Features of the course of menopause in men. Menopause and menopausal syndrome: what happens in a woman’s body? Precursors, hot flashes, symptoms and manifestations, diagnosis of menopause (menopause). Diseases associated with menopause (uterine fibroids

Minasyan Margarita

Perhaps no other biological stage of life is greeted with such intense anticipation as the menopause. The reason for this is the ingrained associations that accompany this phenomenon: poor health, age-related ailments and the inevitable approach of old age. What is menopause really like? And what to expect from her arrival?

What changes occur in the body during menopause?

Menopause is not a synonym for old age, it is a gradual cessation of the reproductive function of the body, provided for by nature itself.

First of all, changes affect the ovaries. The follicles in them stop developing and reaching the required maturity, which prevents a full-fledged egg from maturing and, therefore, ovulation does not occur. Gradually, these phenomena develop from periodic to permanent, menstruation stops completely, and then we can say that menopause has occurred.

At this time, changes occur not only in the functioning of the female organs, but also in their condition. The size of the ovary decreases by approximately 2 times, its parenchyma is filled with connective tissue.

The uterus and fallopian tubes also undergo changes. When the menopause just begins, the uterus has a slightly increased size and a softened structure, then its fibers atrophy and its volume decreases. In the fallopian tubes, muscle tissue is also replaced by connective tissue, the lumen of the tubes and their patency decrease. Atrophic phenomena also occur in the endometrium.

All these processes are accompanied by a decrease in the production of sex hormones. First, the synthesis of progesterone decreases, and after some time, estrogen.

Under the influence of these metamorphoses it makes itself felt.

Stages of menopause

The menopause, like any phenomenon, has its own stages of development. In the absence of aggravating factors, hormonal changes in the reproductive system occur gradually, in several stages.

1. The initial stage of menopause is considered premenopause. This is the time when the ovaries' production of female sex hormones begins to decline. The optimal age for entering this stage is considered to be 45-47 years. On average, this period lasts about 4 years for women. This time is characterized by the appearance of disruptions in the menstrual cycle, as well as mild symptoms of menostasis.
2. The next stage can be called menopause itself, when menstrual bleeding subsides and symptoms manifest themselves most acutely. This one is usually 50-52 years old. Menopause is considered to have occurred if a year has passed since the end of the last menstruation.
3. Postmenopause is the time that occurs after the complete completion of reproductive function. It continues until the end of life. As a rule, pronounced signs of menostasis are already receding, but in some cases they can accompany the woman for several more years.

The main problems of menopause

The symptoms that mark the menopause can be divided into several separate groups.

Vasovegetative signs

This group worries women the most with the frequency of its development, intensity of manifestations and potential risks. One of the most characteristic manifestations of menostasis is hot flashes (rolling waves of heat localized in the upper part of the body). In addition, vegetative symptoms can manifest themselves as migraines, high or low blood pressure, interruptions in heart function, attacks of shortness of breath, tremors in the limbs, chills, and loss of consciousness. These manifestations are dangerous not only in themselves, but also because they provoke serious complications: heart attacks, strokes, the development of hypertension, atherosclerosis.

Urogenital symptoms

A decrease in estrogen affects the condition of the mucous membranes of the genital organs, as well as the tone of muscle fibers. Due to these changes, a feeling of dryness and discomfort appears in the intimate area. Often this is the reason for the onset of problems in sexual life; sex ceases to bring joy. In addition, a decrease in bladder muscle tone can lead to.

Psycho-emotional changes

These signs are often pronounced. The woman becomes either overly emotional or deeply indifferent. She is tormented by attacks of anger, despair, and depression. There is a decrease in performance, attention, and ability to concentrate on the task at hand.

Exchange disorders

Metabolism slows down under the influence of hormonal changes, the body changes its shape due to a lack of estrogen, extra pounds are added, muscle tone is weakened, bone tissue becomes more fragile.

Changes in appearance

The same lack of sex hormones significantly affects the condition of the skin, hair, and nails. The synthesis of collagen and elastin fibers is reduced, which leads to the appearance of wrinkles, loss of clear facial contour, and loss of skin elasticity. Hair follicles weaken, hair appears, and nails become brittle.

To eliminate symptoms, they are used, which will be discussed below.

Diagnosis of menopause

Diagnosing menostasis is not particularly difficult. Based on the described symptoms, as well as the results, the doctor can easily determine the onset of menopause.

A logical question arises here: which specialist should you contact if you have concerns? The most sensible thing to do would be to first visit a general practitioner or gynecologist. If the examination requires the help of specialized specialists, the attending physician will refer the patient for appropriate consultation.

To make a correct diagnosis and develop justified tactics to support the body, the doctor will prescribe the following examination options:

• examination by a therapist, gynecologist, mammologist, endocrinologist;
• general and biochemical blood test;
• general urine analysis;
• taking swabs to test for infections;
• histological analysis from the cervix;
• Ultrasound of the pelvic organs, mammary glands;
• mammography;

This set of examinations will be sufficient to clarify the overall picture of the development of menopause.

