Menopause Symptoms That You Should Really Know About

Menopause symptoms can be a really nasty experience for most women especially for those who experience them at full blast. It's important that women get a clear understanding of the different menopause symptoms that they experience so that they'll know why these things happen and what are the things that they can do to address them effectively.

First on the list of menopause symptoms that you should really know about is hair loss or thinning and increase in facial hair. This symptom is directly connected to estrogen deficiency because hair follicles need good supplies of estrogen. Most women notice this symptom because it's a lot more obvious compared to the others. Hair loss can occur gradually or all of a sudden. Hair loss or thinning can also happen on the other parts of the body. Your hair can get more brittle and drier. You can also experience loss of thinning of pubic hair. If your hair loss happens without any other symptom, this is pretty normal. On the other hand, if it happens along with an illness, you need to see your doctor.

Second in line are menopause sleep disorders, which may happen with or without night sweats. During menopause, you may find yourself waking up a lot of times at night and tossing and turning from time to time in an attempt to fall back to sleep. Sleep becomes less and less restful when you enter menopause. In the past, doctors claimed that the reason behind sleeping problems during menopause is night sweats. However, recent studies claim that these can also happen because of other problems that aren't associated to hot flashes. Research shows that women start to experience restless sleep as early as 5 to 7 years before they enter the menopausal stage.

Next are difficulty concentrating, mental confusion, and disorientation. During early menopause, a lot of women get troubled by their difficulty to remember things. They experience mental blocks and find it hard to concentrate. It is said that this can be worsened by lack of sleep or having disrupted sleep. If disorientation isn't caused by a medical condition, it might be brought about by certain drugs. You can relieve this by learning how to relax; practicing stress reduction techniques; and by being physically active on a regular basis.

Disturbing memory lapses can also happen during menopause. When memory lapses are momentary, they are not something that you should worry about. However, if they happen on a regular basis, it's highly advisable that you look into it by seeking medical advice. When women experience memory lapses, they complain about inability to concentrate; skipped appointments; misplaced car keys; and forgotten birthdays. However, these are considered as a normal symptom of menopause. They often occur because of heightened levels of stress and decreasing levels of estrogen.

Put Your Hot Flashes on Ice With Chinese Medicine - Natural Treatments For Menopausal Symptoms

Have you been disappointed by the quality of life that you've experienced since beginning menopause? While this is a natural progression of women's hormones, the symptoms are described by many of our patients as uncomfortable, intolerable, and seemingly unnatural. Fortunately, Chinese medicine has numerous solutions that can bring comfort and calm to your life. This transition into menopause while natural, brings with it a number of new challenges that can affect a woman's quality of life. You might experience both emotional and physical symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, anxiety, depression, insomnia, tiredness, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. The time tested help of Chinese medicine may be the solution you've been seeking.

What's All the Fuss About

Conventional medical research has proven that menopausal symptoms arise from a decrease in ovarian function leading to the decline in the production of hormones estrogen and progesterone. As a result, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is frequently prescribed to replace these hormones. In essence, this therapy confuses the body into believing that the ovaries are still properly functioning. This method of treatment has been effective in stopping many of the aforementioned symptoms. However, there has recently been controversy surrounding the use of HRT, with studies showing that its use may lead to an increased risk of breast and endometrial cancer. Because of conflicting studies for and against HRT, many women face uncertainty in choosing between either HRT while risking potential health hazards or using nothing which may lead to unwanted symptoms.

A Time Tested Safe Alternative

Chinese herbal medicine has been around for thousands of years and has been used effectively to treat the symptoms of menopause. The strength of Chinese medicine lies in the way in which it assimilates each individual's signs and symptoms into clinical patterns that have a variety of solutions already worked out. Your care is always customized. By addressing the person as a whole, practitioners of Chinese medicine are able to put together landscaped pictures of each individual's constitution. Once we have the picture, we are able to treat the condition. Thus not all women suffering from menopause are treated the same. In fact we may have ten different patients with similar symptoms related to menopause, and yet when we step back and see the whole picture we notice their patterns to be completely different, and thus require different modes of treatment.

