Features of the menopause in men. The use of hormones in the postmenopausal period

- The physiological period in a woman’s life, characterized by the extinction of reproductive function due to hormonal changes in the body. It starts after 40 years and lasts about 10 years. Manifested by the gradual cessation of menstruation. It may be accompanied by a complex of vegetative-vascular and endocrine disorders: sudden attacks of a rush of blood to the upper half of the body and face (“heat”), sweating, tearfulness, irritability, fluctuations in blood pressure, increased dryness of the skin and mucous membranes, and sleep disturbance. May cause dysfunctional uterine bleeding, serious neuropsychiatric disorders.

General information

is a natural stage in a woman’s life and is characterized by reverse changes in the reproductive system - the cessation of childbearing and menstrual functions. The word "climax" comes from the Greek "klimax" - a staircase expressing symbolic steps leading from the heyday of specific female functions to their gradual fading.

A woman’s life consists of several age periods that have their own anatomical and physiological features:

• neonatal period - up to 10 days;
• childhood period - up to 8 years;
• puberty - from 8 to 17-18 years;
• puberty (reproductive, or reproductive) - from 18 to 45 years;
• menopause (menopause), including:

1. premenopause - from 45 years to menopause;
2. menopause - cessation of menstruation (49-50 years);
3. postmenopause - from menopause - up to 65-69 years;

• period of old age - from 70 years.

With a woman's average life expectancy of 75 years, a third of her life falls on menopause.

In some women, menopause has a physiological course and does not cause pathological disorders, in others, the pathological course of menopause leads to the development of menopausal (menopausal) syndrome. Menopausal syndrome with menopause in women occurs with a frequency of 26 - 48% and is characterized by a complex of various disorders of the functions of the endocrine, nervous and cardiovascular systems, which often violates the normal functioning and working ability of women. Issues of the pathological course of menopause have important social and medical significance in connection with the increased average life expectancy of a woman and her socially active behavior.

Causes of Menopausal Syndrome

During menopause, changes occur throughout the body: the immune defense decreases, the frequency of autoimmune and infectious diseases increases, and the aging process progresses. But the most active changes in menopause are subjected to the female reproductive apparatus. With menopause in the ovaries, the development of follicles stops, the eggs stop to mature and ovulate, and there is a decrease in intrasecretory activity. Follicles in the ovaries are replaced by connective tissue, which leads to sclerosis and a decrease in ovaries in size.

The hormonal picture in menopause is characterized by an increase in the level of gonadotropic hormones (follicle-stimulating and luteinizing) and a decrease in estrogen levels. Within a year after the onset of menopause, an increase in the level of follicle-stimulating hormone occurs 13-14 times, luteinizing - 3 times, followed by a slight decrease.

During menopause, changes in the synthesis of estrogen hormones are to stop the production of estradiol and the predominance of estrone. Estrogens have a biological effect on the uterus, mammary glands, urethra, bladder, vagina, pelvic floor muscles, brain cells, arteries and hearts, bones, skin, mucous membranes of the conjunctiva, larynx, mouth, etc., and their deficiency during menopause can cause various disorders in these tissues and organs.

Menopausal syndrome with menopause is a manifestation of estrogen deficiency and is characterized by vegetative-neurotic, urogenital disorders, dystrophic skin changes, a high risk of atherosclerosis and vascular ischemia, osteoporosis, and psychological disorders. With an increase in the average life expectancy of a woman, menopause lengthens and, accordingly, an increase in the period of estrogen deficiency occurs, which increases the likelihood of developing menopausal syndrome.

Classification

According to its manifestations, menopausal syndrome is divided into early, medium and late manifestations of menopausal disorders. The early manifestations of menopausal disorders with menopause include:

• vasomotor symptoms - a feeling of hot flashes, headaches, increased sweating, chills, fluctuations in blood pressure, palpitations;
• psycho-emotional symptoms - weakness, anxiety, irritability, drowsiness, inattention, forgetfulness, depression, decreased libido.

Early-onset manifestations during menopause capture premenopause and 1-2 years of postmenopause. Women with vasomotor and psychoemotional symptoms during menopause are often treated by a general practitioner for hypertension, coronary heart disease, or a neuropsychiatrist diagnosed with a neurosis or depression.

Mid-term manifestations of menopausal disorders with menopause include:

• urogenital symptoms - vaginal dryness, painful sexual intercourse, burning, itching, dysuria (increased urination and urinary incontinence);
• symptoms from the skin and its appendages - wrinkles, brittle nails, dry skin and hair, hair loss.