Fighting the symptoms of menopause

The main direction of treatment that is used during menopause is adjusting the level of female sex hormones, as the main cause of symptomatic manifestations.

Phytoestorenes

The safest method of maintaining estrogen levels is considered to be taking medications containing estrogen-like substances of plant origin, which are similar in structure to the female sex hormone estradiol.

Taking phytoestrogens helps combat the symptoms of menopause without causing the side effects that hormone replacement therapy has.

The most popular pharmaceuticals that have earned trust among women are: Qi-Klim, Mense, Klimadinon, Estrovel, .

Taking these medications helps to significantly smooth out the onset of menopause and alleviate the general condition at this stage of life.

HRT

An emergency treatment option is hormone replacement therapy. It is used in cases where menopausal syndrome manifests itself aggressively and poses a danger to the health and life of a woman. An example would be the appearance of unscheduled bleeding (metrorrhagia in menopause), accompanied by heavy blood loss, and severe pathologies of the cardiovascular system.

Healthy lifestyle

The basis for a beneficial fight against the negative manifestations of menopause can be maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which includes:

• balanced diet;
• eliminating bad habits;
• physical activity;
• proper hygiene;
• regular sex life;
• social activity and the presence of interesting activities and hobbies that help maintain the “climatic” balance of the psyche.

Many women greet the arrival of menopause on a minor note. The overabundance of negative information that surrounds this biological phenomenon is doing its job. However, we should not forget that most often those women who survived the onset of menopause quite easily do not shout about it at every turn - for them it is just a variant of the norm. And those who describe their suffering in vivid colors may be exaggerating the truth somewhat. And yet, going through this period of life certainly requires careful attention and control.

– a physiological period in a woman’s life, characterized by the decline of reproductive function due to hormonal changes in the body. It begins after 40 years and lasts about 10 years. It manifests itself as a gradual cessation of menstruation. May be accompanied by a complex of vegetative-vascular and endocrine disorders: sudden attacks of a rush of blood to the upper half of the body and face (“heat”), sweating, tearfulness, irritability, fluctuations in blood pressure, increased dryness of the skin and mucous membranes, sleep disturbance. May cause dysfunctional uterine bleeding and serious neuropsychiatric disorders.

General information

is a natural stage in a woman’s life and is characterized by reverse changes in the reproductive system - the cessation of childbearing and menstrual functions. The word “menopause” comes from the Greek “klimax” - a ladder, expressing symbolic steps leading from the flourishing of specific female functions to their gradual extinction.

A woman’s life consists of several age periods that have their own anatomical and physiological characteristics:

• neonatal period - up to 10 days;
• childhood period - up to 8 years;
• period of puberty - from 8 to 17-18 years;
• period of puberty (reproductive or childbearing) - from 18 to 45 years;
• climacteric period (menopause), including:

1. premenopause - from 45 years to menopause;
2. menopause – cessation of menstruation (49-50 years);
3. postmenopause - from menopause - up to 65-69 years;

• old age period - from 70 years.

With the average life expectancy of a woman being 75 years, a third of her life is spent during menopause.

In some women, menopause has a physiological course and does not cause pathological disorders; in others, the pathological course of menopause leads to the development of menopausal (climacteric) syndrome. Menopausal syndrome during menopause in women occurs with a frequency of 26–48% and is characterized by a complex of various disorders of the functions of the endocrine, nervous and cardiovascular systems, which often disrupts the normal functioning and ability of a woman to work. Issues of the pathological course of menopause are of great social and medical importance due to the increased average life expectancy of a woman and her socially active behavior.

Causes of menopausal syndrome

During menopause, changes occur throughout the body: immune defense decreases, the frequency of autoimmune and infectious diseases increases, and the aging process progresses. But the woman’s reproductive system undergoes the most active changes during menopause. During menopause, the development of follicles in the ovaries stops, eggs stop maturing and ovulating, and intrasecretory activity decreases. The follicles in the ovaries are replaced by connective tissue, which leads to sclerosis and a decrease in the size of the ovaries.

The hormonal picture during menopause is characterized by an increase in the level of gonadotropic hormones (follicle-stimulating and luteinizing) and a decrease in the level of estrogen. During the year after menopause, the level of follicle-stimulating hormone increases by 13-14 times, luteinizing hormone by 3 times, followed by a slight decrease.

During menopause, changes in the synthesis of estrogen hormones include the cessation of estradiol production and the predominance of estrone. Estrogens have a biological effect on the uterus, mammary glands, urethra, bladder, vagina, pelvic floor muscles, brain cells, arteries and heart, bones, skin, mucous membranes of the conjunctiva, larynx, mouth, etc., and their deficiency during menopause can cause various disorders in these tissues and organs.

