Menopause 101: A primer for the perimenopausal

Other women experience symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats (heavy sweating from hot flashes at night, often disturbing sleep), and thinning and drying of ... MemberLogIn |  Join   |  Donate   | Store   | AboutNAMS Menopause101:Aprimerfortheperimenopausal Home ForProfessionals AnnualMeeting Publications ForWomen CommercialSupporters PressRoom AboutNAMS MemberLogin ContactUs ForProfessionalsMemberCenterNAMSCMEMemberLoginHowtoJoinNAMSResearchMentorshipProgramNCMPCertificationNCMPMaintenanceRelatedWebsitesClinician'sTextbookFactsAboutSERMsVideoSeries-2022VideoSeries-2021VideoSeries-2020VideoSeries-2019VideoSeries-2018VideoSeries-2017VideoSeries-2016AnnualMeetings2022MeetingAbstractInformationAward&ScholarshipNominationsCMEInformationExhibitInformationHotelInformation&ReservationsPremierPartnersRegistration(In-Person)Registration(Virtual)ScientificProgramScientificProgramCommittee2021MeetingAward&ScholarshipRecipientsCMEInformationEvaluationsExhibitInformationNAMS2021AnnualMeetingOnDemandPremierPartnerRegistrationMeetingAbstractsScientificProgramTranslationalScienceSymposium2020MeetingAward&ScholarshipRecipientsMeetingAbstractsScientificProgram2019MeetingAward&ScholarshipRecipientsCMEInformationPremierPartnerScientificProgramMeetingAbstracts2018MeetingAward&ScholarshipRecipientsCMEInformationPremierPartnerScientificProgramTranslationalScienceSymposiumMeetingAbstractsFutureMeetingsOtherMeetingsandEventsPublicationsProfessionalPublicationsMenopauseJournalContentsPositionStatements&OtherReportsPracticePearlsDetailsMenopausePracticeTextbookTheMenopauseAtoZSlideSetClinicalPracticeMaterialsBioidenticalHormoneTherapyMenopauseHealthQuestionnaireMenopauseQOLInstrument(UQOL)ConsumerPublicationsMenopauseGuidebook,9thEditionClinicalCornerMenoNotesBioidenticalHormoneTherapyNAMSledalabienvenidaasuslectoreshispanosNAMSsouhaitelabienvenueauxlectricesfrancophonesCommunicationsfromNAMSMedicalDirectorOtherResourcesDevelopaMenopauseDiscussionGroupEvaluatingtheScientificLiteratureForWomenFindaMenopausePractitionerWhat'sanNCMP?ExpertAnswerstoFrequentlyAskedQuestionsAboutMenopausePerimenopause&PrematureMenopauseFAQSMenopauseFAQs:UnderstandingtheSymptomsHotFlashFAQs:Triggers,Symptoms&TreatmentsMenopauseSymptomsFAQsWomen’sHealthandMenopauseFAQsHormoneTherapy&MenopauseFAQsMenopauseGuidebookMenoNotesSexualHealth&MenopauseOnlineChangesatMidlifeHowtoNavigateThisOnlineResourceSexualProblemsatMidlifeCausesofSexualProblemsEffectiveTreatmentsforSexualProblemsRemindersandResourcesFrequentlyAskedQuestionsReferencesAcknowledgmentsMenopauseFlashesMenopauseSymptomsandTreatmentsBoneHealthandHeartHealthExerciseandDietSexualHealthMentalHealthatMenopauseWomen'sHealthandMenopauseMenopauseGlossaryBookReviewsRelatedWebsitesWomen'sHealthWebsitesGeneralHealthNutritionWeightControlFitnessStoppingSmokingSubstanceAbuseDomesticAbuseHeartHealthOsteoporosisSexIssuesIncontinenceThyroidDiabetesArthritisMentalHealthCancerComplementary&AlternativeMedicineLiteratureSearchesClinicalTrialsWhatSelectiveEstrogenReceptorModulators(SERMs)CanDoforYouVideoSeries-2022VideoSeries-2021VideoSeries-2020VideoSeries-2019VideoSeries-2018VideoSeries-2017VideoSeries-2016CommercialSupportersAdvertiseinMenopauseNAMSCorporateLiaisonCouncilOutreachOpportunitiesPressRoomNAMSintheNewsPressReleasesMediaAwardRecipientsMediaPolicyMediaRequestsCommunicationsfromNAMSMedicalDirector