How many years does menopause last in women (when it ends): after the cessation of menstruation

Finding themselves at a gynecologist's appointment, women of post-balzac age are interested in how long menopause lasts and is it possible to reduce the intensity of its manifestations? No wonder. Faced with the symptoms of the menopausal period and having felt all the "charm" of hot flashes, patients dream of only one thing - the whole nightmare would sooner be over. Therefore, we will not keep you in the dark and tell you how long the menopause in women lasts on average.

Duration of periods of menopause

How long does menopause last is an incorrect question that requires clarification. To make it clearer, let's analyze the menopausal period in stages:

Premenopause (premenopause)

Ovarian activity decreases, female sex hormones are produced in insufficient quantities, and ovulation occurs from time to time. It is possible to get pregnant during this period of menopause, but not so easy. For most, the first signs appear at 43-45 years old. Although sometimes this age shifts to 38–40 years or lags behind, manifesting itself by 50.

The fact is that the functionality of the human body is largely due to the state and stability of the hormonal background. So a decrease in estrogen and progesterone levels negatively affects the general condition and well-being of a woman.

Trying to normalize and support vital processes, the adrenal glands are working hard. Meanwhile, a woman is faced with the first and main sign of menopause - menstrual irregularities. The nature of the menstrual discharge changes: they are either scarce, then abundant, then protracted, then short-term. For some, menstruation does not come for several months, which becomes the cause of all kinds of irregularities.

The period may be accompanied by:

• tides;
• decreased interest in intimate life;
• headaches;
• apathy, nervousness, tendency to depression, etc .;
• sleep disturbance;
• dry hair, brittle nails;
• an increase in fat at the waist, hips.

The first stage of menopause in women lasts from 2 to 7 years, and the duration depends on the age of the patient, the presence of a genetic predisposition and other related factors.

Menopause

During the period of active extinction, the functionality of the ovaries comes to naught, menstruation almost stops, the state of health leaves much to be desired - all this indicates the onset of menopause.

The second stage of the climacteric period can last for several years. During this time, the overwhelming majority of 48-53-year-old women complain of the following symptoms:

1. Frequent and increased hot flashes, increased sweating, tachycardia.
2. Muscle, joint pain.
3. Dyspeptic disorders: bloating, flatulence, indigestion, difficulty defecating, etc.
4. Sharp fluctuations in blood pressure (it is during this period that many women become hypertensive).
5. Development of diabetes mellitus (type 2).
6. Psychological disorders: prolonged depression caused by fear of aging, sudden mood swings, outbursts of unmotivated aggression, anger, irritability, etc.
7. Bone fragility, thrombosis.
8. Manifestations of a urogenital nature: dryness of the vaginal mucosa, leading to pain during intimacy, prolapse of the vaginal walls, urinary incontinence, etc.

At this stage of menopause, chronic diseases become aggravated, and oncological problems appear. Moreover, with the development of climacteric syndrome, even the most calm complaisant woman turns into a whiny, hysterical creature. Unsurprisingly, this is the cause of many family problems. However, this can be avoided by contacting a gynecologist at the first sign of hormonal imbalance.

Adequate therapy will weaken the symptoms of menopause, allow you to survive estrogen deficiency without loss.

Postmenopause

The starting point is the end date of the last menstrual period (at least 12 months must elapse from that moment). Unpleasant symptoms gradually recede, and postmenopause continues until the end of a woman's life. Over time, frozen ovaries dry out to a weight of 4 grams and reproductive function ceases.

But it's too early to relax, because when menopause ends, age-related changes begin. Natural aging processes are triggered in the body, and a woman is faced with the following disorders:

• osteoporosis;
• arthritis, arthrosis;
• decreased brain activity;
• ischemia of the heart;
• stroke, heart attack;
• diabetes mellitus;
• obesity;
• hypo-hyperfunction of the thyroid gland.

Appearance also changes - a lack of collagen leads to thinning, aging of the skin, a slowdown in metabolic processes leads to a set of extra pounds.

Many people dream of canceling menopause. But even the most ardent desire is not enough here, because physiological processes are not controlled by the power of thought.

Only a qualified specialist can recognize the first signs of estrogen deficiency, choose an effective treatment to alleviate climacteric syndrome.

Statistics on the duration of menopause

Women who have entered the menopausal period are often asked: how long does this "nightmare" last and is it possible to somehow influence the timing? It is important to understand that reproductive decline does not occur overnight. Adding the duration of the periods, you can get the desired number. But not everything is so simple, because every woman has purely individual indicators, which means that it is impossible to calculate the exact duration of the menopausal period.

According to statistics, menopause lasts from 1 to 3 years. But medical statistics affect only physically healthy women, with good heredity and observing a healthy lifestyle. Alas, there are not many of them.

In an average woman with a "bouquet" of acquired pathologies and leading a normal lifestyle, the menopause, which lasts until the end of critical days, stretches up to 5 years.

The duration of menopause and the severity of its manifestations are influenced by the characteristics of the female body and the following factors:

• overweight, the habit of overeating, seizing problems, etc.;
• nicotine, alcoholic, drug addiction;
• inactivity;
• the number of births, abortions;
• constant stress;
• physical, mental, intellectual overwork;
• constant dieting, poor nutrition;
• irregular sex life;
• the presence of chronic diseases;
• transferred operations on the organs of the reproductive system.