Mid-term manifestations during menopause are noted 2-5 years after menopause and are characterized by atrophic changes in the skin and urogenital tract. As a rule, symptomatic treatment of urogenital and skin symptoms with menopause does not give the desired effect.

The late-term manifestations of menopausal disorders with menopause include:

• metabolic (metabolic) disorders - osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular diseases.

Late-term manifestations during menopause develop after 5-10 years after the onset of menopause. An insufficient level of sex hormones during menopause leads to a violation of the structure of bone tissue (osteoporosis) and lipid metabolism (atherosclerosis).

Symptoms of Menopausal Syndrome

The development and severity of the course of menopausal syndrome is influenced by hormonal, environmental, hereditary factors, the general condition of the woman to the menopause.

Vegetative-vascular (vasomotor) symptoms in the pathological course of menopause are noted in 80% of women. They are characterized by sudden “tides” with a sharp expansion of capillaries of the skin of the head, face, neck, chest, an increase in local skin temperature by 2-5 ° C, and body temperature by 0.5-1 ° C. "Tides" are accompanied by a feeling of heat, redness, sweating, palpitations. The state of "tides" lasts 3-5 minutes with a frequency of 1 to 20 or more times a day, increases at night, causing sleep disturbance. A mild degree of vasomotor disorders in menopause is characterized by the number of “hot flashes” from 1 to 10 per day, moderate - from 10 to 20, severe - from 20 or more in combination with other manifestations (dizziness, depression, phobias), leading to reduced ability to work.

In 13% of women with the pathological course of menopause, asthenoneurotic disorders occur, manifested by irritability, tearfulness, a sense of anxiety, fear, intolerance to olfactory and auditory sensations, and depression. Psycho-emotional symptoms with menopause develop before menopause or immediately after it, vasomotor symptoms last about 5 years after menopause.

The course of menopausal syndrome with menopause can develop in the form of atypical forms:

• sympatho-adrenal crises, characterized by a sharp headache, increased blood pressure, urinary retention, followed by polyuria;
• myocardial dystrophy, characterized by persistent pain in the heart in the absence of changes in the ECG, the inefficiency of conventional therapy;
• urticaria, vasomotor rhinitis, allergies to drugs and food products, indicating a change in the immunological reactions of the body, etc.

Menopause occurs during a period of important events in a woman’s life: growing up and marrying children, achievements at work, pension changes, and menopausal disorders are superimposed on increased emotional stress and social problems. In almost 50% of women with the pathological course of menopause, a severe form of the disorder occurs, in 35% of the disorders are moderate and only 15% of the menopausal syndrome has mild manifestations. A mild form of menopause disorders is usually found among practically healthy women, while women with chronic diseases are prone to atypical manifestations of menopausal syndrome, a tendency to a crisis-like course that violates the general health of patients.

The development of menopausal syndrome with menopause is promoted by genetic factors, endocrinopathies, chronic diseases, smoking, menstrual irregularities during puberty, early menopause, lack of exercise, a woman’s history of pregnancy and childbirth.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of the pathological course of menopause is based on complaints of patients appearing at the age of approach or onset of menopause. Exacerbation of concomitant diseases sometimes complicates the diagnosis of menopausal syndrome with menopause, aggravating its course and causing the development of atypical forms. In the presence of concomitant diseases, a woman, in addition to consulting a gynecologist, shows the consultation of other specialists: cardiologist, neurologist, endocrinologist.

In order to correctly diagnose the complicated course of menopause, a study is made of the blood levels of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones, estrogens. To clarify the functional state of the ovaries with menopause, a histological analysis of scraping of the uterine endometrium and cytological studies of smears from the vagina are performed in dynamics, a graph of basal temperature is performed. Identification of anovulatory ovarian cycles allows us to associate functional disorders with menopausal syndrome.

Treatment of menopause disorders

The approaches to the problem of treating menopause pathology adopted in modern gynecology are based on a decrease in its manifestations and symptoms. Reducing the severity and frequency of “hot flashes” in the pathological course of menopause is achieved by the appointment of antidepressants (venlafaxine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, citalpram, sertraline, etc.).

In order to prevent and treat the development of osteoporosis with menopause, non-hormonal biophosphonates (alendronic and risedronic acids) are used to reduce bone loss and the risk of fractures. Biophosphonates effectively replace estrogen therapy in the treatment of osteoporosis in women during menopause.

