Health Tips

Women who experience early menopause have many health concerns that they should address with their doctors. These health concerns cover physical changes to the body, emotional changes, and the risk of greater health problems in the future.

The emotional health concerns that women face during early menopause include:

1. Emotional distress due to the fact that the childbearing years are over
2. Feelings of being an ‘incomplete’ woman
3. Fear that you can no longer keep up with other women your age who are not experiencing early menopause
4. Depression
5. Other mental and physical changes and symptoms can add additional emotional health concerns as well

For instance, lack of concentration and forgetfulness are common symptoms of early menopause. Even though these symptoms go away, when they happen, you may feel like you’re ‘losing your mind,’ which leads to further emotional distress. Changes in sexual desire can also lead to emotional distress. Most of the physical and mental changes that occur during early menopause have an emotional impact on the woman to some degree. Counseling may be required to help deal with some of these emotional distress.

Physical changes brought on by early menopause can include: vaginal changes, weight gain, and urinary problems. Hot flashes are the most common symptom of early menopause. It can cause quite a bit of physical discomfort. I for one know this first hand.

Vaginal changes have a great impact on a woman’s sex life. The lining of the vagina thins, causing it to become drier and less flexible. This can cause pain during intercourse. Yet, you can treat it with prescription or over-the-counter lubricants. Sexual desire can also be affected. This is often caused by the vaginal changes, but can also be caused by hormonal changes.

Because estrogen has been reduced or stopped, the blood flow to the tissues in the urinary tract have also been reduced. This can cause the lining in the urinary tract to become thinner and easily inflamed. Urinary tract infections or urinary incontinence can be the result. Muscle strengthening exercises will often help with the incontinence, and urinary tract infections are treated with antibiotics.

During early menopause, metabolism slows down quite a bit. This can cause weight gain. Weight gain can bring on other health problems, such as heart diseases and high blood pressure. For this reason, you should discuss needed dietary changes with your physician. Increase your physical activities to keep your weight under control.

Women who are experiencing early menopause that begin Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) have further health concerns. Side effects of HRT can include sore breasts, fluid retention, cramps, and mood changes. If a woman still has a uterus, HRT can increase her risk of uterine cancer and breast cancer. Some studies show that women who take HRT are also at a greater risk for blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes.

Health concerns don’t end with what’s going on now for women who have early menopause. Future health concerns are bone loss, which can result in osteoporosis, and heart disease. Regular exercise, and an increase in calcium and vitamin D can help guard against bone loss and osteoporosis. To guard against heart disease, women should eat a well balanced, low fat diet, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking. Women who have diabetes or high blood pressure should take measures to keep it under control.

Women who have early menopause need to discuss all of these health concerns with their doctors and come up with a plan to avoid or eliminate them. Women who have other health problems, need to ask their doctors how early menopause affects those problems. Ask your doctor on what needs to be done to protect the your overall health – now, and in the future.