How to prolong youth

Often, the onset of menopause becomes the cause of nervous disorders. And here not only hormonal changes are to blame, but also the fear of old age. This is not surprising, because the termination of ovarian function and a sharp decrease in estrogen levels trigger irreversible processes not only in the woman's body, but also affect the appearance. Hence the dry skin of the face, the first mesh of age wrinkles, dull thinning curls, fragile bones and other troubles.

It is impossible to cancel physiological changes, but each can reduce their intensity:

1. Take the support drugs recommended by a specialist: dietary supplements, hormones, herbal estrogen, etc.
2. Eat right, balance the ratio of BJU, enrich the diet with fiber.
3. Periodically visit the cosmetology, massage room, pamper yourself with SPA procedures.
4. Keep yourself in good physical shape. Do yoga, fitness, run in the morning, build up.
5. Take action in advance, after 35 years, when the decrease in estrogen levels is not critical. So you will avoid the early onset of menopause, survive a difficult period without complications.

In women who are aware of the features of a difficult period and do not rack their brains over the question: how long it lasts, climacteric syndrome occurs extremely rarely. Even at the age of 60, such ladies retain the beauty and energy of youth.

Why inaction is dangerous

Without timely therapy, menopause accompanied by a pronounced syndrome can end badly. And as a result, it will not matter how much time elapsed between the first manifestations and the development of severe consequences.

In turn, a competent approach to your health will save a woman from many troubles, soften the manifestations of a difficult period.

After a difficult climax, the woman's body begins to malfunction. Moreover, violations appear even several years after the last menstruation and the extinction of reproductive function. More often than others, there are:

Osteoporosis

Bone mass begins to thin out in 25% of patients over 50 years of age. At the initial stage (osteopenia), there are no symptoms, and a woman learns about her disease after a few years. Typical symptoms of osteoporosis:

• increased fragility of nails;
• thinning, hair loss;
• rapid tooth decay, the development of caries.

Prevention: a monthly intake of calcium with vitamin D3.

Rheumatological diseases

The age-related decline in collagen adversely affects the condition of the cartilage tissue. This leads to the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system - arthritis, arthrosis, osteoarthritis, intervertebral hernia, etc. The cause for alarm should be:

• aching joint pain when the weather changes;
• acute pain with sudden movement, walking;
• morning stiffness;
• swelling and redness where discomfort is felt;
• characteristic click when moving.

Note! Most often, with osteoarthritis, the phalanges of the fingers suffer. Without adequate treatment, articular pathologies end in disability.

Vascular disease

Estrogen deficiency, multiplied by age, reduces the elasticity of blood vessels, disrupts the valve apparatus of the veins (mainly in the lower extremities). The lower leg and lower thigh are covered with thin bluish cobwebs, the veins thicken, become knotty, the legs swell and hurt. The disorder does not go away without urgent treatment.
Complications: thrombophlebitis, thrombosis, trophic ulcers.

Thyroid dysfunction

Dysfunction of the thyroid gland is a consequence of age-related hormonal changes. They develop in about 20% of postmenopausal women and are expressed in a persistent TG deficiency, without which the production of cellular enzymes becomes problematic. The main symptoms are:

• yellowish tinge, thickening of the skin;
• facial features become coarse;
• puffiness, puffiness appears;
• emotional instability is observed: from tears to laughter, from irritability to apathy;
• poorly pronounced bulging, unhealthy shine of the eyes.

Heart disease

Estrogen deficiency is detrimental to the cardiovascular system. Many women of menopause are faced with diagnoses - coronary heart disease or hypertension.

Retrosternal pain that occurs after exercise or sudden surges in blood pressure are grounds for seeking medical attention. Otherwise, the condition may worsen and lead to such pathologies:

• acute violation of cerebral circulation;
• angina pectoris;
• heart attack;
• a sharp decrease in vision.

Main symptoms: headaches, heart pains, dizziness.

Neoplasms

In women over 50, the likelihood of developing oncological pathologies increases. As a rule, the mammary glands, uterus, ovaries, cervix are affected. Melanoma is less commonly diagnosed.

Pay attention to the joints. Their swelling may indicate the development of a cancerous tumor.

A rheumatologist can refute the diagnosis or send for additional examination to an oncological dispensary. Alarming symptoms:

• sharp;
• unreasonable weight loss;
• temperature increase;
• general weakness;
• chronic fatigue;
• soreness;
• the presence of seals.

Some women with menopause refuse hormone therapy, fearing complications in the form of oncology. They are deluded. By themselves, drugs cannot cause cancer, they only accelerate the development of an existing tumor. Therefore, treatment should be started after a detailed examination and only under the guidance of a competent specialist.

The onset of menopause cannot be stopped. After all, this is the same natural process as puberty, bearing a child, etc. And influencing nature is unsafe for health. There is a lot of controversy about how long menopause lasts after the cessation of menstruation in women. But regardless of the length of the difficult period, everyone thinks of only one thing - to learn how to overcome it with minimal inconvenience.