A Case of the Hot Flash Blues

When Mrs. R. came to see me, she looked weak, pale and in need of respite from hourly hot flashes, which she called her "personal summers". Her hot flashes would happen frequently and at the most inconvenient times, during meetings with her boss, while out with friends, anywhere. The "personal summers" would come on fast and furious causing her fan herself in attempt to cool that heat rising from somewhere inside her chest up to her face. But that wasn't all. At night she would have hourly hot flashes and night sweats. Sometimes the sweating was so bad that she would need a change of clothing. Every night it was the same thing, over and over: the heat, the sweats, the lack of sleep. Eventually her discomfort became unbearable. She was exhausted; she even felt her bones ache. She couldn't concentrate, and she often seemed to snap at her husband. Willing to try anything, she began a course of Chinese herbal medicine that I recommended. Within two days of taking the herbs, her symptoms disappeared. Mrs. R. took the herbs for two months. After the second month, she was able to go off the herbs for two months until her hot flashes returned, at which time we resumed treatment. Mrs. R. has told me that she feels like she has her life back.

An Herbal Recipe for Success

While not all women will respond as quickly as Mrs. R. most women should see changes within the first month of treatment. As the symptoms alleviate we will be able to slowly decrease your herbal dosage. Once the symptoms are minimal to non-existent we can stop treatment and resume on an as needed basis.

Every year 1.3 million women in the United States enter menopause. Some women experience little to no changes in life, whereas others are affected from anywhere between 4-8 years. Using Chinese medicine will give you the benefit of thousands of years of experience treating menopause to help you get your life back under control.

PCOS Hair Loss Treatment - Information You Need to Know

Around 15% of American women are suffering from female pattern baldness caused by androgenic alopecia. For a female, losing hair can be a much more devastating process than it is for a male. Women are very much judged on their personal appearance, and thinning hair may seem like a de-beautification process. Self-esteem is thus impacted and confidence levels dwindle. In women who are suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome, it is thought that the excessively high levels of male hormone and its byproduct, dihydrotestosterone, are primarily responsible for follicle fallout. This is problematic in menopausal women, as well.

In polycystic ovarian syndrome, hair is thinned just like it is when a male loses his hair. The difference between the two is that when the hair begins to stop presenting new growth, the follicles continue to remain alive. Traditionally, this process kills off the follicle root completely. This means that hair growth and PCOS hair loss treatment is still a very real possibility since hair death has not occurred.

Hormonal fluctuations of the male hormone testosterone seem to be the main cause of hair thinning in women. Women shed hair during menopause, birth control use, post menopausal conditions, and after a recent pregnancy. Estrogen fluctuations are different and are not as directly involved with thinning hair.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome also is commonly paired with hypothyroidism. This malfunction of the thyroid can contribute to weight gain and continued hair problems. This triggers a woman's confidence in her appearance to drop even lower. There are ways to combat this transformation and regain hair. PCOS hair loss treatments begin with modifying your diet. Consuming better foods rich in iron, magnesium, and other minerals will begin you on your journey to a full head of hair. If you are unable to consume a healthier diet that aids your body nutritionally, add a multivitamin supplement to your diet.

Cease smoking, if applicable. Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome can build up certain cigarette smoke chemicals, which in turn can wreak havoc on one's hairline. This will also assist oxygen flow though the veins and improve health overall.

Supplements are a highly recommended PCOS hair loss treatment option. B vitamins are strongly suggested. The male hair restoration drug Propecia is FDA approved for growing hair in men only. Studies have shown, however, that the supplement saw palmetto is just as efficient in growing hair in women. This supplement also combats hirsutism, which is where a female has facial hair that grows in thick and coarse. Provillius is a supplement that utilizes saw palmetto and other essential vitamins to restore hair growth. This may be a more favorable option over having to consume multiple tablets and capsules on a regular basis.

If you which to counter the problem with medication, the only FDA approved PCOS hair loss treatment for women is Rogaine. This topical approach to hair loss in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome has shown improvement in up to 30% of women. It is recommended that you only use the 2% concentration, not the 5%. This is a good way to restore hair, but it will cease growth once treatment is stopped. It is an expensive road to choose, but within six months you will see results.

A women's last PCOS hair loss treatment option is to undergo a hair transplant. This is where your own hair is moved from an area where thinning is not occurring, usually at the base of the neck and scalp, and placed where hair recession is prominent. This is an expensive procedure, but it is permanent. This process usually takes one to two years to complete.

There are many very simple way to combat a hair thinning problem with a PCOS hair loss treatment option. It is a matter of pooling your hair restoration knowledge and changing your lifestyle to one that support a beautiful head of hair.

Stomach Cramps - Things to Ponder During Menopause

Menopause is a transition stage in a woman's life when she stops menstruating for over 12 months continuously. When menopause sets in, the ovaries stop production of eggs, resulting in irregular menstrual activity that eventually ceases. Other hormonal changes occur and symptoms like stomach cramps, pain in the leg, irritability, mood swings, hot flashes and decrease in bone density accompany menopause.

