During menopause, hormonal changes occur in a woman's body, which significantly affect not only the reproductive function, but also the state of many body systems. The cessation of menstruation is accompanied by a rapid decrease in the level of female hormones, which is reflected in women's health.
Today, estet-portal.com will tell you how menopause affects health, what problems to expect after this period and how they can be prevented or solved.
How hormonal changes during menopause affect a woman's health
The period of menopause is characterized by a decrease in the level of female sex hormones. First of all, such changes affect the internal genital organs of a woman. However, estrogens also perform other important functions to keep the body healthy. Among them:
- protection of blood vessels from cholesterol plaques;
- regulation of water-salt metabolism;
- maintaining bone density;
- maintaining density and hydration of the skin, etc.
During menopause, the level of female sex hormones decreases.
Therefore, a decrease in the level of these hormones increases the risk of various problems:
- with pelvic organs;
- with liver;
- with skeleton;
- with cardiovascular system;
- with eyes.
Pelvic organ prolapse after menopause
The pelvic floor muscles are toned at a young age, but after menopause, muscle support weakens, causing the bladder, uterus, rectum, or vagina to move downward. In this case, the woman feels discomfort, pain and bleeding, problems with urination or defecation are possible.
Most often women face this problem after natural childbirth, as well as overweight patients, resulting in increased pressure on the pelvic organs.
What to do?
See a doctor! Many women put off treatment because they simply feel uncomfortable going to a specialist with such a delicate problem. However, remember that 41-50% of women have some degree of prolapse (according to the International Urogynecology Journal).
Therefore, if you feel a foreign body, protrusion in the vaginal area, discomfort, pain, problems with urination and / or defecation, be sure to contact a gynecologist and / or urologist. Depending on the extent of the prolapse, your doctor may recommend pelvic strengthening exercises (eg, Kegel exercises) or surgery.
How Menopause Affects Liver Health
Liver – quite a powerful organ that has the ability to regenerate. This is not surprising, considering that it is the liver that cleanses the body of various toxins on a daily basis. Estrogen protects the liver to some extent from damage, but as levels decline after menopause, liver health can be compromised.
Estrogen protects the mitochondria (energy centers) of liver cells, in the absence of such protection, your body's natural filter needs special care.
What to do?
Prevention is always better than cure, so it's important to know how to protect your liver from diseases and to keep this organ healthy you just need to keep moving. Also estet-portal.com recommends trying exercises for the liver.
After menopause, the risk of autoimmune diseases increases
Fatigue, mood swings, hot flashes – characteristic signs of menopause that most women experience. At the same time, such symptoms may indicate autoimmune diseases – multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis. A decrease in estrogen levels can lead to inflammation in the body, and in some cases – and autoimmune diseases.
What to do?
Be aware of menopausal symptoms and be sure to see a doctor.
Dry eyes – common problem women face after menopause
During menopause, not only estrogen levels decrease, but also testosterone, which plays an important role in the proper functioning of the meibomian glands. These glands produce a secret that protects the surface of the eyes. As testosterone levels decrease, the oily layer of the protective substance becomes thinner, causing fluid to evaporate from the surface of the eyes more quickly, causing a feeling of dryness and discomfort.
After menopause, the function of the lacrimal glands decreases, so dry eyes after menopause – quite common.
What to do?
Even people with excellent eyesight need to visit an ophthalmologist annually for preventive examinations, especially after 40 years of age. The problem of dry eyes can be solved with the help of special drops that a specialist will prescribe.
How does menopause affect bone health?
Osteoporosis makes bones brittle and brittle. Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones, so the risk of developing osteoporosis increases significantly after menopause.
Quit bad habits, regular physical activity, healthy eating and weight control – important factors to reduce the risk of health problems after menopause.
What to do?
To prevent the development of osteoporosis, it is necessary to consume enough calcium and vitamin D, as well as to exercise regularly. Avoiding bad habits also reduces the risk of developing this disease. However, in some cases, lifestyle changes are not enough, so the doctor may prescribe special drugs that increase bone density.
Read also: Menopausal therapy for rejuvenation: exclusive advice from Dr. Shavrina
After menopause, cardiovascular health is at risk
Prior to menopause, women's cardiovascular health is protected by estrogens. However, after the onset of menopause, the risk of developing a heart attack and other diseases increases 5 times. Therefore, during this period, women must definitely monitor the level of cholesterol, blood sugar, pressure, following all the doctor's recommendations.
The right way of life – giving up bad habits, regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes a day), healthy eating, weight control – necessary to prevent health problems after menopause. Estet-portal.com recommends that you visit your doctor regularly and inform him in a timely manner of the appearance of any alarming symptoms.
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