Menopausal syndrome during menopause is a manifestation of estrogen deficiency and is characterized by vegetative-neurotic, urogenital disorders, dystrophic changes in the skin, a high risk of developing atherosclerosis and vascular ischemia, osteoporosis, and psychological disorders. With an increase in the average life expectancy of a woman, the menopause lengthens and, accordingly, the period of estrogen deficiency increases, which increases the likelihood of developing menopausal syndrome.

Classification

According to its manifestations, menopausal syndrome is divided into early, middle and late manifestations of menopausal disorders. Early manifestations of menopausal disorders during menopause include:

• vasomotor symptoms - feeling of hot flashes, headaches, increased sweating, chills, fluctuations in blood pressure, palpitations;
• psycho-emotional symptoms - weakness, anxiety, irritability, drowsiness, inattention, forgetfulness, depression, decreased libido.

Early manifestations during menopause include premenopause and 1-2 years of postmenopause. Women with vasomotor and psycho-emotional symptoms during menopause are often treated by a therapist for hypertension, coronary heart disease, or by a psychoneurologist diagnosed with neurosis or a depressive state.

Medium-term manifestations of menopausal disorders during menopause include:

• urogenital symptoms - vaginal dryness, painful sexual intercourse, burning, itching, dysuria (increased urination and urinary incontinence);
• symptoms from the skin and its appendages - wrinkles, brittle nails, dry skin and hair, hair loss.

Medium-term manifestations during menopause are observed 2-5 years after menopause and are characterized by atrophic changes in the skin and urogenital tract. As a rule, symptomatic treatment of urogenital and skin symptoms during menopause does not give the desired effect.

Late-time manifestations of menopausal disorders during menopause include:

• metabolic (metabolic) disorders - osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases.

Late-time manifestations during menopause develop 5-10 years after the onset of menopause. Insufficient levels of sex hormones during menopause lead to disruption of the structure of bone tissue (osteoporosis) and lipid metabolism (atherosclerosis).

Symptoms of menopausal syndrome

The development and severity of menopausal syndrome is influenced by hormonal, environmental, hereditary factors, and the general condition of the woman at the time of menopause.

Vegetative-vascular (vasomotor) symptoms during the pathological course of menopause are observed in 80% of women. They are characterized by sudden “hot flashes” with a sharp expansion of the capillaries of the scalp, face, neck, chest, an increase in local skin temperature by 2-5°C, and body temperature by 0.5-1°C. “Hot flashes” are accompanied by a feeling of heat, redness, sweating, and palpitations. The state of “hot flashes” lasts 3-5 minutes, repeating from 1 to 20 or more times a day, intensifies at night, causing sleep disturbance. A mild degree of vasomotor disorders during menopause is characterized by the number of “hot flashes” from 1 to 10 per day, moderate – from 10 to 20, severe – from 20 or more in combination with other manifestations (dizziness, depression, phobias), leading to decreased ability to work.

In 13% of women with a pathological course of menopause, asthenoneurotic disorders occur, manifested by irritability, tearfulness, feelings of anxiety, fear, intolerance to olfactory and auditory sensations, and depression. Psycho-emotional symptoms during menopause develop before or immediately after menopause, while vasomotor symptoms continue for about 5 years after menopause.

The course of menopausal syndrome during menopause can develop in the form of atypical forms:

• sympatho-adrenal crises, characterized by a sharp headache, increased blood pressure, urinary retention followed by polyuria;
• myocardial dystrophy, characterized by constant pain in the heart in the absence of changes on the ECG, ineffectiveness of conventional therapy;
• urticaria, vasomotor rhinitis, allergies to medications and food products, indicating changes in the body’s immunological reactions, etc.

The course of menopause falls during a period of important events in a woman’s life: the growing up and marriage of children, achievements at work, retirement changes, and menopausal disorders are layered with increased emotional stress and social problems. Almost 50% of women with a pathological course of menopause have a severe form of the disorder, in 35% the disorder is moderately expressed, and only in 15% the menopausal syndrome has mild manifestations. A mild form of menopause disorders usually occurs among practically healthy women, while women with chronic diseases are susceptible to atypical forms of menopausal syndrome, a tendency to a crisis-like course that disrupts the general health of patients.

The development of menopausal syndrome during menopause is facilitated by genetic factors, endocrinopathies, chronic diseases, smoking, menstrual irregularities during puberty, early menopause, physical inactivity, and a woman’s lack of a history of pregnancy and childbirth.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of the pathological course of menopause is based on complaints from patients who appear at the age of approaching or approaching menopause. Exacerbations of concomitant diseases sometimes complicate the diagnosis of menopausal syndrome during menopause, aggravating its course and causing the development of atypical forms. If there are concomitant diseases, a woman, in addition to consulting a gynecologist, is advised to consult other specialists: cardiologist, neurologist, endocrinologist.

