The Importance of Recognizing the Signs of Menopause in Women

Every woman will experience menopause. The natural process of the body which is marked by the end of the menstrual cycle is usually experienced by women when they reach the age range of 40 to 50s. Signs of menopause will usually appear before menopause occurs. Menopause occurs when the ovary no longer releases the egg and the woman stops menstruating. In other words, after entering menopause, the female reproductive capacity will end. Signs of menopause have actually begun to occur since the perimenopause, which is a transition period that occurs several years before menopause. During this time, the ovary will gradually begin to produce less estrogen. Generally, perimenopause will occur for 4 years, but can last longer or shorter in some women. Perimenopause is then called menopause after a woman no longer experiences menstruation for at least 12 months. However, before menopause occurs, there can be changes in the menstrual cycle that makes more or less bleeding. In addition to changes in the menstrual cycle, some other signs of menopause such as:

• Frequent urination and urinary tract infections (UTI)

Frequent urination may be experienced by women who are menopausal. Meanwhile, pain while urinating may also occur due to thinning tissue in the vagina and urethra and loss of elasticity. In addition to frequent urination, some women will also be more susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTIs). For this reason, if you often urinate and feel a burning sensation during urination it is advisable to consult a doctor to get treatment. Your doctor may give antibiotics.

• Hot flashes

The burning sensation that spreads throughout the body is the most common symptom of menopause and most women feel it. This burning sensation usually occurs suddenly and no known cause. In addition to feeling hot, most of the symptoms are felt by the body sweating, redness and palpitations or palpitations. It is advisable to consult a doctor if the burning sensation caused is so annoying. Your doctor may recommend specific drug choices, such as hormonal therapy or supplements. To prevent hot flashes, it is recommended to avoid stress, reduce consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods, and use comfortable, cool clothing.

• Insomnia

During menopause, you may experience insomnia or difficulty falling asleep. If this happens, it is advisable to relax by regulating breathing, in a comfortable position to sleep. You can also exercise during the day, so you feel tired at night. It is also recommended to keep the phone away when going to sleep so as not to be tempted to use it. Balance with a healthy lifestyle and avoid caffeinated drinks and alcohol.

• Decreased sex drive

At menopause, a decrease in estrogen can make sex drive decrease. Changes that occur as a result of a decrease in estrogen include the clitoris is less sensitive to stimulation, vaginal dryness, and orgasm response is slow or absent at all. If this is experienced, do not hesitate to communicate with your partner, then consult your doctor to get a solution.

• The vagina feels dry and painful when having sex

Decreased production of estrogen and progesterone in the body can affect the moisture layer lining the vaginal wall, even reducing the production of vaginal fluid that functions to lubricate the intimate organs during sexual intercourse. Dry vagina is characterized by the appearance of itching and is accompanied by a burning sensation in the area around the vagina. So that it triggers pain when having sex. You can use water-based lubricants, but if you still feel uncomfortable, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

• More emotional

Decreased estrogen hormone affects women's emotional changes, including making women quick to anger, sadness, not excited, restless, more aggressive, difficulty concentrating, feeling tired quickly, to mood swings. Now, to overcome this emotional change, it is recommended to get enough rest, be more relaxed in responding to something and trying to reduce stress.

How to Overcome Naturally

To overcome the signs of menopause, you can use birth control pills, hormone therapy, and medications to reduce complaints that your doctor has prescribed. Actually not only drugs, here are some ways to deal with complaints of signs of menopause naturally:

• Soy

The content of isoflavones in soy is part of phytoestrogens which, according to some studies, is useful in reducing complaints of menstrual signs. Although you still need further clinical evidence, you can consume soy in the form of tofu, tempeh, or soy milk, which besides being healthy may also help reduce your complaints.

• Ginseng

Ginseng may be able to overcome menopausal symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, and also stress experienced by women during menopause. To get the benefits of ginseng, you can mix it into the usual tea consumed.

• Kegel exercises

Kegels can be done as a way that might help you manage the frequency of urination. This method is done by tightening the pelvic muscles down. So it is believed to be able to train you to deal with complaints of frequent urination that often appears before menopause.

• Yoga

Yoga is believed to be able to practice calm and relieve depression and emotional traits commonly experienced by menopausal women. In addition to being able to make emotions more stable and help you calm down during this transition, yoga can also make your body healthy overall.

• Acupuncture

Acupuncture might be an alternative hormone therapy for women who experience a burning sensation and depression during menopause. If possible, choose medical acupuncture performed by an acupuncture specialist.

Signs of menopause will likely interfere with your body's health condition. If this has affected daily activities, it is advisable to immediately consult a doctor to get the right treatment.