Menopause usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 55, and is a natural event in every woman's life. It comes with its own string of health issues, be they physical or emotional, and can be a particularly trying time for those who suffer side effects of menopausal symptoms. They are just ways in which our body reacts to the decrease in production of female hormones.

Menopause and Stomach Cramps: Symptoms

Some women (the luckiest of the lot) may experience few symptoms, while others complain of mild to severe ones. However, the reassuring part is that the variation is normal. Women experiencing pelvic pain or cramps during menopause may recall suffering the same right before or during their menstrual periods and this may have a link to their hormonal cycle.

A common phenomenon during menstruation, this pelvic pain is termed as dysmenorrhea. However, if these stomach cramps occur during menopause and are severe enough to interfere with daily activities, then the cause may be an underlying condition and should be checked by a doctor.

Menopause and Stomach Cramps: Treatments

Stomach cramps experienced during menopause may be for a long period or occur infrequently for a short spell. If intense uterine contractions occur due to the hormonal changes taking place during menopause and are too prolonged, medical treatment for the cause may be necessary to get relief. Some Over the Counter (OTC) drugs are available to reduce pain and discomfort associated with them and those medications that do not contain steroids are preferable.

Other pleasurable options (since most of the gentler species would consider a pleasurable option to a merely therapeutic one) are, for menopausal women to enjoy a good, long soak in a hot bath or use a heating pad on the abdomen. The heat from the hot water or pad helps in increasing the blood flow and this reduces these or muscle spasms.

Menopause and Stomach Cramps: Psychological Counseling

A nutritionally balanced, healthy diet, regular physical exercise, sufficient rest, cutting back on alcohol intake and cigarette smoking also helps in reducing them during menopause. If the stomach cramps are so severe that they prevent you from enjoying your routine activities and timely rest does not help, it can be due to some other physical or emotional/behavioral disorders.

This kind of abdominal cramp can manifest itself in other ways and worsen behavioral symptoms like irritability, hostility, aggressive behavior, anxiety and depression. For treating this properly, it is very important for a woman to speak to someone she can confide in about any troublesome issues she may be facing or seek medical/psychological counseling to bring out the underlying issue so it can be dealt with effectively.

Doctors recommend a positive change in lifestyle and advice all such women to eat a balanced diet, take their vitamins on time, incorporate regular exercise in their life and learn to take things easier. These tips go a long way in reducing stress, the underlying cause for stomach cramps and menopause discomfort.

Effect of Menopause on Women's Health

After reaching menopause, a woman is vulnerable to many long-term health problems due to estrogen loss. Menopause effects women's health in many ways. Estrogen has the properties to assist mental functions, as a woman grows old. It helps in reduction of Alzheimer disease risks by stimulation of neurotransmitters production while eliminating oxygen radicals that have important role in Alzheimer. Estrogen also helps in opening the blood vessels that contribute to better blood flow to brain.

Osteoporosis is another problem that is found in women after menopause. Here also estrogen is important in two ways. They control the life of the osteoclasts that lead to resorption. They also help in maintaining the vitamin D level in the body that helps in bone protection.

Women after Menopause become vulnerable to the heart diseases. This is also due to fall in estrogen levels because estrogen controls cholesterol levels. It smoothens and opens heart blood vessels too, which reduces oxygen radicals that can damage your heart arteries. Menopause also has urinary tract effects for many women. Due to fall of estrogen levels, the urinary tract infection risks increase manifolds. Estrogen helps in enhancing number of the microorganisms that help in fighting bacteria adhering vaginal cells.

Other effects of loss of estrogen in menopause of women's health are sleeping disorders, tooth loss, gum disorders, wrinkles. Estrogen helps in preventing glaucoma, muscular degeneration, and cataract. It also prevents stress among women. Estrogens assist in avoiding slackness that is a result of excessive fats. Menopause is a transition that comes in every woman's life but it should be dealt carefully. If you do not deal with it properly, it can lead to long-term health effects. Seek professional help if you want to avoid uneasiness at the time of menopause. Following doctor's advice can prove useful in avoiding all these health problems.

Exploring Various Fibroids Treatments

When experiencing abnormal or heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, lower back pain and painful sex, in all likelihood you have fibroid growth.

Fibroids, as your doctor will be able to confirm and elaborate, are benign growths in the muscular wall of the uterus. A regular pelvic exam will ascertain if a person has fibroids. Most fibroids are noncancerous growths. Small ones go away after menopause. Fibroids do grow. From something that's about the size of a pea, it can grow to the size of a grapefruit. Many of those who are afflicted religiously monitor the growth, especially in light of the growing incidence of uterine cancer. Fibroids that rapidly grow, or vaginal bleeding during a woman's postmenopausal years, may raise alarm bells that fibroid is cancerous. Hysterectomy is deemed as the best remedy for cancerous fibroids.

