what is menopause?

Question

isnt it when they cant have kids and get really bitchy?

Answer 1

Menopause is the physiological cessation of menstrual cycles associated with advancing age in species that experience such cycles. Menopause is sometimes referred to as change of life or climacteric. Menopause occurs as the ovaries stop producing estrogen, causing the reproductive system to gradually shut down. As the body adapts to the changing levels of natural hormones, vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes and palpitations, psychological symptoms such as increased depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings and lack of concentration, and atrophic symptoms such as vaginal dryness and urgency of urination appear. Together with these symptoms, the woman may also have increasingly scanty and erratic menstrual periods.


Technically, menopause refers to the cessation of menses; whereas the gradual process through which this occurs, which typically takes a year but may last as little as six months or more than five years, is known as climacteric. Popular use, however, replaces climacteric with menopause. A natural or physiological menopause is that which occurs as a part of a woman's normal aging process. However, menopause can be surgically induced by such procedures as hysterectomy (when this procedure includes oophorectomy, removal of the ovaries).

The average onset of menopause is 50.5 years, but some women enter menopause at a younger age, especially if they have suffered from cancer or another serious illness and undergone chemotherapy. Premature menopause (or premature ovarian failure) is defined as menopause occurring before the age of 40, and occurs in one percent of women. Other causes of premature menopause include autoimmune disorders, thyroid disease, and diabetes mellitus. Premature menopause is diagnosed by measuring the levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH); the levels of these hormones will be higher if menopause has occurred. Rates of premature menopause have been found to be significantly higher in both fraternal and identical twins; approximately five percent of twins reach menopause before the age of 40. The reasons for this are not completely understood. Transplants of ovarian tissue between identical twins have been successful in restoring fertility.

Post-menopausal women, especially Caucasian women of European descent, are at increased risk of osteoporosis.
The clinical features of menopause are caused by the estrogen deficiency.
Vasomotor instability

hot flashes, hot flushes, including night sweats
sleep disturbances
Urogenital atrophy

dyspareunia
itching
dryness
bleeding
urinary frequency
urinary urgency
urinary incontinence
Skeletal

osteoporosis
joint, muscle pain
back pain
Skin, soft tissue

breast atrophy
skin thinning
decreased elasticity
Psychological

mood disturbance
irritability
fatigue
decreased libido
memory loss

Unlike in humans, animals rarely experience menopause; this may simply be due to their short lifespan (see Grandmother hypothesis). However, recent studies have shown menopause in gorillas, with an average age of 44 at onset.

Answer 2

It is much more than that...we women can get bitchy any age but no I degrees...we stop menstruating and stop ovulating. It is also a stage when we are most vulnerable to osteoporosis. Humm the best quote I ever heard about menopause is this so you could be right "I'm out of estrogen and I've got a gun" or was it "it's not hot flashes, it's power surges"? Do not fear the menopausal woman...she is your friend!

Answer 3

Not for all women! Menopause is when we quit having periods. Because of this change in our estrogen some women can have hot flashes, night sweats and get crabby.

Answer 4

Making dietary changes is your first line of defense in treating hypothyroidism. Learn here https://tr.im/2rUcg

Many people with hypothyroidism experience crippling fatigue and brain fog, which prompts reaching for non-nutritional forms of energy like sugar and caffeine. I’ve dubbed these rascals the terrible twosome, as they can burn out your thyroid (and destabilize blood sugar).

1. Just say no to the dietary bungee cord. Greatly reduce or eliminate caffeine and sugar, including refined carbohydrates like flour, which the body treats like sugar. Make grain-based carbohydrates lesser of a focus, eating non-starchy vegetables to your heart’s content.

2. Up the protein. Protein transports thyroid hormone to all your tissues and enjoying it at each meal can help normalize thyroid function. Proteins include nuts and nut butters; quinoa; hormone- and antibiotic-free animal products (organic, grass-fed meats, eggs, and sustainably-farmed fish); and legumes.

Answer 5

It means that men with a high sex drive go into depression because they are deprived of sex from their wives, funny thing is, you can read a lot about it and it focuses on what women go through. The topics never mention the selfishness men are subjected to.

Answer 6

A life changing experience,
The funny thing, men go through it too./
Women during menopause loose estrogen, and gain testosterone.
Men loose their testosterone, and gain estrogen.

So in the old peoples sense:
Women - horn dogs
Men - emotional sacks.

The roles are completely reversed.
...talk about walking a mile in someone elses shoes.

Answer 7

1

Answer 8

According to the doctor it is that phase of life when ladies cross the age of 30 years. This is the time when lady stops menstruation.

Answer 9

Menopause is pure TORTURE

Answer 10

For your reading pleasure http://www.cwhn.ca/resources/faq/menopause.html