Menopause, as the word meaning; refers to the last menstrual bleeding. In case of absence of menstruation for a period of one year following a menstrual bleeding, the previous menstrual period is considered as the last menstrual period. However, it is not always easy to pinpoint this last menstrual bleeding.
In other words, menopause is the expression of a momentary event and is only a moment in a long period. However, it is often used incorrectly in society as the expression of a long period of menopause. Actually, the correct term is climacterium.
It can be likened to a girl in the same puberty period seeing her first menstruation during a period of development. Menopause also takes place in a period called the Climacterium. The climacterium continues from 5 years before menopause until the age of 65 after menopause. As it can be understood, the Climacterium period covers a long period of time, in this period there are 3 main periods such as premenopause (premenopausal), menopause and postmenopause (postmenopausal). It is not possible to define the boundaries of these 3 periods precisely. Meanwhile, the period that covers the period close to menopause and one year after menopause is called the perimenopause period.
Some complaints about menopause in women begin to appear in the years before menopause. As menopause approaches, both the frequency and severity of these complaints increase. These complaints are often vasomotor complaints such as hot flashes and sweating.
The main reason for the complaints in the menopause period is the deficiency of the hormone estrogen.
It is possible to roughly divide the complaints seen in the menopause period, that is, in the climacterium period, as Early and Late period complaints. The complaints seen in the early period are generally those that impair the quality of life and do not cause serious health problems. On the other hand, complaints that occur in the late period are serious health problems.
Since the egg cells are depleted in the postmenopausal period, the estrogen hormone, which is vital for women, cannot be secreted. This estrogen hormone deficiency causes the known and known menopausal symptoms in women. However, events such as hot flashes, sweating, forgetfulness, insomnia, being disconnected from life, and irritability are early signs. Aging of the skin, urinary and sexual life complaints in some women also occur during this period and they increase gradually. Complaints seen in this early period complicate women's life and reduce their quality of life. In addition, these postmenopausal complaints affect not only the women who have entered the menopause, but also those around them. In other words, menopause is an important biological period that can cause familial and social problems.
The most important dimension of the problems that occur in the postmenopausal period is the problems seen in the following years, that is, in the late period. Two important problems that occur in the late period, 10-15 years after menopause, are cardiovascular diseases and weakening of the bones. Among the cardiovascular diseases, there are important health problems such as heart attacks and cerebral hemorrhage. As a result of weakening of the bones, serious health problems such as fractures and related disability or death are seen. It is the deficiency of the estrogen hormone that is responsible for these problems.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in postmenopausal women. A significant advantage is observed in women compared to men against cardiovascular diseases before menopause. In women, the advantage of having a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to men disappears after menopause. In the postmenopausal period, this risk increases approximately 3 times. This difference is also explained by the effect of estrogen hormone. It has been shown that estrogens have a positive effect on the lipid level in the blood, as well as have a direct positive effect on the vessels and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
The most important characteristic of the complaints seen years after the menopause is that they start in an insidious way, years before the symptoms appear. For example, although the loss of bones begins many years ago, it shows symptoms 10 years after menopause.
Another important issue that concerns women is cosmetic changes. The aging of the skin is particularly striking. Apart from genetic factors, there are also factors that are under our control. However, among the factors that lead to aging in the skin, as well as hormone deficiency, smoking and alcohol use, exposure to excessive sun. Here, especially due to the passion for tanning, staying under the sun and the habit of solarium both cause premature aging of the skin and cause serious skin diseases.
Again, we will discuss the issue of osteoporosis, which concerns and worries women, in another article in more detail. I will try to express that the issue of osteoporosis is a compulsion and should not be feared as much as it is thought.