Menopause101:Aprimerfortheperimenopausal Theinformationavailableonmenopausecouldfillseveralbooks(trustus,wewrotesomeofthem),butyou’reabusywoman—sohere’sabite-sizedintroductiontothesubject. TheBasics Menopauseisdefinedasthefinalmenstrualperiodandisusuallyconfirmedwhenawomanhasmissedherperiodfor12consecutivemonths(withnootherobviouscauses).Menopauseresultsinlowerlevelsofestrogenandotherhormones.Itisanormal,naturallifeeventthatallwomenexperienceiftheylivelongenough. Mostwomenexperiencemenopausebetweenages40and58.Theaverageageis51. Physicalchangesbeginyearsbeforethefinalmenstrualperiod.Thistransitionphaseiscalledperimenopauseandmaylastfor4to8years.Itbeginswithchangesinthelengthoftimebetweenperiodsandends1yearafterthefinalmenstrualperiod. Inducedmenopauseiswhenawoman’smenstrualperiodsendduetoamedicalintervention,particularlysurgicalremovalofbothovariesorcancertreatmentssuchaschemotherapyorpelvicradiation. Smokingandgeneticsaretwofactorsthatcaninfluencethetimingofnaturalmenopause.Smokersreachmenopauseabout2yearsearlier. CommonBodyChangesatMenopause Eachwoman’sexperienceofmenopauseisdifferent.Manywomenreportnophysicalchangesduringperimenopauseexceptirregularmenstrualperiodsthatstopwhenmenopauseisreached.Otherwomenexperiencesymptomsofhotflashes,nightsweats(heavysweatingfromhotflashesatnight,oftendisturbingsleep),andthinninganddryingofvaginaltissuethatcanmakesexpainful.Howseverethesebodychangesarevariesfromwomantowoman,butforthemostpartthesechangesareperfectlynaturalandnormal. Hotflashesarethemostcommonmenopause-relateddiscomfort.Theyinvolveasuddenwaveofheatorwarmthoftenaccompaniedbysweating,reddeningoftheskin,andrapidheartbeat.Theyusuallylast1to5minutes.Hotflashesfrequentlyarefollowedbyacoldchill. Nightsweatsarehotflashesatnightthatinterferewithsleep.Whileit’samyththatmenopauseitselfmakeswomenirritable,thesleepdisturbancesthatstemfromhotflashesandnightsweatscancertainlymakeawomanirritable.Treatmentsfornightsweatsandhotflashesincludelifestylechanges,nonprescriptionremedies,hormonetherapy(withestrogenplusprogestogen,orestrogenaloneforwomenwithoutauterus),andnonhormonalprescriptiondrugs. Thedropinestrogenaroundmenopauseleadstovaginalatrophy(thedryingandthinningofvaginaltissues)inmanywomen.Itcancauseafeelingofvaginaltightnessduringsexalongwithpain,burning,orsoreness.Over-the-countervaginallubricantsandmoisturizersareeffectiveinrelievingpainduringintercourse.Forwomenwithmoreseverevaginalatrophyandrelatedpain,low-dosevaginalestrogenproductsmaybeneeded. Readyforthenextchapter?Explorethemanyofferingshereatwww.menopause.org. Home > ForWomen > MenopauseFlashes > MenopauseSymptomsandTreatments > Menopause101:Aprimerfortheperimenopausal MenopauseSymptomsandTreatmentsAreWeThereYet?NavigateNowwithOurGuidedMenopauseTourFiveSolutionsforMenopauseSymptomsHowDoIKnowWhenI'minMenopause?InstantHelpforInducedMenopauseIsItMenopauseoraThyroidProblem?GoingMadinPerimenopause?SignsandSolutionsBreastCancerSurvivors&HotFlashTreatmentsDangersofExposuretoTopicalEstrogeninChildren&PetsMakeYourMenopauseaPositiveExperienceNaturalRemediesforHotFlashesNewsYouCanUseAboutHormoneTherapyTheExpertsDoAgreeAboutHormoneTherapyHormoneHelpDesk:ET,EPT,andMoreHormoneTherapy:Benefits&RisksMenopause101:Aprimerfortheperimenopausal  TheMenopauseGuidebook  Helpfulinfoaboutperimenopause,earlymenopause,menopausesymptoms,&avarietyoftherapies.. 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