FAQ regarding menopause
When does menopause start?
The National Institute on Aging noted that women, on average, at the age of 51 are at the age of natural menopause. Please note that menopause can begin later or earlier than this. There are a few women who have started menopause at the age of 40 or younger, and a small number of women have started menopause when they were in their 60s. There is no way that has been proven to be able to predict the age that you will experience menopause. Only after you haven’t had your menstrual period for a duration of 12 months and you are at the expected age, will you normally be diagnosed with menopause.
What should I expect with menopause?
Every woman will experience menopause differently as it is dependent on one’s current health and lifestyle choices. Some women will go through natural menopause with very little hassle. Other women may have more severe symptoms. When menopause is induced through surgery or treatment, this can be a tough adjustment for the sufferer.
How long does it take for menopause to end?
There are some symptoms, such as those of vaginal dryness and other urinary symptoms that have been known to continue into the postmenopause phase. Most of the symptoms will subside and disappear within 12 months from your last and final period. Women have also reported experiencing hot flushes into their 60s and 70s, albeit with reducing frequency. Hot flushes typically reduce in frequency and stop after approximately five years from the onset of menopause.
What happens when you go through menopause?
When you are born, it is commonly accepted that you have a finite amount of eggs, these are then stored in your ovaries. Your ovaries will also produce the sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone, these aid in controlling your ovulation and menstruation. When menopause occurs, your ovaries are no longer releasing an egg every 28 days (for those on a 28-day cycle) and therefore menstruation will stop.
Can stress bring on early menopause?
It is though that if you suffer from high levels of stress that you may experience symptoms that are similar to menopause such as thinning hair, hot flushes and mood changes, but it is not yet proven that stress can actually lead to early menopause.