Meno Care

Hot Flashes:A hot flash is a feeling described as suddenly being hot, flushed and uncomfortable. Hot flashes come in bursts or flushes that generally last a few seconds to a few minutes. They are caused by changes in the way blood vessels relax and contract, and are thought to be related to the changes in a woman's estrogen levels.

Vaginal Drying: Secretions from the vagina decrease as estrogen levels fall. The lining of the vagina gradually becomes thinner, and elasticity is lost. These changes can cause sexual intercourse to be uncomfortable or painful. These changes also can lead to inflammation in the vagina known as atrophic vaginitis or vaginal infections from yeast or bacterial overgrowth.

Sleep Disorders: Sleep often is disturbed by nighttime hot flashes. A long-term lack of sleep can lead to altered moods and emotions.

Depression:The physical changes of menopause do not appear to increase the risk of depression. owever, major life changes affecting mood and emotion, such as menopause, increase the risk of developing depression.

Irritability: Some women report irritability or other emotional changes. Irritability commonly is caused by poor sleep resulting from nighttime hot flashes. A number of women, however, do not feel irritable.

Osteoporosis: This condition is a thinning of the bones that increases the risk of fracturing a bone, especially in the hips or spine. As estrogen levels drop and remain low during menopause, the risk of developing osteoporosis increases. The risk is greatest for slender, white or light-skinned women. Measures to prevent osteoporosis, including a diet rich in calcium and regular exercise, must start well before menopause begins. This is because women begin to lose bone mass as early as age 30 but fractures resulting from osteoporosis don't occur until 10 to 15 years after menopause. It's never too late to develop healthy habits, but starting early in life makes a big difference as you grow older. Osteoporosis is a major cause of disability in older women. It is estimated that osteoporosis causes over 1.5 million fractures each year and that 5 percent to 20 percent of women will die of complications from these fractures. Complications of major fractures include blood clots in the lungs, stroke and serious infection. Some women become incapacitated by hip or spine fractures and spend the rest of their lives bedridden or in nursing homes.

Cardiovascular Disease: Prior to menopause women have lower rates of heart attack and stroke than men. Following menopause, however, the rate of heart disease in women continues to rise and equals that of men after age 65.