Physical and psychological changes during the menopause

The menopause is a hormonal deficit. The absence of production of estrogen is one of the main causes of the physical changes that the woman suffers during this period.

The loss of fertility, the cardiovascular alterations and the osteoporosis, there are the main problems of the hormonal not action. But also it reverberates straight in the weakening of the pelvic soil generating genital atrophy or urinal incontinence. “There is one million and a half women who suffer symptoms related to the vaginal atrophy in this stage, but the only one of every four consults with its doctor”, affirms the Dra. Gem García, gynecologist responsible for the Unit of Pelvic Soil of the Hospital Quirón of Madrid.

The Dra. García warns as well as the flagging pelvic soil affects straight to the quality of life of the women, provoking between other things, losses of urine. “29 % of the women older than 45 years endures urinal incontinence, a number that one of every two reaches 48 % between the women older than 65 years, that is to say”.

Physical and psychological disorders

With the menopause physical disorders appear, but also psychological, the Dra. Alice Jiménez, psychologist and collaborating expert of centradaenti explains the following thing: “The idea that the woman has on the menopause influences straight in how confronting it. For example, we know that the mental disorders of the woman in this stage are associated, beyond the hormonal changes, with psychological and environmental variables as there are the fear of the aging, social difficulties or of couple”.

Also the Dra. Jiménez points out that to end with these negative ideas it is fundamental “to realize a work of attitude change and education on what it is the menopause, to avoid an anticipation of symptomatology that is possible that it never comes or a more negative experience of the symptoms of what in fact can be”.

The habitual psychological disorders are: decrease of the self-esteem (principally due to the physical changes), insomnia, irritability, anxiety, bad mood, diminution of the sexual desire, etc.

As for the physical disorders: Dryness of the skin, loss of color, less steadfastness in the bosoms, vaginal dryness, genital atrophy, increase of the corporal fat, breathlessness, etc.

Look after, you deserve it

The ovaries not only guarantee the fertility, we are “estrogen clerks”, there are substances at endocrinological level that provide to the woman more functions that that of procreating, without going further are capable of increasing the called good cholesterol, they protect the osseous mass, regulate the corporal temperature and protect the woman at nervous system level.

The Dra. García recommends to take care of the life habits, “whenever one could and unpleasant sensations are not had it is necessary to avoid to resort to the medicines, nevertheless it is necessary to do annually checkups to him gynecologically, and also personal details, to know our state of health and if it was necessary to modify our habits, only this way we will manage to prepare or slow down the changes that come with the menopause”.

Healthy diet, regular exercise and good habits of life. These with the keys of the Dra. García to confront the menopause: “we need a diet enriched in calcium, we must take 1 gram of calcium a day to protect our bones, approximately two glasses of milk and a yogurt every day, also do not have to forget the rest of meals, the Mediterranean diet is ideal to take care of us.”

Treatments

Nevertheless a few healthy life habits are not always sufficient. Before a situation of major gravity the hormonal therapy is one of the options that the Dra proposes. García, “when the discomfort is constant and the quality of life of the woman diminishes can be decided in favor of the hormonal therapy, to low dose and supervised it is sure”.

Although there are also treatments non-hormonal. The use of phytoestrogens and the ins of soybeans that are an effective alternative for hot flushes mild.

In regard to the atrophy genital mutilation there are plastic rings of use quarterly, estrogens, and vaginal tablets, which provide a higher quality to the genitals. “The health genital mutilation is vital to achieving a good quality of sexuality,” says Dr. Garcia.