Male menopause also called  andropause  is characterized by changes in the male hormone  testosterone  due to age. Other names that are used to describe similar symptoms are  androgen deficiency ,  testosterone deficiency  and  late-onset of hypogonadism .

What Is Male Menopause?

Because men do not go through a well-defined period referred to as menopause, some doctors refer to this problem as androgen (testosterone) decline in the aging male -- or what some people call low testosterone. Men do experience a decline in the production of the male hormone testosterone with aging, but this also occurs with conditions such as diabetes. Testosterone is a hormone which is produced in the testes and it plays an important role in a man s body; from regulating sex drive, increasing energy levels in the body, maintaining muscle mass to bringing about changes during puberty. Male menopause differs from female menopause in a few aspects and not all men are affected by it. However, this condition doesn t cause impotence.

Symptoms:

Along with the decline in testosterone, some men experience symptoms that include:

Fatigue
Weakness
Depression
Sexual problems
Symptoms: 

The symptoms of male menopause are low energy levels, fatigue, depression and an inability to focus on anything. You will lose muscle tone coupled with an increase in body fat; the muscles in the body also tend to become weak. Some other symptoms are decreased bone density and breast development. 

Causes:

There are no specific causes as such, but aging is known to play a major role in male menopause. Certain lifestyle factors such as depression, stress and anxiety can cause some symptoms of male menopause to show up such as erectile dysfunction. Not eating a balanced diet and not following a proper exercise regimen and drinking or smoking excessively can trigger symptoms of male menopause.

Treatment:

Once the diagnosis is done, the doctor will chart out a treatment course. The common treatment for male menopause is to make certain changes in your lifestyle   eating a well-balanced diet, getting optimal sleep and exercising regularly. Making these types of changes has been proven to dramatically improve the health of men affected by male menopause.

Another option is hormone replacement therapy, wherein synthetic or artificial testosterone is administered to the body. It is similar to performance e   nhancers in terms of its side effects. So it is advised to consult your doctor and take a well-founded decision on whether to go ahead with the hormone replacement therapy.

Ayurvedic Management of Male Menopause:

Manage your emotions through yoga and meditation.
Attend couple s counselling and talk your doctor about your issues. Educate yourself and your family about the condition.
Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption.
Maintain your weight by doing regular exercise and diet.
Do regular body oil massage with Ksheerabala taila, Sesame oil or Mahanarayana taila.
You can undergo Ayurvedic treatments like Shirodhara, Rasayana and Vajikarana chikitsa to rejuvenate your body and enhance your sexual health.
Ayurvedic medicines like Ashwagandha, Kapikachhu, Shilajit, Gokshura, Musli, Amalaki, Punarnava, Chandraprabha vati, etc. are very beneficial.

Know Everything About Male Menopause

Sex, which gives pleasure to most, can be painful for some. Many women, mostly in their menopausal or post-menopausal phase find intercourse and penetration extremely painful. Menopause results in hormonal imbalance, with a significant drop in the estrogen level. The reduced estrogen level results in Vulvovaginal Atrophy (dryness of the vagina and thinning and weakening of the vaginal tissues). In such cases, women experience irritation, Vaginismus (vaginal tightness) and soreness after sex.
 
One can also experience a burning sensation during urination. There may be inflammation of the vaginal tissues. If untreated, the inflammation can cause infection and other complications. "Dyspareunia" or pain during intercourse is very common in postmenopausal women. The pain experienced during sex can be due to "Vulvodynia" as well. Vulvodynia is a condition whereby a women experiences chronic pain in the external genitals or vulva. A number of other factors can also contribute to the pain during sex. A thorough and detailed investigation is thus very important.
 
Treatment
Many women find it extremely embarrassing to discuss menopausal problems with their partners and doctors. The key to effective treatment lies in timely diagnosis and medication. There is nothing to be embarrassed about. The postmenopausal changes can vary from person to person. Thus it is very important to discuss every minute detail with your physician.

Many options are available to make intercourse a less painful experience:

Keep dryness at bay: In most cases, painful intercourse results from dryness of the vagina. Use of a lubricant can ease the pain to a great extend. A water-based lubricant is highly recommendable. Regular use of vaginal moisturizers is also effective to deal with vaginal dryness.

Vaginal care and hygiene: It is very important to keep the vagina clean. Avoid using soaps, bath oils and shower gels. They do more harm than good to the vagina. It is advisable to wash the vagina with warm to lukewarm water. Undergarments should be changed twice daily.

