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Going through the menopause is an experience every woman will experience in her life as it's part of the natural process of female development and growth. The name given to this change of life - menopause - comes from the Greek meanings of "cease" and "month". Roughly translated it means the end or ceasing of the monthly cycle or periods. In general, most women start to experience early menopause symptoms from their early 50s - but it can start as early as 40 and end as late as their late 50s. One thing is for sure and that is every woman's experience of menopause will be different. Approximately 80% of all women will go through the "change of life" - as it is often referred to - with very few symptoms other than their periods coming to an end. Menopause is caused by physical changes in the female body that occur naturally with age. Specifically, the levels of female hormones (estrogen and progesterone) circulating within the body decrease which leads to menstrual irregularity and eventually menstrual cessation. The three clear signs of the onset of menopause are an irregular monthly flow, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness. Hot flashes have long been considered the classic symptom of menopause. A woman experiencing a hot flash may feel a sudden wave of warmth in the face, neck, and chest, lasting for several minutes and accompanied by reddening of the skin, like blushing. Experiencing a hot flash can also be accompanied by perspiration (or hot sweats) especially over your upper body, and at times can be pretty heavy. It can also bring on headaches, palpitations and dizziness. There's not a lot you can do to eliminate the symptoms, but there's plenty you can do to manage them. Wear multiple layers of clothing, so that you can remove some if necessary, drink plenty of cool liquids, and if you're at home try a cool shower. Some people I know actually say a hot shower works well - not necessarily during the shower, but certainly when you get out - this is a method they practise in hot countries to keep cool so there's no reason it can't be effective to manage your hot flashes. Vaginal dryness is another classic sign of menopause, though one less talked about. As your body is producing less female hormones (estrogen and progesterone), the side effect of this is to thin out the urinary tract and vaginal walls, which leaves the skin there even more delicate and susceptible to damage and infection. In some cases, this thinning can make sexual intercourse an uncomfortable and even painful experience. Of the many natural and herbal remedies for menopause, a simple remedy for vaginal dryness is use of a personal lubricant (K-Y jelly, apricot oil or Vitamin E oil) during intercourse. A physician may also prescribe a vaginal cream containing estrogen.
Article Source: http://www.bodyformind.com/db
Author Wendy Jones has her own menopause support website. For her personal tips and support on herbal remedies for menopause check out her site Early Meno Click here to get your own unique version of this article.
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