Help, I Need Information About General Menopause
by Patsy Hamilton
In every woman�s life, there comes a time when she says, �I need information about general menopause.� We wonder how long does menopause last, how long do hot flashes last and how what should we expect in the years following menopause. The simple, but true answers to all of these questions is that it varies from woman to woman, but, over the years, researchers have attempted to come up with some averages.
When a woman�s periods become irregular, she is between the ages of 45 and 55 and the irregularities are not due to any other medical problems, she is said to be going through menopause. When a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months, there are no more eggs in the ovaries, she can no longer become pregnant and she is said to be postmenopausal. The average age for the onset of menopause is 51.
About 50% of all women experience hot flashes at some point. About 10% experience them in the years preceding menopause and the percentage increases as menopause approaches. More than 50% of all women experience hot flashes in the three years following menopause. Technically the answer to �how long does menopause last� is one year. During that year a woman can still become pregnant, if she is sexually active. But, symptoms related to menopause may be experienced for five, six, seven years or more.
Surveys of women who chose not to use hormone replacement therapy or other treatment options indicate that as many as 56% of all women experience five or more different symptoms during the years preceding and following menopause. When a woman becomes postmenopausal and during the year that her periods have stopped, surveys indicate that all women experience at least one symptom. The most common symptoms, other than menstrual changes, are hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats, trouble sleeping, headaches and lack of energy. Not all women experience all of these symptoms and some women experience others. Some symptoms may not be directly related to menopause, but the most common ones probably are.
The first place to go for information about menopause is your doctor. Hopefully, you have a good relationship with him or her and you can discuss any concerns that you may have. The North American Menopause Society publishes a helpful booklet for women concerning symptoms and treatment options. It is available on-line and can be found in many women�s clinics. It has many answers for women saying, �I need information about general menopause.� To learn about dietary supplements that can relieve most menopausal symptoms, please visit the Menopause and PMS Guide.
Patsy Hamilton was a health care professional for over twenty years before becoming a freelance writer. Currently she writes informational articles for the Menopause and PMS Guide. Visit us at http://www.menopause-and-pms-guide.com.
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