who do not show any symptoms, those who do not care much even if they have symptoms, and those who are unable to do anything and are bedridden.

However, all women experience menopausal symptoms to varying degrees. Complete prevention is difficult, but early treatment may prevent symptoms from worsening.

Balanced diet, moderate exercise

During menopause, women’s hormones decrease and bone mass decreases, making them more susceptible to osteoporosis. Therefore, pay attention to nutrition, such as taking calcium positively.

It is also recommended to consume foods such as tofu, soy milk, natto, bean curd refuse, deep-fried tofu, and soybean flour, which are rich in isoflavones that act like estrogen. It is also a good idea to actively take vitamin E, which works to balance hormones and promotes blood circulation.

Diet is one of the things you can easily do to prevent menopause and alleviate painful symptoms, so please try it.

The understanding and cooperation of family members living together is also important

Menopause has both mental and physical symptoms that can be difficult to control on your own. It is important not to overdo it, as overdoing it can damage your body and lead to aggravation of symptoms.

It is important that not only the woman herself but also her family members who live with her have a correct understanding of menopausal disorders and menopausal symptoms that occur during menopause, and that they show a willingness to cooperate, such as sharing housework.

Overcoming menopause with correct knowledge about the female body

Menopausal symptoms are experienced by all women at least once, even if there are individual differences in the timing and severity of symptoms. No need to be scared or negative.

In order to overcome the various symptoms that can appear during menopause and stay healthy, it is important to know information such as “what changes are occurring in your body during menopause and why menopausal symptoms occur.” is important.

Herbal medicines, supplements, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can also help alleviate the painful symptoms of menopause. If something goes wrong, deal with it quickly.