Menopause is not considered to be the illness, but a normalphase in the life of every woman. This condition has several phases and itstarts when menstrual bleeding stops permanently. Some claim that actual menopauselasts for a month, when the woman stops menstruating, while others consider thewhole year when that happens as menopausal year.
No matter how it is called one thing is for sure – most womenwill experience at least some of the symptoms characteristic for this period oflife. All of menopausal signs and symptoms are caused by the lack of estrogenin the body, because ovaries stopped producing this hormone. Women may thereforeexperience hot flashes, sleeping difficulties, headaches, excess sweating, butalso some vaginal dryness and soreness. Some menopausal women are especiallyprone to mood changes during this period of life. All menopausal andpostmenopausal women are more likely to experience thinning of the bones andosteoporosis, and these two conditions are intertwined in many cases. Statisticdata reveals that about 50% of menopausal and postmenopausal women will developosteoporosis.
Osteoporosis happens when the bones lose their density andbecome fragile. In certain cases, osteoporosis may remain unnoticed andundiagnosed, because there are no other symptoms except for bone fractures. So, ifthe person does not experience some fracture, osteoporosis might be undiagnosedand yet still developing and progressing. Any bone in the body may fracturebecause of osteoporosis, but wrist and hip fractures are some of the mostcommon ones. Also, this condition may affect your spine, cause micro fracturesand cause “dowager’s hump”.
Treatment of Menopause
Hormone replacement therapy sometimes is short-termtreatment for severe menopausal symptoms. Most doctors prescribe lowestpossible doses of these hormones for their patients, in order to avoidpotential harm.
There are also some non-hormonal drugs, such as Alendronate,ibandronate or risedronate, used to prevent or treat osteoporosis in menopausalpatients. These are currently most common medications used in the treatment ofosteoporosis and they are used much more than estrogen replacement therapy.
Phytoestrogens found in soy products are also possible lineof menopausal treatment. These can be found in miso, soy powder, tempeh, tofuand soybean milk, but also in flaxseed.
Osteoporosis Treatment Options
Patients suffering from osteoporosis might be prescribedteriparatide or bisphosphonates for their condition. Calcitonin is a hormone ofthe thyroid gland, sometimes used as sprays for people suffering fromosteoporosis.
These people are also advised to change their lifestyle andeating habits, since these can beneficially affect their medical condition. Regularexercise, especially weight bearing exercise is considered to be efficient wayof help for anyone suffering from osteoporosis.
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