MENOPAUSE AND SYMPTOMS

       A PAPER PRESENTED TO THE CHRISTIAN WOMEN ORGANIZATION (C .W .O.)

                                       ODENIGBO ZONE ST. PETERS CHAPLAINCY

                  BY MRS NWAMAKA M. OGENYI ON 7TH SEPTEMBER 2017

         TITLE:    MENOPAUSE AND SYMPTOMS 

What is menopause?

The permanent ending of menstruation in women is called menopause. It also marks the end of a woman’s natural ability to bear children. Menopause is usually preceded by 10 to 15 years during which the ovaries gradually stop producing eggs and sex hormones, a period called the climacteric. Premenopausal encompasses this period of changing ovarian activity and also the first few years without menstrual cycling, typically characterized by hormonal and physical changes and sometimes emotional and psychological changes as well.

It is believed that women experience menopause in their late 40s or early 50s to 60s about half by age 51. Menopause before age 35 is called premature menopause and may occur because of certain diseases, autoimmune reactions (in which the body’s immune defenses attack the body’s own cells, tissues, or organs), surgery, medical treatment such as radiation or drug therapies, or for unknown reasons. If both ovaries are surgically removed (due to ovarian cancer, for example), the woman will cease menstruation, a condition referred to as surgical menopause. Women who have a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus) will no longer have menstrual periods, but if the ovaries are not removed the hormonal changes of menopause will not take place until the ovaries stop functioning.

 Menopause (the natural cessation of menstruation) is a gradual process of bodily changes that includes two of the three stages of a rite of passage: removal of the individual from her former status, and the acquisition of a new status. In some Mediterranean societies, women of menopausal age traditionally dyed their clothes black and covered their hair. These were signs that the woman was not to be flirted with or addressed familiarly by men, and that the woman had changed her role. American anthropologist Margaret Mead reported in 1949 that, in Bali, postmenopausal women were allowed greater freedom in their speech and behavior than younger women. In modern Western society, menopause is typically a passage without a ceremony. In an African context menopausal women are admitted into a masquerade cult they are regarded as men and also given the rights as men. Women at this time feel very strong and some weak for those that are lucky not to suffer the ailment of menopause ever remain strong.

Study of women in menopause shows that while they experience symptoms such as dizziness and bloating. The women reported symptoms in menopause as hot flashes, irregular menstruation, heavy bleeding, sleep changes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, decreased libido and urinary urgency. Other common symptoms were forgetfulness, depression, irritability, fatigue, headache, and skin and hair changes.

Less common menopausal symptoms reported by the women were related to vasomotor functions, which involve constriction of blood vessels. These symptoms included dizziness, vaginal discharge, vaginal and body odour, hot feet, swollen hands, body rashes, bloating and joint stiffness. Women reported that menopause transported them into another phase of life, a life which they don’t understand how to explain fully how they feel. In fact many say that life is no longer what enjoying.

                             Other Signs and symptoms of Menopause

The experience of menopause differs among women, depending on differences in diet and nutrition, general health and health care, and even how women are taught to think about menopause. Not all women experience symptoms. All physical symptoms should be discussed with a health-care provider to rule out potential causes other than approaching menopause.

For a number of years before menopause women may notice longer menstrual periods, heavier menstrual flow, spotting, or irregularity. Hormone pills or low-dose birth control pills may be prescribed to control bleeding problems. Hot flashes or hot flushes range from a passing feeling of warmth in the face and upper body to extreme sweating and visible redness of the skin followed by chills. Heart palpitations and feelings of suffocation can also occur.

As estrogen levels decline, the vaginal walls become less elastic and thinner. Vaginal secretions are reduced and are less acidic, increasing the chances for vaginal infections. Insufficient vaginal lubrication during sexual activity can make intercourse uncomfortable or painful. Some women report a decreased interest in sex and a decline in sexual activity with menopause that are not due to vaginal problems.

Psychological symptoms may include depression, mood swings, weepiness, and other emotional flare-ups, as well as memory lapses. Although declining levels of oestrogen may play a role in these symptoms, a number of other factors and stresses need to be considered as well. Oestrogen is a steroid hormone produce mainly in the ovaries that stimulates estrus and the development of female secondary sexual characteristics. Excess alcohol, caffeine, or sugar may stress the adrenal glands and decrease the amount of adrenal androgens available for conversion to oestrogens, thereby lowering oestrogens and making menopausal symptoms worse. Smoking decreases oestrogen production by the ovaries, leading to earlier menopause and osteoporosis which is a bone disease after menopause. Stressful life events that may contribute to the emotional symptoms at the time of menopause include children leaving home and caring for aging parents.

                                           Signs of menopause

 Vaginal Dryness: With the significant drop in oestrogen after menopause, the membrane of the vagina becomes thin, lose elasticity, and decrease their production of lubricating fluids. Sexual intercourse may be uncomfortable or even painful. Pain with intercourse may be largely as a result of soreness of the vulva, the area right outside your vagina. Try avoiding harsh soaps or using a barrier cream like Eucerin or Bag Balm.

