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Posts Tagged ‘menopause’

The viewpoint that the explanation for all the menopause symptoms is due to an instability of hormones is a superficial understanding and requires a deeper insight.

Traditional Chinese Medicine viewpoint: Menopause is considered a weakened condition of the liver and qi (life force). When the energy and blood quality is deficient and obstructed then all body organs that depend on that blood are not able to function at their best. This condition causes the liver to overheat which rises through the body, wreaking havoc in its path. The heart, lungs, digestion, glands, throat, mouth & teeth, nose, eyes, ears, brain, skin and hair become heated and dried resulting in the body heat ailments. In addition, the liver does not filter the blood where it becomes sluggish and clotted.

Because the body is deficient of life-giving body energy, quality filtered blood and diet, therefore the glands do not perform normally. Their secretions may well be sporadic or non-releasing altogether. When the blood is filtered, normally, enriched subsequently all the body’s organs get stronger. Positively, the essence wakes up and normal function improves. The hormonal functions, secrete normally, transforming the body towards wellness.

The body is not absent of hormones. The blood is clogged like sludge. Glands are not receiving/transmitting life-giving messages, timely and/or minimally!

So therefore why do we add or provide more hormones. Doesn’t that risk an overload of hormones? Remember when you were a teen and your hormones were super revved. You don’t desire to risk going through that again. You have enough hormones. If you nourish your blood, keep fit, sleep, deal with stress, etc. Our hormones revive back and reenforces increased balance.

So if Chinese medicine knows the problem, then what is their solution to this weakened conditioneath

What Restores Usual Hormone Function? Traditional Chinese medicine has understood the core problem and remedies for over a thousand years! TCM has developed over 20 formulas for menopause. But which one is the best? To determine this requires a seasoned Master herbalist. While nearly all women fall into 6 main constitution types: 1) cold 2) damp 3) deficient 4) hot 5) dry and 6) excess 

On the whole menopausal women benefit 95% of the time from Chinese herbs contained in Menopause Comfort. The exception is during the summertime. Particular women, who are more hot than the usual population, require a colder formula, Paramalin, to offset the surplus inner heat produced in the liver.

You can look at the top 10 menopause Chinese herbs, the most effective  menopause formula, listed in more depth, at Longevity Mountain.

Due to estrogen and progesterone levels shifting, the body experiences a lot of different symptoms. Menopause is very difficult for some women but relatively easy for others. Everyone is different.

Common signs of menopause include:

A change in the period and bleeding cycle is reported frequently. Regular periods typically becomes irregular with more or less bleeding. Bleeding becomes irregular, with periods of heavy and light blood flow over the course of several days. Sometimes bleeding cycles may actually increase or you may experience spotting between regular periods.

Almost all women in menopause have hot flashes. Hot flashes are a sudden heat sweeping over the torso and redness in the face and neck. Some women may also get hot flashes while sleeping and these are called night sweats. Both hot flashes and night sweats may vary in severity from woman to woman, they usually only last a few years after menopause.

Many women also experience urinary infections, trouble holding urine and a more frequent need to go to the bathroom.

Many women also report having vaginal dryness, and sex might feel uncomfortable. Signs of menopause may include changes in sex drive and desire; some women have a sudden loss of libido.  For many women, losing their fertility is actually a liberating feeling and they have more sex since they don’t have to deal with the possibility of getting pregnant. However, women are advised to use condoms because menopause doesn’t offer them immunity to sexually transmitted diseases.

Mood swings and exhaustion are reported by a majority of menopausal women. With the changing hormone levels, comes some likely mood swings. Many menopausal women may become more emotional, depressed or angry. Stress and anxiety levels may also increase. Women in the menopausal phase also tend to get easily tired, sometimes having major fatigue. Although many women try to get the recommended eight hours of sleep, they report not feeling fully rested because they get woken up by night sweats.

Another sign of menopause is changes in weight; in some instances the midsection may become thicker, while fat levels tend to increase. Skin begins to lose some of its elasticity. Lean muscle is harder to maintain or increase and you may find it more difficult to maintain your weight without changing your eating habits a little.

Some women experience unusual heart beat such as a period of fast beating called a palpitation, this is not uncommon during menopause as your body is under going a major change. In some cases though these signs might mimic symptoms of other more serious conditions, therefore women should always confer with an expert to avoid complications and additional problems.

Each woman will experience menopause differently. The most important thing is to manage the symptoms as well as you can and try to keep in mind that this a natural phase of life that women have been enduring since the dawn of time. Menopausal women need to give themselves extra attention. Too often, women are care givers who look out for themselves last. It is important to exercise, reduce life stresses, and get good restful sleep, as this will make menopause much more manageable.