Nowadays, there are many alternatives to hysterectomy to address fibroids. Treatment that leaves the uterus intact exists and it is called myomectomy an incision in the abdomen. Some doctors have related that a "bikini" incision in the abdomen, even for large fibroids can be done, and female patients may be discharged from the hospital as quickly as two days after surgery.

Another method, called uterine fibroid embolization, is a procedure performed by an interventional radiologist who uses a catheter to block the blood supply to the fibroids. Some patients suffering from fibroids can get by without treatment. Medication offers women with fibroids to buy time and prepare for a major treatment decision. In many cases, the waiting time extends until the time when women are about to reach their menopause, and a most convenient thing happens: with natural loss of estrogen and progesterone, the fibroid is shrunk.

People vary in the fibroids treatment options they go for. Because of the great deal of discomfort caused by fibroids, treatment by way of quality supplements emerge as one of the most suitable options people immediately opt for. Medical supervision is still essential, though.

It is important for women with uterine fibroids to undertake measure to balance out the hormones and enhance their reproductive health. Hormonal imbalances, after all, may be the instigator of the fibroids. As such, those with fibroids need to balance out their hormones with a combination of natural progesterone and herbal supplementation therapies. Among the best herbal remedies that can aid in maintaining the proper balance of hormones in the body, relieve the symptoms of uterine fibroids, and control the fibroid's growth are wild yam and red raspberry leaves. Rose hip tea, chamomile, comfrey, and goldenseal (which may be bought in capsules or tea)

Whatever treatment option you choose, the most important consideration is that you get to return to the normal quality life you once enjoyed.

Menopause Botanicals - How I Successfully Manage The Peri Phase

Since the age of 35, my menses began hinting at menopause. Only thing was, I did not know it at the time and no medical doctor or nurse practitioner mentioned that the changing characteristics of my cycles were the early phases of menopause. After my third trip to the OB/GYN Urgent Care for extraordinary bleeding and with no explanation forthcoming, I began to research my symptoms on the Internet and discovered the common term for this transition is called "peri-menopause" (peri means "pre"). Although I eventually found a fabulous, open-minded OB/GYN doctor who seemed sincerely interested in helping me manage the symptoms rather than simply shoving hormone prescriptions into my hands, his tools were limited by the policies of the HMO he worked for and hence, to: synthetic hormones, cauterizing the uterus and the herb, Black Cohosh. Since I consider menopause a natural process and not a disease coupled with the fact my mother had been diagnosed with Hormone Replacement Therapy-related breast cancer in 1995, I approached hormones with caution. However, without other options, I filled and began taking a low-dose birth control pill prescription. These synthetic hormones were a complete failure emotionally though after 1 cycle, the bleeding stopped. Depressed, irritable and disgruntled from the pills, I finally stopped taking them and in keeping with my rapidly expanding holistic understanding, decided to seek relief in the area of botanicals, ie., herbs, and supplements. I discovered a wealth of information on the Internet along with a variety of experiences. With characteristic persistence, I finally settled on a synergistic selection of complimentary botanicals, the final menopause management formula having served me extremely well since February, 2003.

In the early phase of menopause, progesterone production decreases while estrogen production remains consistent. It is this shifting relationship which contributes to heavy bleeding. One of the first informational misconceptions I encountered was the idea that phytoestrogens are helpful for peri-menopause symptoms. Based on my reading, experiences and discussions with other women, the last thing you need in your body is phytoestrogens. Just as early phase menopause levels of biological estrogens create heavy bleeding, so, too, do phytoestrogens provide a nearly identical experience. When I uncovered this information in 1999, I immediately stopped taking soy isoflavones and vowed to stay away from herbs containing phytoestrogens, like Black Cohosh or Hops. As I researched more, I discovered Red Raspberry leaf, a tonic herb for female reproductive organs, that has been traditionally used to help control bleeding -- I lay in a supply of red raspberry tea. It did help but my body needed something more. I added Red Raspberry leaf in capsules to my daily menopause management formula and over a few weeks time, saw some improvement. I later converted to a red raspberry tincture. For a time, I continued to drink raspberry tea whenever I became concerned a heavy bleeding session might turn into a gusher.

