$Unique_ID{BRK00202}
$Pretitle{Genitourinary System}
$Title{What Happens to Women at Menopause?}
$Subject{menopause causes treatment}
$Volume{J-22}
$Log{
The Menstrual Cycle*0009101.scf}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What Happens to Women at Menopause?


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QUESTION:  Its a terible time of life for me.  What happens to women at
menopause?

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ANSWER:  In one form or another, many other readers ask this question of me.
Menopause is a time of many changes in a woman's body, and the changes result
in psychological and physical changes.  Menopause for many women takes place
over several years, so that the changes may be slow in occurring.  Changes in
life circumstances may coincide with the changes of menopause, so it may be
difficult to determine what causes what.  Children grow up and move away,
parents die, women and their spouses retire, and all the changes that go along
with growing older usually occur during menopause.
     The physical changes of menopause are many.  The ovaries slow their
functioning and eventually stop producing estrogen.  The lack of estrogen
creates the "hot flashes" common to menopause, as well as drying of the
vaginal tissue, which makes sexual intercourse uncomfortable.  Women are
usually protected from coronary artery disease while they are producing
estrogen, but menopause robs them of this protection.  Estrogen also protects
bones from becoming brittle, so that osteoporois affects 25 to 50 percent of
women at menopause.
     Women vary greatly in how their bodies respond to menopause.  Some women
merely stop menstruating, while others have symptoms that disable them.  Most
women report that they fall somewhere in between these two extremes.  Many
women complain of anxiety, depression, nervousness, difficulty sleeping and
headaches.
     The distress of menopause can be treated safely with hormone replacement.
In particular, hormones can relieve hot flashes and vaginal dryness while
preventing osteoporosis.  There has been some concern that hormonal
replacement can increase a woman's risk for cancer, but these concerns are
largely unfounded.  Careful evaluation prior to treatment, including Pap smear
and mammogram, and frequent checkups during treatment will ensure that the
hormone treatment is without complication.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