Changing hormones are what brings on all the symptoms attributed to menopause. Menopause is very hard for some women but relatively pain free for others. Everyone is different.

The most common menopausal symptoms are:

A change in the period and bleeding cycle is very common. Regular periods may become irregular with more or less bleeding. Bleeding during periods starts to become irregular during menopause. It is not unusual to have periods closer together, spotting, and mixed heavy and light flow over the course of a regular period.

Most women going through menopause get hot flashes. Hot flashes demonstrate with a sudden heat flushing over the upper part of the body and redness in the face and neck. Some women may also have hot flashes while trying to sleep and these are referred to as night sweats. Both hot flashes and night sweats may vary in intensity among women, in most instances they only last a few years.

You may find you need to urinate more often and you may have small urine leaks when coughing or laughing.

A common problem is vaginal dryness, and sex can feel painful. Signs of menopause include changes in sexual drive and desire; many women experience a sudden loss of libido.  In some instances though, some women feel freer since getting pregnant is no longer a problem and become more sexually active. A lot of women stop using condoms after menopause as the risk of pregnancy has past, however it is strongly recommended that you still practice safe sex to protect yourself against venereal diseases. Cases of venereal disease have increased steadily over the years in the older generations with the invention of the “blue pill” and better overall health in the still young at heart.

Some woman report feeling like they’re on an emotional roller coaster and feel exhausted all the time. Sudden changes in mood may happen due to changes in hormone levels. Women in menopause also tend to get easily exhausted, sometimes having major fatigue. Although the urge to go to sleep might be greater, that doesn’t mean you will have a good nights sleep, as in many cases sleep may be interrupted by night sweats or other irritations.

An additional sign of menopause is changes in weight; in some cases the waist becomes thicker, while fat levels tend to increase. The skin becomes less flexible and loses its elasticity. You will have to work a little harder at staying fit as the body’s metabolism changes a little, it becomes harder to lose weight.

Some women experience unusual heart beat such as a period of fast beating called a palpitation, this is not unusual during menopause as your body is under going a major change. In some cases though these signs could mimic symptoms of other diseases and conditions, therefore you should consult with an expert to avoid complications and additional problems.

Everyone experiences menopause slightly differently. The most important thing is to try to manage the symptoms as well as you can and try to keep in mind that this a natural phase of life that women have been enduring since the dawn of time. Without a doubt, women going through menopause need to take more time out for themselves. It’s important to make sure your body is getting the sleep it needs, plus your body is already under a lot of hormonal stress, so you need to reduce your daily stress to make your mood changes more tolerable. And, as always, exercise is important in menopausal women, weight bearing exercises help promote better bone density and works to reduce stress and increase better overall health.

There are some lucky women who never experience the ill effects of menopause. However, there are many more who are experiencing severe menopause symptoms and are longing for some relief. A lot of these women will start to wonder whether they should be using hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

During menopause, a woman’s body ceases the production of estrogen. This leads to the occurrence of various symptoms that are typically associated with menopause. A lot of these can impact negatively on your day to day life. Therefore, a lot of women choose to relieve their symptoms by using HRT to replace the lost estrogen. But you need to consider the overall picture before you decide.

Some women consider HRT to be the answer to their prayers; for others, it’s bad news. Studies show that it can keep your bones strong and help to prevent heart problems. But it can also increase the risk of breast cancer. Also, it can lead to side effects that can be quite severe. Loss of memory, sleep problems and hot flashes are just a few of them.

There are couple of ways of looking at the use of HRT. It has been documented that hormone replacement therapy is an effective remedy in reducing various symptoms of menopause. However, if you aren’t having any noticeable menopause symptoms, HRT might lower your physical functionality and your energy levels.

A lot of women choose not to use HRT because of the potential cancer risk that has been associated with this treatment. Others, though, believe that the benefits of HRT are greater than the risk of cancer, and their doctors back them up. This treatment seems to offer the promise of protection against osteoporosis and heart disease, and also enhances the quality of life.

In recent years, there have been reports of health risks associated with some brands of menopause medication. Some women who have used the prescription drugs Premarin or Primpro might want to consider different choices. Using a natural form of estrogen is another option.

Natural ways to deal with menopause include eating a proper diet, managing your stress, and using natural progesterone supplements. Hot flashes, night sweats and other symptoms of menopause can be significantly alleviated, if not completely eliminated, with these techniques.

The effectiveness of HRT over the long term is being studied on an ongoing basis. The problem is that the reports are often contradictory. So that leaves women in the position of figuring out whether or not the benefits of hormone therapy outweigh the risks. In the end, you will have to make the decision yourself whether or not to use HRT.