More is good: Having sex at regular intervals is a healthy practice. It not only enhances and improves the blood flow, but also helps to overcome vaginal dryness.

The Pelvic Floor Therapy: It is immensely beneficial. In this therapy, a gentle pressure is exerted in the pelvic region to relax the stiffened and tightened muscles. One can also massage the area to relax the muscles.

Squat: It is a very effective exercise to strengthen the buttocks and hip muscles. Exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles are also very helpful.
Other therapies: One can also opt for Local Estrogen therapy and Systematic Estrogen Therapy.

Menopause should not affect your conjugal and sexual life. Visit here to know more and forget painful intercourse forever.

Pain With Intercourse In The Postmenopausal Woman

What is menopause?
Menopause is that phase in the life of a woman when she can no longer reproduce. It involves the loss of fertility and the cessation of the menstrual cycle. The woman will stop bleeding every month and the ovaries stop producing eggs that can be fertilized. Menopause normally sets on after the age of 40 and bleeding may permanently stop by the age of 50.

Post menopausal bleeding
You are known to reach menopause when you have not been bleeding for 1 entire year. Even a small amount of spotting should not have taken place. Post-menopausal bleeding is when bleeding occurs after a year of attaining menopause. It can be a serious health disorder and requires medical attention without any further delay.

Reasons behind post menopausal bleeding

Polyps that are mostly non-cancerous, unwanted growths on the cervical canal, uterus or ovaries are known to cause post-menopausal bleeding.
Thinning of the endometrium that lines the uterus can cause unexpected bleeding. It can be due to the rapidly receding levels of estrogen in the blood. It is also known as endometrial atrophy.
Endometrial hyperplasia is a condition that leads to the thickening of the inner lining of uterus (endometrium). It also leads to the growth of abnormal and malignant cells.
Endometrial cancer
Other health conditions such as reaction to hormone therapy, infections of the blood or reproductive organs, certain medications and blood-thinning drugs
Cancer of the ovaries, uterus or cervix
How it can be treated?

For diagnosis, you can undergo blood tests, ultrasounds, sonography and biopsy.
Hysterectomy is done to remove the uterus and cervix can be conducted for a complete cure. It also removes the ovaries, fallopian tubes and other lymph nodes.
Chemotherapy and other radiation therapies may be done for those who are in an advanced stage of endometrial cancer.
Medications such hormone regulators must be taken to prevent complications.

Post Menopausal Bleeding - Is it Normal?

Using contraceptive methods is the easiest method for a couple to avoid pregnancy and enjoy a tension free physical relationship. People have used birth control methods for thousands of years. Today, we have many safe and effective birth control methods available to us.

All of us who need birth control want to find the method that is best for us. If you're trying to choose, learning about each method may help you make your decision. Only you can decide what is best for you. Some contraceptives, such as condoms, will also protect a person from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

The methods can be categorised into temporary and permanent methods.

Temporary methods:
1. Withdrawal method: This involves removing the penis from the vagina before ejaculating. Ejaculation should be away from the introitus. However it requires extreme self-control on the part of your man.

2. Barrier methods: These methods prevent sperm from entering the uterus. Barrier methods are removable. Types of barrier methods include:

a. Condom: This is the oldest barrier method. A condom is a thin tube that the man puts over his penis. This keeps the sperm from getting to the egg. Condoms are also called rubbers.
b. Female condom: This is like a condom, but it goes in the woman's vagina.
c. Diaphragm and cervical cap: These are put in the woman's vagina to cover the cervix
d. Contraceptive sponge: This is a sponge that is filled with spermicide and is put in the woman's vagina over the cervix.
Barrier methods can be easy to use and have few side effects.

3. Hormonal methods: These can only be used by women. Hormonal methods cause changes in the woman's reproductive cycle and include Birth Control Pills, Birth Control Patches, Emergency contraception pill, Implants and so on. Unlike barrier methods, hormonal methods do not interfere with sex.

4. Intrauterine methods: In this method an object called an intrauterine device or IUD is put in the woman's uterus. There are two types of IUD: the copper IUD or an IUD with hormones implanted on it. The hormonal IUD has better protection against pregnancy but costs more. You need not do anything once it is inserted. Also it is effective for up to 10 years.