In order to correctly diagnose the complicated course of menopause, a study of the levels of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones and estrogens in the blood is carried out. To clarify the functional state of the ovaries during menopause, a histological analysis of scrapings of the endometrium of the uterus and cytological studies of vaginal smears over time are carried out, and a graph of basal temperature is plotted. Identification of anovulatory ovarian cycles makes it possible to associate functional disorders with menopausal syndrome.

Treatment of disorders during menopause

The approaches adopted in modern gynecology to the problem of treating the pathology of menopause are based on reducing its manifestations and symptoms. Reducing the severity and frequency of “hot flashes” during the pathological course of menopause is achieved by prescribing antidepressants (venlafaxine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, citalpram, sertraline, etc.).

To prevent and treat the development of osteoporosis during menopause, non-hormonal biophosphonate drugs (alendronic and risedronic acids) are used, which reduce bone loss and the risk of fractures. Biosphosphonates effectively replace estrogen therapy in the treatment of osteoporosis in women during menopause.

To reduce the manifestation of urogenital symptoms during the pathological course of menopause, local (vaginal) administration of estrogen in the form of cream or tablets is recommended. The release of small doses of estrogen into the vaginal tissue reduces the sensation of dryness, discomfort during sexual intercourse and urinary disorders.

The most effective method of treating menopausal syndrome during menopause is hormonal therapy individually prescribed by a doctor. Taking estrogen drugs effectively eliminates, in particular, “hot flashes” and discomfort in the vagina. For hormone therapy in the treatment of menopause pathology, natural estrogens (estradiol valerate, 17-beta-estradiol, etc.) are used in small doses in intermittent courses. To prevent hyperplastic processes in the endometrium during menopause, a combination of estrogens with gestagens or (less often) with androgens is indicated. Courses of hormonal therapy and hormonal prophylaxis are carried out for 5-7 years in order to prevent myocardial infarction and mammography, cytological analysis of smears of discharge from the cervix, biochemical study of blood test parameters and coagulation factors (coagulogram).

Hormone therapy regimen

The choice of hormone therapy regimen depends on the stage of menopause. In premenopause, hormone therapy not only replenishes estrogen deficiency, but also has a normalizing effect on the menstrual cycle, and is therefore prescribed in cyclic courses. In postmenopause, when atrophic processes occur in the endometrium, to prevent monthly bleeding, hormone therapy is carried out in a continuous regimen of medications.

If the pathological course of menopause is manifested only by urogenital disorders, estrogens (estriol) are prescribed locally in the form of vaginal tablets, suppositories, and cream. However, in this case there remains a risk of developing other menopausal disorders of menopause, including osteoporosis.

A systemic effect in the treatment of the pathological course of menopause is achieved by prescribing combined hormone therapy (for example, tibolone + estradiol + norethisterone acetate). In combination hormone therapy, hormones are combined with symptomatic medications (hypotensives, heart medications, antidepressants, bladder relaxants, etc.). Combination therapy for the treatment of menopause disorders is prescribed after consultation with specialists.

Solving the problems of the pathological course of menopause is the key to prolonging women's health, beauty, youth, performance and a real improvement in the quality of life of women entering the wonderful “autumn” time of their lives.

One of the most difficult health problems for middle-aged and older women today is the question of whether or not to take post-menopausal hormones. Post-menopausal hormones can influence the risk of diseases that are the leading causes of death among women - cancer, heart disease and a number of other conditions and diseases. Unfortunately, not all of these effects are beneficial, forcing women to consider how to reap the health benefits of postmenopausal hormones with minimal risk.

What is menopause

Menopause is a complex process in a woman's life. And while menopause is often defined as the cessation of menstruation, menopause is a gradual process that lasts several months and is often accompanied by irregular periods. This process serves as the body's response to significant changes in the level of the female hormone estrogen.
Although every woman is unique, typical menopausal symptoms include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and insomnia. In fact, one in three women in four experience these symptoms, although their presentation and duration vary widely. If you have these symptoms and are not uncomfortable and are not comfortable with alternative therapies - herbs, relaxation - you may want to consider taking post-menopausal hormones. Some women decide to take hormones temporarily to ease the transition. Others find it appropriate to remain on hormone therapy.

The role of estrogen

Before menopause, estrogen plays a critical role not only in reproductive function, but also in the maintenance of various tissues and organs. Like other hormones, estrogen is produced and released by tissues in one part of the body, in this case the ovaries, and then carried by the blood to other parts of the body. In women, estrogen affects the cells of blood vessels, brain, skin, breast, liver and skeleton, the mucous membrane of the vagina and urinary tract. Estrogen stimulates the release of protein from cells to maintain the condition of organs and tissues.

When estrogen levels decrease during menopause, the functioning of these tissues and organs changes significantly. For example, estrogen stimulates tissue in the vaginal wall. It is very elastic and releases lubricant during intercourse. When estrogen levels decrease, the vaginal walls become thinner, losing their elasticity and ability to lubricate. As a result, vaginal dryness, the most common symptom, causes pain during intercourse, vaginal soreness, and irritating itching. This is just one of many results of decreased estrogen production in the female body.