When a woman suspects she may be experiencing the first symptoms of menopause this will usually cause her to begin some personal research.  This is what I did, casually at the beginning. One of the first articles I read, in on of the many women’s magazines available today, suggested talking to your mother.  I was 50 years old when I thought that I may be beginning this phase of life.  My mother had passed away a few years earlier.  So I was not able to have a conversation with her about this topic.  Generally a mother and daughter will have very similar experiences with their menstrual cycles. For instance the age they began menstruating, the length of each cycle, cramping, headaches, and the age they begin entering the menopausal stage. 

If you normally experience pre-menstrual symptoms like cramps and mood swings, chances are that these symptoms will worsen as time gets closer to menopause. Other early signs of menopause include irregular periods, tenderness of the breasts, sleeping problems and fatigue. In terms of sex, your libido may decrease and there may be some pain during sex due to vaginal dryness.      

Signs & Symptoms

The symptoms experienced during a woman’s period are very similar to the first symptoms of menopause, except possibly magnified by 10 in some situations.  The first noticeable sign will be irregular menstrual cycles or periods that may last longer.  In my situation my period mysteriously (and happily) stopped for about 3 or 4 months.  Then I experienced very heavy menstrual bleeding (unhappily) lasting much longer than a regular period. Then it would cease again for sometimes a few weeks or maybe a few months.  The biggest problem is in the not knowing when it will occur again.  I was forced to carry supplies (or change of clothes) with me at all times.  After about a year of this my period (joyfully) stopped altogether.  I still carried those supplies with me just in case of a surprise attack!  I will have to say that, as a rule, if you experienced rather mild menstrual cycles, with few adverse symptoms, your experience with menopause will generally be with the same intensity.

Irregular periods, of course, are early signs of menopause as well. However, because perimenopause can last years, whenever you start exhibiting signs of irregularity, you should be examined by a doctor to rule out other health issues like tumors, fibroids, cancer and more. There are many things that can cause irregular periods and should not be the “end all to end all” signs of menopause. 

Exercise Prescription

Hot flashes, gaining weight, and lack of sleep can result in moodiness and depression.  There are a few things you can do to prepare for this time of life or relieve some of these first symptoms of menopause if you are already experiencing them.  I started an exercise program.  Exercise can help reduce these symptoms and decrease the possibility of heart disease, osteoporosis, and obesity.  I joined a local gym and sought the advice of a female personal trainer.  She helped develop an individualized exercise routine according to my medical and exercise history.

Find a Good Physician

Whether you feel you should begin an exercise program or possibly go a step further and start hormone replacement therapy seek out a trusted physician that specializes in menopause.  She will help guide and direct you to the proper therapy.  There is a lot of documentation and personal opinions available on how to provide some relief from the first signs of menopause. The important thing for me was to start something immediately after I started experiencing these first signs of menopause.  For me it hasn’t been all that bad.  My menstrual cycles when I was young were very regular, lasting 2 to 3 days, and I rarely experienced any adverse symptoms of headaches and cramping.  Now my husband may have a different opinion, especially when (on a very rare occasion) I may suddenly lash out at him or ask him to turn the heater off on a very frigid winter night.

First Symptoms of Menopause

The first signs of menopause also known as perimenopause can occur as long as ten years before the actual onset of full blown menopause. Basically, women in their late 30s up through the 40s can start the perimenopause cycle which is basically the reduction of the production of estrogen. Once the ovaries stop releasing eggs, then a women is in full blown menopause and will experience a full onset of symptoms, those early signs of menopause you may experience for years leading up to the actual event.

Perhaps one of the most significant early signs of menopause is the hot flashes which can cause you to sweat
at night or even during the day when everyone else is comfortable or even cold. These hot flashes may or may not be accompanied by red blotchy skin, flushed skin or even a prickly kind of heat.

If you normally experience pre-menstrual symptoms like cramps and mood swings, chances are that these symptoms will worsen as time gets closer to menopause. Other early signs of menopause include irregular periods, tenderness of the breasts, sleeping problems and fatigue. In terms of sex, your libido may decrease and there may be some pain during sex due to vaginal dryness.

Another aspect to early menopause symptoms is that women may be given to extreme changes in moods and there may also is a general loss of interest in sex, and depression is also another possible sign. Also, there will be changes to the growth of your hair and its quality may also change, while it will also is noticed that the vagina begins to dry up and you would also suffer from the problem of retaining your water.

The early menopause symptoms are such that they can cause great distress to you and among the other signs are chronic headaches, too much feeling of fatigue as well as problems with sleeping, and there may also are yeast infections, body aches and cramping as too changes to the level of blood sugar. In addition, it is common to experience irregular periods and there is also bleeding which is attributable to the rise and fall of hormone levels.

