When women reach age 45 to 55, their ovarian function begin to decline with gradual decrease in estrogen production.
Meanwhile, their menstrual cycles become more and more infrequent and eventually stop. Lack of estrogen finally lead to physical and psychological changes in women.
Common conditions in menopause:
Hot flushes
- Face, chest or body experience sudden redness and hotness
that might last for one to two minutes. Condition could be accompanied by sweating and rapid heart beat.
Vaginal dryness
- With lowering of estrogen production, mucus membrane of vagina becomes thinner and less elastic. Hence, vagina is more prone to infection and itchiness. Lack of lubrication would also lead to pain and discomfort during sexual intercourse.
Osteoporosis
- Drastic drop of estrogen level would lead to rapid calcium loss, that weaken bone structure and prone to bone fracture.
Night sweating
- High sensitivity to temperature changes lead to excessive sweating.
Insomnia and irritability
- Due to sudden drop in estrogen and progesterone, hormones become imbalanced. As body becomes more sensitive to surrounding environment, emotion and sleeping quality are affected.
Hormone replacement therapy could help to alleviate the conditions caused by rapid declines in hormone. It could
- Effectively relieve perimenopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweating
- Slow down the progress of osteoporosis
- Reduce the chance of coronary heart disease
However, hormone replacement therapy might also increase the risks of certain diseases, women are recommended to consult gynaecologists in order to have proper assessment before commencing any treatment. They should also undergo regular gynaecological check-up as instructed by the gynaecologists after commencing treatment.