Permanent methods

Of course, the permanent methods are more effective for preventing pregnancy than the temporary methods. The decision to proceed with a permanent method should only be made if a person is absolutely sure that no more children are desired. The biggest problems after a permanent procedure is regret that it was done.

1. Sterilization: Sterilization is a permanent form of birth control that prevents a woman from getting pregnant. These procedures usually are not reversible.

a. A sterilization implant is a non surgical method for permanently blocking the fallopian tubes. The doctor places a coil in each Fallopian tube through the vagina and uterus block each tube completely. It may take up to 3 months to completely block the tubesb. 

b.Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure in which a doctor cuts the fallopian tubes. This procedure blocks the path between the ovaries and the uterus. The sperm cannot reach the egg to fertilize it and the egg cannot reach the uterus.

c. Vasectomy is a surgical procedure that consists in cutting the tubes that carry sperm. This procedure blocks the path between the testes and the urethra due to which the sperm cannot leave the testes and hence cannot reach the egg. It can take as long as 3 months for the procedure to be fully effective.

Temporary & Permanent Contraceptive Methods For Male & Females

Pcos or polycystic ovary syndrome is an endocrine disorder in women, in which the female hormones, progesterone and estrogen, are imbalanced. This imbalance leads to the formation of cysts (benign masses) in the ovaries. Pcos tends to affect your heart functions, fertility, menstrual cycle and appearance.

There are certain symptoms, which can be indicative of pcos; these symptoms tend to begin as a woman's menstrual cycle starts. In certain cases, however, pcos may also affect a woman in her mid age. Pcos can also cause excessive hair growth in unwanted places like above the upper lip, chin, arms and chest like a male.
The symptoms are:

Increase in the production of male hormone, leads to development of male characteristics
The size of the breasts may reduce
The tone and the texture of the voice may change and become similar to a man's voice
Hair may start to fall
You may suffer from acne and pimple breakouts on your face
It can lead to sudden weight gain
It may affect a woman's fertility
It may lead to pain in the pelvis
Other symptoms: apart from these symptoms, a woman may also experience other health complications such as high levels of bad cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Causes: the causes of pcos are not well known, however, the likely causes are genetics and hormonal complications. If someone in the family has pcos, then the risk of being affected by pcos rises significantly. The other likely cause is the overproduction of the male hormone androgen in the female body. Although androgen is a male hormone, the female body also produces it in trace amounts. However, in some cases, when it is overproduced, it might impair the ovulation process.

Diagnosis and treatment: once the condition is diagnosed, there are certain treatments, which are recommended for the patient. The condition in itself does not have a cure, but the symptoms can only be controlled. Medications to control the androgen levels in the female body may be administered if you have androgen hormone complication. A balanced diet and an exercise regimen can be chalked out to control body weight and regulate blood sugar levels. If pcos leads to ovulation problems, then medications to facilitate ovulation may be advised.

PCOS: What You Need to Know About It

There are two types of abortion, namely medical and surgical. In case of medical abortion, pills are taken to terminate the pregnancy; whereas surgical abortion is done if the pregnancy has reached an advanced stage when pills are ineffective. While generally there are no health risks or negative effects of abortion on fertility, there are rare cases of complications, which can give rise to severe symptoms post abortion. Following is the information you need to know about abortion and its effects on fertility:

When to seek medical assistance
It is advisable to seek medical help if you have the following symptoms post abortion:

Persistent pain in the lower abdomen, which lingers even after taking medication
Excessive bleeding
A high temperature
Possible effects of surgical abortion on fertility

Infection After Abortion: Infections post abortion like Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) if left untreated for long can spread and harm your reproductive organs, thereby impacting your fertility. It can cause complications like infertility or ectopic pregnancy.
Damage to the cervix during abortion: Damage to the cervix during an abortion can cause cervical incompetence and consequently increase the risk of miscarriage.
Damage to the womb during abortion: There are chances of damage of the womb (uterus) during abortion, resulting in scarring, which can cause fertility issues if not corrected. This is more likely in case you had multiple abortions.
Apart from the above-mentioned complications, there are a number of other complications, which can happen due to abortion, preterm birth, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy and low birth weight, etc. Further, infertility can also be a possible side effect of abortion pills, which happens due to scarring of the uterus during the procedure of forcible elimination of the fetus. In all such cases it is advisable to schedule regular check-ups with your gynaecologist.

Abortion And Infertility - Know More About it!

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