By taking postmenopausal hormones to increase estrogen levels in the body, women can alleviate the symptoms described above. The combination of estrogen and progestin was and is still the treatment of choice for women who have not had a hysterectomy.

Menopause in women is a natural physiological stage in the life of every woman, when, against the background of natural hormonal age-related changes, signs of involution of the reproductive system appear. According to different sources, menopausal restructuring lasts up to 10 years. Proper organization of life, a special diet, psychological assistance, and in some cases drug therapy, create a decent quality of life for a woman experiencing temporary difficulties.

Let's take a closer look at what it is, at what age menopause occurs and what are the characteristic signs for it, as well as what is most often prescribed to a woman as a treatment to restore hormonal levels.

What is menopause?

Menopause is a natural physiological process of transition of the female body from the reproductive phase with regular menstrual cycles to the phase of complete cessation of menstruation. The word “menopause” comes from the Greek “klimax” - a ladder, expressing symbolic steps leading from the flowering of specific female functions to their gradual extinction.

On average, the onset of menopause in women occurs at the age of 40-43 years. However, there may be cases where they begin at 35 and 60 years of age. Therefore, doctors distinguish separately such concepts as “early menopause” and “late.”

In some women, menopause has a physiological course and does not cause pathological disorders; in others, the pathological course leads to the development of menopausal (menopausal) syndrome.

Menopausal syndrome during menopause in women occurs with a frequency of 26 – 48% and is characterized by a complex of various disorders of the functions of the endocrine, nervous and cardiovascular systems, which often disrupts the normal functioning and ability of a woman to work.

Periods of menopause

There are several important periods during menopause:

Issues regarding the quality of life of women during menopause are quite acute and relevant. In this case, special attention is paid to the following parameters: physical and mental well-being, social and role functioning, as well as a general objective perception of the state of one’s health.

There are several types of menopause:

• premature (after 30 and before 40 years);
• early (from 41 to 45 years);
• timely, considered the norm (45-55 years);
• late (after 55 years).

Premature and late menopause are usually a pathology. After examination and clarification of the causes of deviations from the norm, treatment is prescribed. With the timely onset of menopause, in some cases, only relief of accompanying symptoms is required.

Causes

Menopause is a genetically programmed transformation of the female body, during which reproductive function declines. The ovaries rapidly reduce the production of sex hormones, the menstrual cycle is disrupted, and the likelihood of egg fertilization by sperm decreases every year.

For most women, the starting point for the onset of menopause is taken to be 45 years of age, coinciding with the appearance of the first clinical manifestations of menopause. As a rule, after three or five years (that is, by the age of 50), the menstrual function finally ends, and the menopause clinic becomes brighter.

Early menopause is the process by which menopausal symptoms begin to appear before the age of forty. It can occur either at fifteen or at thirty-nine. The main reason is impaired hormonal regulation, as a result of which menstruation is very irregular.

There are inherited and acquired causes of early menopause.

Genetic causes of early menopause:

• Defect of the female X chromosome.
• Shereshevsky-Turner syndrome.
• Ovarian dysfunction under the influence of the 3 X chromosome.
• Other hereditary disorders

Acquired causes of early menopause:

• Hormonal diseases (thyroid gland, others);
• Gynecological diseases, including infectious;
• Chemotherapy;
• Obesity;
• Attrition()
• Not rational hormonal contraception;

At what age do women begin menopause?

The timing of menopause varies from person to person; a woman’s last menstruation is called menopause, which occurs on average at the age of 50. If this occurs before the age of 45, menopause is considered early; before the age of 40, it is considered premature.

Each woman’s ovaries are genetically endowed with a certain number of follicles, and the time of onset of menopausal syndrome depends on this.

The fact is that female hormones have a beneficial effect on the entire body as a whole, and women with late menopause have a healthier heart and blood vessels, often smooth and clean skin, healthy hair and teeth.

But late menopause also has significant disadvantages. For example, in such women the risk of developing cancer is several times increased. They are advised to undergo examinations every six months for the presence of neoplasms in the body.

How menopause begins: the first signs

• Menstruation is often delayed and irregular. Their abundance and duration are several times stronger than usual.
• Sweat occurs too often and in large quantities, and there is a constant feeling of heat.
• There is discomfort and unpleasant dryness in the vaginal opening.
• Constant sleep disturbance.
• Mood changes dramatically, frequent depression.
• Feeling of restlessness and causeless anxiety.
• Blood pressure also changes sharply.

Symptoms of menopause in women

Menopause can occur in women at different ages. Moreover, if necessary, treatment is selected taking into account the symptoms, which can also be different and have varying degrees of severity.

