Complications in Menopause

Possible Complications in Menopause

With the final cessation of menstruation, the woman is said to be in menopause. This is a new stage in a woman’s life and a woman must adapt to the changes that are occurring to her both physically and emotionally.

Due to the lowered levels of estrogen, a woman faces certain health risks which include Osteoporosis. This is a disease of the skeleton causing the bones become brittle and more susceptible to fracture. Simplified, the bone loses its density. At age 65, about 30% of women have osteoporosis, and nearly all of them are unaware of their condition. Furthermore, this increases as the woman ages. After the age of 80, up to 70% of women develop osteoporosis. This disease also plays a big role in spine and hip fractures. While experts are still at a loss about the extreme speed-up of bone breakdown after menopause, this has become a noted effect and complication of menopause. In some studies weight lifting and other exercise has been shown to reduce osteoporosis. Thus exercise is usually recommended for women in menopause.

The number one killer disease for women is heart disease. Studies show that in 1998, more than 500,000 women died from cardiovascular diseases. Although young women have a much lower risk for cardiovascular disease than young men, this changes once they get to menopause. After the age of 51, their risk of women dying of heart disease is very close to that of men. The loss of the hormone estrogen is believed to play a major role in this circumstance.

Estrogen also appears to affect mental functions specifically protecting against the memory loss and lower mental functioning associated with normal aging. Some of the effects of estrogen include the production of beta-amyloids, which is the source of sticky plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's patience. The hormone may also hasten the temporary growth of nerve pathways in the part of the brain responsible for memory. It also helps relax and open blood vessels, which help the flow of blood to the brain. Estrogen is a known antioxidant, which cleans up free-oxygen radicals, unstable particles believed to play a part in the development of Alzheimer's. Some studies also show an association between estrogen and the normal brain functions in older women, with cases of women with lower estrogen levels suffering more from dementia than women with higher levels of the hormone.

Some experts claim that the drop in estrogen levels brought on by menopause may also bring on stress and the urge to urinate. Women are at an increased risk for recurrent urinary tract infections after menopause. Researchers say that estrogen may help protect from infection through an increase in the number of lactobacilli, a microorganism that fights infection by preventing bacteria from adhering to vaginal cells. Some studies are coming up with evidence that says that vaginal creams or rings containing estrogen dramatically lessen the incidences of recurring infections. However, it is not clear whether taking oral estrogen has the same benefit.

Finally, another common symptom associated with menopause is more sleeping problems, including insomnia and night time wakefulness.

Natural herbal menopause remedies are recommended for those women who wish to obtain relief from symptoms associated with menopause in a natural way.