To reduce the manifestation of urogenital symptoms in the pathological course of menopause, local (vaginal) administration of estrogen in the form of a cream or tablets is recommended. The release of small doses of estrogen into the vaginal tissue reduces the sensation of dryness, discomfort during sexual intercourse, and urination disorders.

The most effective treatment for menopausal syndrome with menopause is hormone therapy individually prescribed by your doctor. Reception of estrogenic drugs well eliminates, in particular, “tides” and discomfort in the vagina. For hormone therapy in the treatment of menopause pathology, natural estrogens (estradiolvalerate, 17-beta-estradiol, etc.) are used in small doses in intermittent courses. For the prevention of hyperplastic processes in the endometrium with menopause, a combination of estrogens with progestogens or (less commonly) with androgens is indicated. The courses of hormone therapy and hormone prophylaxis are carried out for 5-7 years in order to prevent myocardial infarction and mammography, a cytological analysis of smears from the cervix, a biochemical study of blood test parameters and coagulation factors (coagulogram).

Hormone therapy regimen

The choice of hormone therapy regimen depends on the stage of menopause. In premenopause, hormone therapy not only compensates for the deficiency of estrogen, but also has a normalizing effect on the menstrual cycle, therefore it is prescribed in cyclic courses. In postmenopause, when atrophic processes occur in the endometrium, for the prevention of monthly bleeding, hormone therapy is carried out in a regimen of constant intake of drugs.

If the pathological course of menopause is manifested only by urogenital disorders, estrogens (estriol) are prescribed topically in the form of vaginal tablets, suppositories, and cream. However, in this case, there remains a risk of developing other menopausal menopause disorders, including osteoporosis.

The systemic effect in the treatment of the pathological course of menopause is achieved by the appointment of combined hormone therapy (as an example, tibolone + estradiol + norethisterone acetate). With combined hormone therapy, hormones are combined with symptomatic drugs (hypotensive, cardiac, antidepressants, bladder relaxants, etc.). Combination therapy for the treatment of menopause disorders is prescribed after consultation with specialized specialists.

Solving the problems of the pathological course of menopause is the key to prolonging women's health, beauty, youth, working capacity and real improvement in the quality of life of women entering a beautiful "autumn" season of their lives.

The postmenopausal period is the final, third stage of menopause. He, in turn, is divided into early and late. After the extinction of the reproductive function, aging of the body becomes inevitable. It is accompanied by many unpleasant physiological and psychological symptoms that are more or less familiar to all women. Fortunately, this difficult condition can be alleviated by simple and effective methods.

The postmenopausal period (postmenopause) is fixed 12 months after the last menstruation, and it lasts about a decade. There is no clear time frame, as well as a strict norm for a woman’s age. Individual characteristics and genetics largely determine these indicators.

The main signs of menopause begin to manifest themselves in changes in the body associated with a decrease in the functioning of the ovaries:

• with accompanying excessive sweating;
• mood swings, unstable emotional state;
• headaches and others.

Menopausal syndrome of the initial and final stages are different. In postmenopausal women, hormonal restructuring ends, and the amount of estrogen in the body becomes fixedly small, which affects the operation of literally all systems. In rare cases, when a woman’s health is poor, they remain in the postmenopausal period.

Female problems in postmenopausal women

The postmenopausal period is, first of all, aging. The body at this stage is tired, worn out, the range of its abilities is significantly narrowed, the general health worsens. Such female hormones as estradiol, estradiol and estriol, by the end of menopause, it becomes less than male.

The bony, cardiovascular, nervous and excretory systems function normally when there are enough of them, respectively, during postmenopause, their work is malfunctioning.

Typical problems that await a woman in the postmenopausal period:

1. The risk of osteoporosis. Due to a decrease in estrogen, bone tissue becomes more fragile. This also explains the frequent fractures in women over 60.
2. The condition of hair, nails and teeth is getting worse.
3. Problems of the cardiovascular system. The walls of the blood vessels become thin and inelastic, which affects blood circulation and high blood pressure. Significantly slowed metabolism affects the increase in cholesterol, which forms blood clots. The latter, in turn, can lead to ischemic diseases, angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmias.
4. Sight falls, hearing becomes worse.
5. Thought processes slow down, memory worsens.
6. Unstable emotional state, nervousness, tantrums.
7. . Itching may bother. Warts appear and hairiness on the face and body increases.
8. A reduced amount of secretion secreted by the genitals affects their microflora. In conditions of insufficient protective mucus, it is easier to get sexually transmitted infections or inflammatory diseases. Colpitis (vaginitis, inflammation of the vaginal mucosa) and cystitis are frequent companions of women at this time.
9. The presence at the final stage is a very alarming sign. They indicate a high level of estrogen in the body, which is considered an abnormality at this age. The most common cause of this phenomenon is the development of cancer of the breast, cervix, or ovary. Any opaque discharge with a smell is also a danger.
10. Urinary incontinence, which occurs for two reasons: prolapse of the pelvic organs and rapid weight gain.