Symptoms of menopause:

1. Menstruation stops being regular, shorten and become less abundant in discharge in most cases; in a third of women, on the contrary, they become more intense.
2. Unreasonable mood swings, tendency to irritability, depression, tearfulness, aggressiveness, negativism.
3. Headaches: dull, present in the back of the head in the morning; migraine-like conditions; sharp and strong, localized in the temples and forehead.
4. Tides. Impaired thermoregulation and increased feelings of heat are the main signs of menopause. At first, such complaints may last for a short period of time, but over time their appearance and intensity only increase.
5. Sleep disturbance . Some women may experience insomnia, while others, on the contrary, may experience increased sleepiness. It is better not to solve sleep problems on your own with the help of medications, but to consult a doctor.
6. Fluctuations in the level of female sex hormones during menopause are manifested by soreness of the mammary glands, pulling sensations in the lower abdomen and emotional swings.
7. Metabolic and endocrine disorders. Women during menopause often experience a change in eating behavior, an improvement or deterioration in appetite, an increase in body weight, and fluid retention in the body, leading to the formation of edema.
8. Chest pain. Pain in the mammary gland can be cyclical or non-cyclical. Cyclic pain coincides with the time of menstruation during the childbearing period. However, for women over 45, such pain is a sign of hormonal disorders.
9. When the premenopausal period begins, almost all representatives of the fair sex complain of decreased sexual desire and libido, the inability to achieve orgasm, as well as dryness of the inner walls of the vagina. This process is naturally associated with the partial or complete disappearance of female hormones from the body.
10. Vaginal dryness. The symptom is usually accompanied by itching and causes pain during sexual intercourse. It occurs as a result of changes in the structure of the vaginal mucosa under the influence of hormones. At the same time, there is also a decrease in sexual desire.

Other manifestations of menopause include:

• changes in taste preferences and sensations;
• dryness of the oral mucosa;
• pain in joints, bones and muscles;
• shortness of breath, tachycardia;
• migraine;
• visual disturbances (soreness and dryness in the eyes).

All unpleasant symptoms disappear after the immediate onset of menopause.

Menopause is not a quick process, it develops over a long period of time. Typically, menopause itself occurs only a couple of years after the first symptoms appear.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of menopause occurs primarily on the basis of patient complaints, which appear as menopause approaches. The presence of any concomitant diseases complicates diagnosis, since under them the symptoms of menopause may not be recognized, and the health condition may worsen. Consultations with an endocrinologist, neurologist and, of course, a cardiologist are indicated.

During the consultation, the doctor will ask questions:

• age when menstrual irregularities began, when was the last menstruation, the nature of menstruation,
• what symptoms are bothering you?
• whether your close female relatives have had cancer of the breast or internal genital organs,
• undergone operations.

A mandatory gynecological examination and laboratory tests are carried out:

• Blood test for estrogen content,
• Study of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormone,
• Histological analysis of the endometrium of the uterus,
• Cytological examination of a vaginal smear,
• Basal temperature measurement,
• Detection of anovular cycles,
• Ultrasound examination of the pelvis and abdominal cavity.

Why is menopause diagnostics needed?

• Planning for late pregnancy;
• differential diagnosis of menopause and other diseases;
• identification of complications and diseases associated with menopause;
• examination before prescribing hormone replacement therapy and contraceptives.

Treatment

Menopause is a natural state at the appropriate age. But it is fraught with the threat of new diseases, including tumors, endocrine disorders, etc. However, when a woman has a hard time with menopause, treatment is necessary. Even if its manifestations do not cause much discomfort, regular visits to the gynecologist should be maintained.

Treatment may include the following:

• homeopathy;
• herbal medicine and traditional methods to stabilize hormonal levels;
• hormonal therapy;
• treatment of concomitant diseases, newly emerging or chronic in an acute form;
• the use of bioactive food supplements in the form of pills or tablets during menopause, for example, Bonisan.

• proper nutrition with plenty of fruits and vegetables (food fortified with vitamins);
• mandatory presence of dairy products in the daily diet (cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, sour cream, etc.);
• exclusion of fatty, spicy and salty foods;
• giving up bad habits (smoking, alcohol);
• fitness classes, gymnastics, recreational exercise or daily walks in the fresh air, on foot or by bike;
• reduce the consumption of tea and coffee, which are better replaced with herbal tea;
• take vitamins;
• wear clothes made from natural fabrics;
• observe the rules of personal hygiene.

Medicines for menopause

The first thing a woman needs to do during the menopausal period is to consult a local gynecologist for advice. After diagnosis, the specialist prescribes medications for menopause, which reduce the number of hot flashes, normalize the sleep phase, and remove increased irritability.

Hormone replacement therapy. According to experts, the most adequate method of treating menopausal syndrome is hormone replacement therapy. Its use is advisable if a woman during menopause begins to experience complications such as:

• cardiovascular pathologies,
• central obesity,
• pronounced,
• diabetes mellitus type II, etc.

Hormone therapy as a treatment for menopause pathology is contraindicated in patients suffering from:

• endometrial, ovarian, breast cancer;
• coagulopathy (blood clotting disorder);
• liver dysfunction;
• thromboembolism, thrombophlebitis;
• uterine bleeding of unknown cause;
• renal failure.

