Empowering Women's Health: Insights from a Gynecologist
Based on the text provided, there is not enough information to extract a list of pertinent terms related to the keyword “climacter.” The text mentions that it lacks the necessary content to generate a relevant summary or extract specific keywords.
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– Menopause typically occurs between the ages of 40 and 58, with an average age of 51.
– Perimenopause is the transitional phase before menopause and can last for 4 to 8 years.
– Smoking and genetics can influence the timing of natural menopause.
– Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause, lasting 1 to 5 minutes and often accompanied by a cold chill.
– Night sweats, hot flashes at night, can disrupt sleep.
– Treatments for hot flashes and night sweats include lifestyle changes, nonprescription remedies, hormone therapy, and nonhormonal prescription drugs.
– Estrogen decline during menopause can lead to vaginal atrophy, resulting in dryness and thinning of vaginal tissues.
– Over-the-counter lubricants and moisturizers can alleviate pain during intercourse.
– For severe symptoms, low-dose vaginal estrogen products may be necessary.
– Perimenopausal syndrome occurs when a woman has missed her period for 12 consecutive months with no other causes.
– Each woman’s experience of menopause is unique, with some experiencing no physical changes during perimenopause and others having symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal changes.
– Severity of body changes during perimenopause varies, but they are generally considered natural and normal.
– Perimenopause begins in a woman’s 40s or even earlier and involves fluctuating estrogen levels, leading to irregular menstrual cycles, hot flashes, sleep problems, vaginal dryness, mood changes, and bladder problems.
– Treatments are available to alleviate these symptoms.
– Once a woman has gone through 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period, she has officially reached menopause.
– Decreased estrogen levels during perimenopause can lead to loss of tissue tone, making women more vulnerable to urinary or vaginal infections and contributing to urinary incontinence.
– Low estrogen levels can cause painful intercourse due to vaginal tissues losing lubrication and elasticity.
– Fertility decreases during perimenopause, but pregnancy is still possible until no periods occur for 12 months.
– Sexual arousal and desire may change during perimenopause, but previous satisfactory sexual intimacy is likely to continue.
– Declining estrogen levels increase the risk of osteoporosis as bone loss outpaces replacement.
– Cholesterol levels change during perimenopause, with an increase in “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and a decrease in “good” cholesterol (HDL), increasing the risk of heart disease.
– Women experiencing disruptive symptoms during perimenopause should seek evaluation and management from a doctor.
Here is the revised list pertinent to the keyword ‘climacteric period’:
– The climacteric period refers to the midlife transition when fertility declines.
– Men may experience a reduction in their ability to reproduce during the climacteric period.
– Women lose their ability to reproduce once they reach menopause.
– Perimenopause is a period of transition in which a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs and the production of estrogen and progesterone decreases.
– Menopause is defined as 12 months without menstruation, and the average age is around 51.
– Symptoms of perimenopause and menopause are caused by decreased production of estrogen and progesterone.
– Symptoms include difficulty falling asleep, hot flashes, vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse, thinning of the vaginal wall, decreased bone mass leading to osteoporosis, depression, irritability, and weight gain.
– Concerns about hormone replacement therapy have led to a decrease in its prescription for menopausal women.
– Hormone replacement therapy has been associated with breast cancer, stroke, and the development of other conditions.
– Most women do not have severe enough symptoms to warrant estrogen or hormone replacement therapy.
– Other treatment options include lower doses of estrogen, frequent exams, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, eating soy, remaining sexually active, practicing relaxation techniques, and using water-based lubricants.
– Studies have found that menopausal symptoms vary greatly across countries, regions, and ethnic groups.
– White women were more likely to report symptoms of depression, irritability, forgetfulness, and headaches compared to other racial/ethnic groups.
– African American women experienced more night sweats, but this varied across research sites.
– Chinese and Japanese American women reported fewer menopausal symptoms compared to women in other groups.
– Cultural influences play a role in how menopause is experienced.
– Some cultures do not have specific words for menopausal symptoms, and women in these cultures may not experience certain symptoms.
– Women in different cultures have differing perceptions of menopause, with some viewing it as a loss and others as a liberating experience.
– In India, 94% of women welcomed menopause as they gained status and no longer had to follow menstrual restrictions.
– Erectile dysfunction (ED) becomes more common in middle adulthood.
– Intermittent ED affects as many as 50% of men between 40 and 70 years old.
– Approximately 30 million men in the United States experience chronic ED.
– Causes for ED include medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, alcoholism, and atherosclerosis.
– Plaque build-up in the arteries can restrict blood flow and cause ED.
– Diseases account for 70% of chronic ED, while psychological factors account for 10%-20%.
– Prostate enlargement and deficient testosterone levels are common in middle adulthood.
– Low testosterone levels can cause symptoms such as low sex drive, ED, fatigue, loss of muscle, loss of body hair, or breast enlargement.
– Low testosterone is associated with medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and testicular cancer.
– Supplemental testosterone effectiveness is mixed, and long term replacement therapy can increase the risk of prostate cancer, blood clots, heart attack, and stroke.
– Most men with low testosterone do not have related problems.
– Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is medication that contains female hormones used to replace estrogen during menopause.
– It is primarily used to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal discomfort.
– HRT has been proven to prevent bone loss and reduce fractures in postmenopausal women.
– There are risks associated with HRT, including an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, blood clots, and breast cancer.
– There are two main types of HRT: estrogen-only therapy (ET) and a combination of estrogen and progestin therapy (EPT).
– ET is recommended for women who have had a hysterectomy, while EPT is recommended for women with an intact uterus.
– HRT can be administered in several forms, including pills, patches, creams, gels, and injections.
– The optimal dosage, duration, and route of administration of HRT should be individualized for each woman based on her symptoms, medical history, and risk factors.
– Regular follow-up care and screenings, such as mammograms and pelvic exams, are important for monitoring the benefits and risks of HRT.
– Making healthy lifestyle choices, including exercise, a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, limiting alcohol, managing stress, and managing chronic health conditions, is recommended alongside HRT.
– Nonhormonal approaches, such as keeping cool, limiting caffeine and alcohol, and using relaxation techniques, can help manage hot flashes.
– There are nonhormonal prescription medications, vaginal moisturizers/lubricants, and a prescription medication called ospemifene (Osphena) that may help with menopausal symptoms.
– Individual symptoms and health risks should be discussed with a doctor to determine if HRT is a suitable treatment option.
– Regular conversations with a doctor are important as recommendations for menopausal treatments may change over time.