While the average woman’s life expectancy has increased, the age at which menopause occurs has not. Unfortunately, this womens health problem continues to affect women of a certain age range. Statistics show that the mean age for developing menopause is 51. The vast majority of women will experience menopause between the ages of 40 to 58. Therefore, it’s understandable to wonder how this condition might affect you. In this post, you’ll learn three risk factors for menopause and when to seek medical treatment for this condition.
Common Signs of Menopause
Many women believe that experiencing these symptoms means that they have menopause. Instead, these women are likely experiencing what is known as perimenopause. In fact, statistics show that 90% of women will experience this condition that is known to cause altered menstrual cycles. Many women will notice symptoms of this condition for months or years before actual menopause begins.
There are many signs that the first stages of menopause are occurring. Many women suspect that this condition is taking place when normal period cycles become irregular. In addition, it’s also common to experience sudden internal temperature changes. For instance, you might have chills throughout the day and sweating that takes places during the night. The latter condition is also known as experiencing night sweats. It’s also common for women going through perimenopause to experience mood swings.
Menopause Risk Factors
There are several common menopause risk factors for women. Certain menopause risk factors occur naturally while others result from another condition. With that in mind, here are three common menopause risk factors.
- Natural Aging
One of the most common causes of menopause simply occurs due to aging. As you age, your ovaries will begin to produce fewer amounts of estrogen and progesterone. These are two vital hormones that play an important part in your menstruation cycles. Therefore, it’s common for women to experience either short or extremely long cycles during the early stages of menopause. - Cancer Treatment Therapies
Unfortunately, certain types of cancer therapies can increase your risk of going into menopause. Chemotherapy and other types of radiation are beneficial to help fight against cancer. That being said, menstruation problems from cancer therapies don’t always last forever. In certain cases, menstruation cycles return back to normal after treatment ends. - Thyroid Disorders
The thyroid helps to regulate many functions within body. Therefore, thyroid problems can cause much of your body to begin changing. Many people associate changing thyroid levels with fluctuating weight. However, certain thyroid conditions can also cause women to begin menopause earlier than normal.
Knowing When to Visit a Gynecologist
You’ll likely wonder when you should find a gynecologist for problems relating to menopause. It’s wise to speak with a womens health specialist in order to figure out menopause solutions. If you’re seeing a new doctor, it’s wise to book your appointment as soon as possible. If you’re currently seeing a doctor, make sure to keep up with each of your appointments. During these visits, your doctor can conduct series of tests and screenings. In turn, this helps to ensure that you’re as healthy as possible while dealing with menopause.
To summarize, menopause is a womens health condition that affects many. Considering that, it’s important to learn about menopause risk factors. While many women will be diagnosed with menopause, it’s important to keep up with your doctors visit. There is no magical cure for menopause. However, keeping up with doctors visits ensures you continue to receive professional medical care. Many women going through menopause find this easier when they’re able to regularly visit a medical professional.