Non-hormonal agents(Qi-Klim, Estrovel, Klimadinon). If for some reason hormonal therapy is contraindicated for the patient, then drugs based on natural plant phytoestrogens are used. These are biologically active food additives. Their activity is significantly lower than that of hormones, but safety is higher and there are almost no side effects.

In addition to hormones, a number of other medications are prescribed: vitamins, herbal medicines, calcium preparations (for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis), tranquilizers, antidepressants, biphosphates, nootropics and others. The advisability of using certain medications during menopause is determined by the attending physician.

Proper nutrition

Despite the unpleasant symptoms that accompany menopause in women, by prescribing the correct treatment and following the principles of a healthy lifestyle, the severity of the main symptoms can be significantly reduced. When reaching the age of menopause, attention should be paid to proper nutrition.

Proper nutrition during menopause is based on the following rules:

• it is necessary to reduce portions, but increase the number of meals up to 5-6 times;
• you should eat regularly at the same time;
• you need to drink up to two liters of clean water;
• dishes should be steamed, in the oven or stewed, but under no circumstances fried (a frying pan is taboo);
• as many vegetables and fruits as possible should be consumed raw;
• eliminate or minimize salt intake;
• exclude “harmful” foods from the diet and include a wide range of “healthy” ones.

When choosing foods for your diet, you need to ensure that your body gets vitamins and minerals. Especially vitamins A, E, D and C, group B, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

It is necessary to severely limit or remove the following foods and dishes from the diet:

• salt, sugar;
• semi-finished products, fast food;
• lard, fatty meat, lard, margarine, spread;
• alcohol;
• sausages, smoked meats, offal;
• coffee, chocolate, cocoa, sweets;
• hot spices;
• sweet soda, packaged juices.

Menu for the day

It is advisable to start the day with a cup of clean, cool water, drunk on an empty stomach. The menu of a woman who has entered menopause may look like this.

1. Breakfast - oatmeal with bran and raisins.
2. Second breakfast - salad with fruits and nuts.
3. Lunch - chicken soup and seaweed salad.
4. Afternoon snack - baked apples with low-fat cottage cheese.
5. Dinner - boiled fish and vegetable salad.

In between meals, it is permissible to eat dried fruits and drink various juices.

Folk remedies

When treating hot flashes, headaches and other manifestations of menopause, traditional medicine is successfully used: plant decoctions, herbal soothing baths.

1. Soothing herbal bath. 10 tbsp. l mixture of calamus root, thyme, yarrow, oregano, sage, pine buds is brewed in a bucket of water until cool, filtered and added to the container. A 10-minute procedure will be enough;
2. Rhodiola rosea. Alcohol tincture (pharmacy) of Rhodiola is taken 15 drops, diluted in 20 ml of drinking water before breakfast and before lunch.
3. To prepare an infusion of oregano 2 tablespoons of the plant are poured into 400 ml of boiling water and infused in a thermos. Take half a glass of the drink several times a day 30 minutes after meals. This decoction is especially effective for neuroses that arise during menopause.
4. Lemon. Grind the lemons (with peel) in a meat grinder. Grind the shells of 5 chicken eggs to a powder. Mix and let brew for 7 days. Take 3 times a day, 1 tbsp. spoon for a month.
5. Hawthorn. 3 tbsp. Pour 3 cups of boiling water over spoons of hawthorn flowers. Take 1 glass 3 times a day.
6. Teas will help relieve irritability and drinks based on mint, lemon balm, St. John's wort and oregano. These medicinal herbs have a powerful antidepressant effect and will help get rid of nervous tension.
7. Valerian helps relieve emotional stress and improve sleep. The decoction is prepared according to the recipe given above. You need to take 100 ml in the morning and evening.
8. Sage juice will help cope with high blood pressure. To do this, you need to take 20 ml three times a day for three weeks.

Diseases that occur during menopause

When discussing menopause in women, symptoms, age, treatment, we should consider in detail diseases that arise under the influence of changes in hormonal levels.

Estrogens are needed for more than just fertility. Throughout reproductive age, these hormones protect a woman from various diseases, strengthening almost all structures in the body. When estrogen levels begin to decline during menopause, many systems are affected.

Prevention

Preventive measures aimed at preventing the early onset of menopausal changes include:

• Regular examination by relevant specialists - every 6 months.
• Timely treatment of pathological processes that arise in the endocrine and gynecological organ systems.
• Correct attitude towards taking hormone-containing drugs.
• General hardening.
• Balanced diet.
• Moderate physical activity.
• Regular sexual intercourse.

At the first signs of menopause, be sure to go to a gynecologist and endocrinologist for a consultation. Take care of yourself, we wish you good health and well-being!

