Hot flashes. Mood swings. Irregular bleeding. All classic symptoms of menopause, right? Not quite.
In reality, menopause takes place on a single day, experts say. That time in a woman's life when her childbearing years come to an end occurs when she has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months. Or, it could happen because a woman's ovaries have been surgically removed.
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But the symptoms so commonly linked with menopause accompany perimenopause, too - a condition that affects most women to some degree but is known and understood by few.
During perimenopause, which literally means "around menopause," the body's production of the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone begins to decline, and a woman might experience marked changes in her menstrual cycle.
"It's the transitional time between when a woman has a regular menstrual period and when she stops having menstrual periods," says Dr Karen Schwartz, director of women's health at ProHealthcare Associates. "It's accompanied by symptoms of menopause and irregular bleeding patterns."
Most women going through natural menopause experience minimal problems during the perimenopausal years. But not all.
One in four suffers hot flashes
About one in four women will suffer greatly from hot flashes, says Dr Bradley, a California gynaecologist. In addition, about half of those who go through perimenopause with hot flashes and night sweats still will have them five years later.
Some women never know they're in perimenopause, but the vast majority have irregular menstrual periods. A smaller percentage have hot flashes, and some have difficulty sleeping and mood swings.
Perimenopause usually affects women between ages 45 and 50, with menopause occurring on average at age 51. But symptoms can appear in women in their mid- to late-30s, and this can be confusing - even alarming - for those unfamiliar with the condition.
"It can happen to women as early as the 30s, and I've seen it occur 10 years ahead of menopause," says Bradley. "But, she can't assume because she has these symptoms that it's perimenopause. It could be something else, like thyroid dysfunction."
Bradley urges any woman who is experiencing changes in her menstrual cycle, hot flashes or night sweats to see a gynaecologist immediately. Very often, he says, a blood test is all that's needed to rule out other problems. <,p>
Seeing a doctor at this point in life has other advantages. It's an opportunity to sit with a clinician and discuss your health status, your family history and the risk of getting certain diseases later on.
Most women experiencing perimenopause simply need to modify their lifestyle. For instance, women who smoke should stop, everyone should try to control their weight, get adequate exercise and eat a healthy diet that includes vitamins B and D as well as folate and calcium.
Birth control pills may help
Some women may benefit from prescription treatments, like low-dose birth control pills, which provide a steady, even dose of hormones. Oestrogen replacement therapy also is recommended in certain cases, as are progesterone pills or gels.
But each woman's case must be evaluated individually, Bradley says. For some women, he prescribes dietary changes or nutritional supplements, but he urges others to make regular trips to the gym to cut down on stress and improve overall health.
"There are many factors that go into determining whether or not a person needs medication," Bradley says. "You have to look at the person's emotional state and their lifestyle. You have to look at the whole picture." - (HealthScout)
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