Postmenopausal syndrome develops differently in everyone. It is most pronounced in women who are too thin or overweight, who smoke or abuse alcohol, who have physically or emotionally hard work, and experience frequent stresses.

The most important thing a woman can do for herself during the postmenopausal period is to comprehensively improve her lifestyle. To alleviate your condition, you must:

1. Follow an age-appropriate diet. This is a type of healthy balanced diet, the diet of which must necessarily include products containing healthy Omega acids: red fish, nuts, healthy vegetable oils, flax seeds, sesame seeds, chia. Dairy and fermented milk products, which are indispensable for maintaining the state of bone tissue, are also needed. To speed up the metabolism, you need to eat fresh fruits and vegetables according to the season, and for the formation of muscle tissue - lean meats, all kinds of sea fish, seafood. The diet includes cereals and whole grain flour products in limited quantities.
2. Use an additional source of essential trace elements. Usually these are vitamin complexes with calcium and vitamin D. It is recommended to use it as prescribed by a doctor after examining blood tests.
3. Avoid nervous strain, hard work.
4. Ensure a healthy sleep and full of positive leisure experiences.
5. Introduce regular exercise. Ideal are long walks, yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, aerobic exercise, if you feel good.
6. If necessary, use treatment with hormonal drugs. Gynecologists often prescribe them during menopause. These are estrogen substitutes that can be used internally or topically. Oral administration of these drugs helps to normalize hormones. External use is effective to eliminate itching in the genital area.

The presence of postmenopausal female problems should not affect attitudes towards life. It continues, and it makes sense to enjoy it, doing things that previously did not have enough time.

Climax is the next stage of physiological changes in a woman’s body associated with the extinction of reproductive function. The greatest probability of its occurrence falls on the age of 45-52 years. Depending on the characteristics of the body, the illnesses transferred, the living conditions, menopause may occur sooner or later. The hormonal changes that occur gradually lead to aging women. If she leads an active lifestyle, pays necessary attention to her appearance, takes care of her health, then the aging of the body slows down.

There are 3 stages of menopause:

1. Premenopause is the beginning of hormonal adjustment, in which the level of estrogen begins to decline, menstruation becomes irregular. The likelihood of conception is reduced.
2. Menopause is a period of 12 months from the start of the last menstruation. If in the previous period a woman can still doubt the reason for the malfunction of the menstrual cycle, then the absence of menstruation during the year is an accurate sign of the onset of menopause.
3. Postmenopause - the period after the end of menopause is about 3-5 years. Estrogen levels reach a minimum.

Video: Menopause and its types

Types of menopause and the age of their onset

Symptoms of menopause in women depend on age. Treatment is also prescribed in accordance with the age of menopause, which depends on the characteristics of physiology, general health, conditions and lifestyle. There are several types of menopause:

• premature (after 30 and up to 40 years);
• early (from 41 years to 45 years);
• timely, considered the norm (45-55 years);
• late (after 55 years).

Premature and late menopause are usually a pathology. After examination and clarification of the causes of deviations from the norm, treatment is prescribed. With the timely onset of menopause in some cases, only relief of the accompanying symptoms is required.

Causes and consequences of premature menopause

The onset of menopause at an early age is possible for several reasons. First of all, this is associated with ovarian diseases, their removal or treatment with hormonal drugs. Sometimes premature menopause is caused by congenital genetic disorders. In this case, insufficient egg production occurs. Such a pathology is inherited.

One reason is the puberty of the girl too early. The usual age of the onset of the first menstruation is considered to be 13-14 years. But sometimes menstruation appears already in 10-11 years.

Menopause occurs too early in those who have suffered diseases of the thyroid gland, reproductive organs, immune system, and liver. Radiation therapy in the treatment of tumors, chemotreapia can provoke the onset of menopause.

An unhealthy lifestyle and bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse, drug addiction) also contribute to early menopause. A provoking factor is obesity, as well as a craze for diets, prolonged fasting.