As I continued reading, I found that hormone health and balance was nourished/influenced by essential fatty acids (EFAs) and that these important nutrients must be obtained from certain vegetable oils. Gamma Linolenic Acid or GLA, an Omega-6 fatty acid often suggested for women with premenstrual syndrome, is instrumental in supporting hormone health and balance. I added Evening Primrose oil, abundant in GLA, to my regimen along with Flax Seed oil, an oil rich in Omega-3 fatty acids as well as certain Omega-6 (though not GLA) and Omega-9s. The Omega-3s nourished my eyes and they stopped hurting after a few hours in front of a computer screen, a welcome side benefit. I continued investigating EFAs and found Borage oil contains a much higher concentration of GLA than Evening Primrose and hence, when my Primrose stock ran out, I substituted Borage oil in its place. My hormone-induced acne began receding and finally my skin cleared up completely.

As I read more about low progesterone levels being the culprit in heavy bleeding, my research led me to Vitex or Chasteberry, an herb that for centuries has been associated with female hormone balance -- and one of a limited number of herbs helpful with progesterone levels. I experienced a surge of hope at the prospect of Vitex and immediately added it to my current menopause management formula. In addition, I also came across information that the adrenal glands produce a very small amount of progesterone. I added Eleuthero root (formerly Siberian Ginseng), an adaptogen herb, to my regimen as stress support for the adrenals to nourish, encourage and allow these tiny glands atop the kidneys to contribute progesterone for my uterus, and hence help counter excess estrogen levels. Consistently taken, this regimen worked well for several years.

During the early part of 2002, I experienced another change in menstrual characteristics. Bleeding seemed to become heavier again so I added Black Currant oil with dinner to my daily EFA allocation. Up until this time, I had been taking my management formula once a day. As distasteful as it was, in the fall of 2002 as a backup precaution, I also obtained a prescription for synthetic progesterone though I did not immediately use it. I began researching natural progesterone to replace what my body was no longer producing. On the first weekend in 2003, I ended up in the Emergency room again with extraordinary bleeding. I opted to take the progesterone prescription to put a stop to the gushing and decided it was time to locate in earnest natural progesterone to add to my daily management formula. I looked for an oral supplement but did not find any. I learned it is difficult for oral progesterone supplements to make its way to the uterus before the liver excretes it; hence, the majority of progesterone products are topical applications. As a result of these findings and not being particularly patient when it comes to potential gushing, I chose a quickly available progesterone cream.

After two cycles of synthetic progesterone and no longer bleeding heavily, with the blessing of my doctor, in February, 2003, I replaced the pills with the progesterone cream on the same 21 days on, 7 days off schedule. After several days, this creme left my skin extremely dry, even when rotating the application area as suggested. I searched more and finally found a progesterone supplement suspended in vegetable carrier oils (with sweet orange oil as a preservative) and with 5% pharmaceutical grade progesterone, too -- I was excited! This product was manufactured by Gentle Pharmacy and available via the Internet. I ordered a bottle, followed the directions and found my skin loved the carrier oil blend. In addition, the progesterone seemed to settle my menses down once again -- yes! It was during this time that I also added Nettle leaf herb to my daily formula as it seemed I was losing a lot of hair, sometimes a result of decreasing estrogen levels. A few weeks later while reading an herb book, I learned Nettle leaf has a traditional application for stopping uterine hemorrhages. Unbeknownst to me weeks earlier, along with healthy hair, Nettle leaf would become an important player in restoring my peace of mind.

In May, 2006, I stopped using the topical progesterone as my menses decreased to only 3 or 4 cycles in the last year. When hot flashes stop, I start using it again as this tends to be a sign my ovaries are once again active. I still continue my botanical menopause management formula to this day. Many of these supplements support several body areas as well as the reproductive system anyway. When I reach that lovely pinnacle of one year without any menses, my ovaries officially in "meno-pause," in addition to celebrating my passage into Cronehood, I will review my regimen and decide what if any of these lovelies to continue. Until then, I give thanks every day for each of these discoveries and the benefits that as a group, these plants have provided. Along with a Healing Herbs flower essence blend called "Five Flower Formula" for restoring emotional equilibrium when needed, it is these botanical beauties which have allowed me a peace of mind I found elusive in the practices of conventional medicine.

Small Print: Article contents are for informational purposes and should not to be construed as an endorsement for your use of these botanicals. This is my experience. Everyone's situation is unique and the menopause process has many phases; heavy bleeding can be a symptom of other conditions. Consult your doctor before taking any herbal supplement or stopping any medication. Herbs are not concentrated chemicals. Herbs work with the body and best results are often obtained with consistent use over a period of time. The FDA has not reviewed this information.