Post Menopausal Health

The diagnosis of menopause is made after periods have stopped for at least 1 year after the age of 40 due to reducing ovarian activity.The age span can vary between 45 to 55 and the median age is 52 years.Menopause occurring before the age of 40 is premature and one needs to consult a Gynaecologist.

The time span for several months to several years leading to menopause is called perimenopause.The periods during this time may become irregular and the patient may experience hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, mood swings etc; 30-60% of women may experience emotional symptoms at this time. The major symptoms include:

• Hot Flushes and Night seats
• Vaginal dryness
• Tiredness and sleep disturbances
• Mood swings and lack of concentration
• Loss of interest in having sex

Every woman experiences menopause differently. A few will have a combination of different mild symptoms while others will have more severe symptoms.Some women choose to go through menopause without any treatment whereas others prefer to have hormonal or non-hormonal medications to help control their symptoms.

However it is important to consult a Gynaecologist as irregular periods and other symptoms may be due to other pathologies and may need investigating.

A healthy lifestyle is very important during this time to maintain good bone health and general health.Regular aerobic exercises like swimming, jogging, brisk walking and in general maintaining an active lifestyle and maintaining an optimal body mass index is very important and helps in preventing osteoporosis, heart disease etc;

• Low-intensity exercises such as yoga may help to reduce hot flushes and boost general well-being.
• Reducing intake of tea/coffee/ caffeinated drinks will help reduce hot flushes and night sweats.
• Vaginal lubricants and moisturisers help in reducing vaginal dryness during intercourse.
• Also equally important is having a diet rich in Calcium, proteins and low in fat and refined carbohydrates like sweets and junk foods.
• Soya-based foods like soya beans, chickpeas, peas are rich is phytoestrogens nad may help in reducing perimenopausal/ menopausal symptoms.
• Getting an annual health check up done helps in identifying risks earlier and taking appropriate actions earlier on.
• Women should have regular PAP smears, BP check, Mammograms, Lipid profile done and other tests if clinically indicated.

Finally, it is best to consult a Gynaecologist if a woman is having any perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be instituted.