Lubrication

Many women find that Replens or other lubricants help ease vaginal dryness. Replens is designed to moisturize the walls of the vagina, but it may not in fact be the best lubricant. It's expensive, and it tends to drip out of the vagina. If you need a lubricant, you may want to try Astroglide or Moist Again.

Yeast infections: You can also get yeast infections a common side effect of antibiotics, steroids, and some chemotherapy inside the folds of the vagina and vulva that cause discomfort, thick white discharge, and odour. Clean the area gently. You may need to use yeast-fighting creams or pills, sold over the counter or by prescription (Monistat, Terazol, Diflucan). Lotrisone, a combination anti-yeast and steroid medication, can ease the vulvae burning that can go along with a yeast infection.

Discharge: Troubling vaginal discharge can also occur with menopause.

Menopause and the wonderful nature of God

God in his infinite mercy has created us in his own image. He also blessed the day he created woman why because that was the happiest day of man. Man do not know what happiness was until he met the flesh of his own blood. Our body is the temple of the Lord, should be respected, and handled with care. Menopause is not a cause is a great blessing to every woman and we all pray to experience that. The question here is why is it that some women experience it with joy while others experience it with sadness which is sickness. To answer this question we should ask ourselves why is it that some women work tirelessly when they are young and others do not.

As a woman it is expected that we work with limits. So many women do not have the opportunity to experience fully what menopause is. When we are young there are so many hard works which we are not expected to do in order not to suffer it in our later age. To be frank am not a doctor but based on experience and so many health books that I have consulted I found out that women that did so many odd jobs suffer most during menopause or I may say face a lot of illnesses during menopause. Think of a woman mixing concrete and carrying block cement what will you think will happen to her during menopause? This is the time to warn and educate our younger women for them to take proper good care of their body while they are still young. More especially avoid bleaching cream stop harming the true colour that God created. Be proud of your colour. He was not stupid when he gave you that colour. Try also to avoid medicated creams and soaps use only when you are treating skin diseases.               

 The same thing is applicable to men. Our men also need to take proper care of their body more especially in terms of feeding. It has been found out that eating junk food is not good for the health. This does not mean that we should be selective while because many of us cannot afford it. When people get older they are supposed to avoid the intake of more sugar and alcohol, it is expected that lots of natural fruits and vegetables should be taken. 

I feel so sorry for some of us between the ages of 38 and above taken fruit juice both cans, bottles and sachet. Some see it as leaving big and others as guy. To me it is a forcing guy. All these drinks that do not have natural preservatives are killer drinks! In my research I found out that taken aloe Vera could help prevent sugar problems. Most bitter natural drinks are very good for the body. For those that have cultivated the habit of taken bitter things should try to check their Blood Pressure as often as possible.

If you are such that hate bitter things you are missing a lot. It has been discovered that bitter leaf is a cure for all. Bitter leaves and other bitter natural leaves like aloes help to tone the vital organs of our body, more especially the kidney and the liver. These two organs are the most essential engine house of our body and should not be toyed with.     

 Most often women complain of hot flash, internal heat, migraine headache, burning fire in the stomach and the back in fact all over the body, heart burn, palpitation etc. while some finds it difficult to explain how they feel that lead so many of them into nagging at times they become a terror in the family. Others are full of hatred, jealousy and envy to younger women forgetting that there was a time when they were young. 

You meet these types of women in politics they are the set of people that wouldn’t want the younger women to come up in politics more especially in Africa. Now I can see it is not their fault but the condition they found themselves, which is in state of sadness, anxiety and depression. This is a very big problem facing the Nigerian women in politics today but with awareness it can be corrected so that they will learn to accommodate each other no matter the age difference. Apology for digressing, a political scientist cannot write without talking politics.

 Menopause comes in various styles that some women become temperamental. Women that are experiencing this (menopause) need love and care they also need to be educated that what they are passing through is normal and not a cause. They encounter a lot of problems about the way they feel only God knows how they feel. So many of them find themselves in another world, a world they hate so much. To them sex is not for them. They hate it like hell. This is a very big problem in different homes, at times you see the children settling differences for their parents. Some men who are vocal you here them saying: “I am going to marry another wife if your mother does not co operate” the women in reply will say: “who cares! If you like marry hundred wives so that I can have a rest of mind old man who has refused that he is old in that thing”. Isn’t it a drama and funny as well? Men never tires in sex no matter their age. For some women once they reaches menopause it is bye- bye to sex.

Menopausal women need counseling more than anything and the husband need patience and understanding. Really it is not easy what women are passing through at this critical moment. Can we say that nature has been harsh to women and favourable to men? This is a question we should answer ourselves. The way I understand nature may not be the same way you do, but all I can say is that nature is beautiful and that we should try to appreciate it. Looking at God’s creature it is so wonderful. He made everything for man but man does not have time to look into them. Man has kept him selves so busy pursing wealth of the world forgetting that, that which he is looking for is at his feet or door step. God is down to earth; he never wants his people to die more especially in ignorance, he wants us to discover nature and live natural lives on earth. We should try to appreciate nature which is tantamount to appreciating God.