This section is a sentimental story about a woman’s autumn. Although not only women. We are somehow already accustomed, when talking about menopause, to mean exclusively the weaker sex. But menopause - a period of physiological decline in the function of the reproductive system - It happens, naturally, to men too.

For women, this period occurs at the age of 45-55 years. Later menopause also occurs. This period of a woman’s life, following the reproductive period, can last about 30 years.

Climax is a Greek word. Hippocrates' contemporaries did not put any medical meaning into it. In their times this was what the staircase was called. But experts saw in this an undeniable similarity with a multi-stage series of hormonal changes occurring in the body during this period.

What phases are distinguished during menopause?

These are: premenopause, menopause, postmenopause.

Premenopause- this is the period from the beginning of the attenuation of ovarian function to the complete cessation of menstruation, which is characterized by a sharp decrease in the ability to conceive and a change in the nature of menstruation. This period usually begins at 40-45 years of age and lasts 2-8 years. 60% of premenopausal women experience a gradual lengthening of the intervals between menstruation, which become increasingly scanty. 10% of women experience a sudden cessation of menstruation. 30% of women may have acyclic uterine bleeding.

Menopause This is the last independent menstruation in a woman’s life. The fact that it has occurred can be said no earlier than a year after the cessation of menstruation.

Postmenopause- this is the period from the last menstruation to the complete cessation of ovarian function, which precedes old age. The duration of postmenopause is 5-6 years. During this period, from time to time, a woman may still notice cyclical changes in the body, but menstruation does not come.

What is menopausal syndrome?

Female sex hormones affect all organs, including the central nervous system, blood vessels, heart, bones, mucous membranes, urinary system, skin and others. Therefore, when ovarian function is turned off, 40-80% of women may experience symptoms of menopausal syndrome.

This syndrome manifests itself differently in different women:
"flushes" of heat to the head, neck and upper body,
periodic “jumps” in blood pressure,
palpitations,
insomnia,
increased sweating,
depression and irritability.

The severity of menopausal syndrome is often determined by the frequency of hot flashes. If no more than 10 of them occur per day, climacteric syndrome is considered mild, if 10-20 “hot flashes” are of moderate severity, more than 20 are considered severe.

2-3 years after the onset of menopause, changes in the genitourinary tract may occur: dryness of the vaginal mucosa, itching, frequent or painful urination. 5 or more years after menopause, late metabolic disorders may occur - atherosclerosis and osteoporosis, which leads to an increased likelihood of many diseases - hypertension, myocardial infarction, bone fractures.

The thyroid gland often suffers, and metabolism may be disrupted, leading to obesity or weight loss. Diabetes mellitus often develops during this period.

The earlier menopause occurs (natural or surgical), the earlier late metabolic disorders may occur, which, along with age-related disorders, are caused by the disappearance of the protective effect of estrogens on bones, heart and blood vessels.

Why does ovarian function decline and unpleasant symptoms appear?

In the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, due to age-related changes, the process of regulating hormone formation is no longer so vigorous. They send too weak commands to the ovaries. And with a decrease in ovarian hormones, the mucous membrane of the uterus becomes thinner, and therefore menstruation stops.

The body suffers from a lack of progesterone and estrogen. Hence many problems in the body. The fact is that estrogen is responsible not only for sexual functions, it is involved in thermoregulation, protects arteries from atherosclerosis, strengthens bones, and maintains skin elasticity.

The hypothalamus is responsible for the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, lungs and other internal organs. It is because of the decreased activity of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland that during menopause many body functions are disrupted, new diseases may appear or old ones may worsen, and bone fragility increases.

The severity of all menopausal disorders varies among different women. Some people suffer incredibly from these manifestations of menopause, while others don’t even notice it. Why? It all depends on the condition of the body and lifestyle. If a woman has always led and leads an active life in all its manifestations, takes care of herself, controls her weight, plays sports and has not acquired any serious chronic diseases during her life, she will suffer less from the negative manifestations of menopause. But in women with an unstable nervous system who lead a sedentary lifestyle, existing diseases may worsen during menopause and new ones may appear.

What drugs are indicated for menopausal disorders?

Drugs that are designed to alleviate menopausal syndrome contain natural (natural) analogues of female sex hormones - estrogens and progesterones. Such hormone replacement therapy drugs(HRT) are popular all over the world today. Thanks to them, millions of women in different countries safely pass the critical age.

These medications include Klimonorm. It consists of estradiol and levonorgestrel and has a very gentle effect on the body. Women taking this drug have a real opportunity to challenge the laws of nature and prolong their youth. The drug takes control of the bone, nervous, cardiovascular and genitourinary systems. To a certain extent, it protects against uterine and ovarian cancer, polyposis, and endometriosis.

But Klimonorm, like all medicines, has its contraindications. These are oncological diseases, disorders of the kidneys, liver, pancreas, and a tendency to thrombosis. Therefore, you must first talk to your doctor and decide whether or not to take this drug.

Currently there are herbal preparations: Klimadinon, Remens, Klimaktoplan.