Regardless of being a pure stage in a girl’s life, there are numerous misconceptions about menopause. Lisbeth Chang, MD, an OB/GYN with Dignity Well being Medical Group — Northridge, debunks widespread menopause myths beneath.
For most ladies, menopause is marked by the tip of standard month-to-month menstruation. When this begins to occur, there are three levels of menopause:
Perimenopause happens years earlier than menopause and is marked by hormonal adjustments that impression common menstrual cycles and should trigger signs comparable to scorching flashes, temper swings and vaginal dryness.
Menopause begins when a girl has stopped for menstruating for 12 consecutive months.
Publish-menopause happens after menopause has been reached, signs start to decrease and marks the interval of life after a girl’s interval ends.
MYTH: The primary signal of menopause is scorching flashesFor most ladies, the primary signal of perimenopause is irregular or adjustments in intervals and temper shifts. Sizzling flashes can occur throughout perimenopause, however they’re most frequently reported proper round menopause when your interval has utterly stopped for 12 months and should proceed for the primary few years of post-menopause.
MYTH: Signs are solely physicalWhile there are bodily signs, menopause can even trigger temper adjustments and sleep disturbances, which might have an effect on your emotional well being. Hormonal adjustments throughout menopause may cause temper swings, irritability and nervousness.
MYTH: Menopause begins at age 50According to the CDC, the typical age menopause happens is 45 to 55 years previous, however can fluctuate from 40 to 60 years previous. You can begin menopause in your late 30s to your early 60s, however you aren’t formally in menopause till you have not had a interval for a full 12 months.
MYTH: Signs final only some yearsThe menopausal transition normally lasts about seven years, however may be so long as 14 years. The size of time ladies expertise signs fluctuate enormously.
MYTH: The older you’re while you get your interval, the older you will be while you begin menopausePredicting the age at which you’ll begin menopause may be difficult, however there are clues that may assist offer you perception about while you may begin the transition. Elements comparable to when your mom began menopause, what number of pregnancies you’ve had, medical circumstances, and should you drink or smoke can all have an effect on while you start perimenopause. MYTH: You possibly can’t get pregnantIt is unlikely, however you’ll be able to nonetheless get pregnant throughout a premenopausal interval. Throughout the perimenopause stage, blood ranges of hormones can each recede and in addition surge. This results in irregular intervals and unpredictable ovulation cycles.
Key Takeaways
There are three phases of menopause and the time from pre-menopause to publish menopause may be upwards of 14 years.
Menopause impacts everybody otherwise.
It’s essential to determine your particular signs to grasp how your physique is progressing by means of menopause.
In case you are experiencing discomfort, it’s best to seek the advice of your physician to search out an individualized strategy to handle your signs. Use our “Discover a Physician” instrument on dhmf.org to assist discover a Dignity Well being Medical Group doctor close to you.