Among the treatments possible for early menopause symptoms are hormone replacement therapy or HRT and some over-the-counter as well as prescription medications, muscle relaxants, prescription pain relievers and also medications that are anti-inflammatory. However, if you do not wish to be affected by side effects, you would be well advised to consider herbal supplements that are an option that more and more women are opting for.

Less frequent early menopause symptoms include headaches due to these hormonal changes as well as problems with memory. Even aching in the joints and muscles can be considered part of the menopausal arsenal of symptoms. If you are not quite at that stage in life to be experiencing those first signs of menopause, get ready for it. You may not develop all of them but chances are that there will be some that have your name on them.

Signs Of Menopause Video

It is a fact that all women will travel through this transitional time of life and have symptoms and signs of menopause.  Although every woman will experience these signs at differing levels.  While the female body goes through these normal changes in levels of natural hormones one or more of these signs will appear and will vary from female to female.

As women are well into there menopause age it is very normal to experience such signs of menopause as dry skin, hot flashes and mood swings.  It is also common to be tired which is a symptom described by women who use hormone replacement therapy and those who don’t. Some women have reported such psychological effects as depression, anxiety, irritability, mood changes, memory problems and lack of concentration.  Several of these signs of menopause have been reported to decrease significantly or stop altogether once the menopause age has been transitioned.

The years leading up to the last period ever is referred to as premenopause. This describes the menopause age when the levels of reproductive hormones are already becoming lower and more erratic, and the signs of menopause and hormone withdrawal may be present.

The time that follows the point when a woman’s ovaries become inactive is called postmenopause.  This menopause age or stage takes place after a woman’s last period ever and most signs of menopause seem to have subsided.

Once a woman has gone one full year with no flow at all, not even any spotting, and she still has her uterus, she can be said to be postmenopausal. When a woman reaches that point, she is one year into postmenopause.  This is the menopause age most women look forward to.  A woman who has her ovaries removed she will immediately be in “surgical menopause”.

All women will experience the signs of menopause or effects of perimenopause.  However, not every woman will realize these signs at the same levels.  As the body senses the rapidly changing levels of natural hormones one or more of these signs will become apparent and will vary from person to person.

Once a woman has gone one full year with no flow at all, not even any spotting, and she still has her uterus, she can be said to be postmenopausal. When a woman reaches that point, she is one year into postmenopause.  This is the Menopause Age most women look forward to.  A woman who has her ovaries removed will immediately be in “surgical menopause”.

Experiencing these signs of menopause are a common transition in the life of a female that is very natural, it is not an illness, disease or mental disorder. This can be a challenge for some women, but for
others it may not be as difficult, but all will experience some signs of menopause.

For most women, the symptoms of menopause will begin to appear about the time a woman nears the age of 50. However, for women that begin the process of menopause prior to age 40, the condition is known as pre menopause. Pre-menopause can occur for a number of reasons, including chemotherapy, autoimmune disorders like lupus, or a hysterectomy. On top of the more common signs of menopause, pre-menopause symptoms bring a host of concerns, including the loss of fertility and the increased risk of conditions like osteoporosis at a much younger age. While there is no way to reverse pre menopause symptoms, it is important to see your doctor if you suspect that this is happening to you. Your doctor can run tests to determine for sure if you are experiencing pre menopause symptoms, and offer you advice, support and treatment to deal with it.

Signs of the “Change”

There are a number of early menopause symptoms that you might experience, but one of the most common is a change to your regular monthly cycle. You may see periods that are heavier or lighter than usual, or the usual 28 day span may get lengthened or shortened. If you experience heavy periods with clotting or spotting in between periods or after intercourse, you should see your doctor, since these are not typical pre-menopause symptoms. You might also experience your first hot flashes, which can be pre-menopause symptoms when they occur early on. Other symptoms might be vaginal dryness, a decrease in your libido, breast tenderness or bladder issues.

Just as women that go through menopause at the average age, women experiencing pre-menopause symptoms will find that most of these complaints are the result of a drop in estrogen levels. Unfortunately, this hormonal drop can also raise the risk of other health conditions like osteoporosis, periodontal disease and some cancers like ovarian and colon cancer. Because of these risk factors, you will need to work closely with your doctor to alleviate some of these risks through regular health screenings and possible nutritional supplementation. 

First symptoms of menopause can be scary for many women to experience, but your doctor can help you to manage the more uncomfortable symptoms and prepare you for what lies ahead. Keeping your pre-menopause symptoms in check will be the first step on the road to better health after menopause.