The onset of early menopause, as a rule, is associated with hormonal disorders in the body. A decrease in the level of female sex hormones leads to infertility and early aging. In addition, hormonal disorders increase the risk of tumors of the mammary glands, reproductive organs. The risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases is also increased. An imbalance of hormones leads to diseases of the thyroid gland, the urogenital system is disrupted. Early menopause becomes the cause of neurosis, depression.

When the first suspicions of a decrease in the sexual activity of the body appear, consult a doctor. If in doubt about the menstrual cycle, a test for FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) is done. With menopause, its level rises and remains constantly high. If the violations are temporary, then the level of this hormone fluctuates.

Video: Hormone tests for menopause

Causes and complications of late menopause

As a rule, the onset of late menopause is heredity. If until the age of 55 it does not occur, while there are no health problems, then late menopause plays only a positive role. The normal composition of bone and muscle tissue lasts longer. Less problems with the work of the heart, blood vessels, brain.

However, in some cases, the cause of late menopause can be a serious gynecological disease or treatment with chemotherapy and radiation. In this case, the woman should be constantly under the supervision of a doctor, since it is possible exacerbation or relapse of the diseases that caused the delay of menopause. The irregular occurrence of bleeding of various intensities sometimes masks the symptoms of diseases, including malignant tumors.

Symptoms of menopause

There are a number of signs by which you can determine that menopause has come.

The tides   - periodic sudden onset of attacks, accompanied by a sensation of heat, as well as blood flow to the face. At the same time, the woman sweats a lot. After a few minutes, a state of chills sets in. Such tides can last for years, appearing 20-50 times a day. In this case, the doctor will tell you how to reduce their number, to alleviate the symptoms.

Headaches, dizzinessusually appearing in the morning. A woman is forced to abandon her usual affairs, she quickly gets tired. She experiences causeless anxiety, becomes irritable.

Sleep disturbances. The tides that occur during the day and at night awaken the woman. After that, it is difficult for her to fall asleep. Insomnia occurs not only due to the tides. The cause of sleep disturbances can be neurosis, arising from the deterioration of the nervous system and the brain. The inability to sleep well deprives one of strength and causes even greater anxiety and irritation.

Frequent mood swings.   A woman becomes touchy, tearful. A cheerful mood is sharply replaced by irritability and bitterness.

Lump in the throat.   The reaction of the autonomic nervous system, in which there is a sensation of obstruction in the throat. There is a need to make swallowing movements. The woman does not experience pain or any unpleasant sensations. This condition usually goes away on its own. However, if the symptom does not disappear within a few months, pain appears, then you need to consult an endocrinologist. Similar sensations arise with diseases of the thyroid gland.

Memory weakening.   During this period, most women complain of "sclerosis", distraction, inability to concentrate.

Vaginal dryness.   The symptom is usually accompanied by itching, is the cause of pain during intercourse. It occurs as a result of changes in the structure of the vaginal mucosa under the influence of hormones. In this case, there is also a decrease in sexual desire.

Violation of the genitourinary organs.   Violation of the composition of the vaginal environment makes the genitourinary system more vulnerable to infection. Often there are diseases of the kidneys, bladder, inflammatory diseases of the ovaries, uterus. Weakening of muscle tone leads to urinary incontinence.

Increased blood pressure, heart palpitations.   This indicates changes in the structure of blood vessels and in the heart muscle. The risk of heart disease in a woman is significantly increased.

Joint diseases, brittle bones.   This indicates a lack of calcium. With the onset of menopause, a woman worsens the absorption of nutrients. Inadequate intake of calcium weakens bones. In addition, nails become brittle, hair loss and deterioration of their structure are observed. Tooth enamel is also thinning, caries more often.

Video: Symptoms of menopause, what their severity depends on, how to treat them

Diagnosis with menopause. How to relieve symptoms

When signs such as menstrual irregularities, a decrease or increase in the volume of secretions, a sharp change in body weight and other unexpected signs appear, a woman should definitely consult a doctor: gynecologist, endocrinologist, mammologist. Examination with ultrasound, X-ray, as well as a biochemical blood test for hormones and tumor markers will allow you to detect serious diseases that need to be urgently treated.

If a woman is healthy, unpleasant symptoms are associated with menopausal abnormalities, then she will be prescribed therapy to eliminate insomnia, taking sedatives and vitamins. Preparations containing calcium and silicon will help prevent osteoporosis. Means are used to enhance blood supply, eliminate high blood pressure.

The most effective method of getting rid of hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause is hormone therapy. Sometimes it’s enough to choose the right hormonal contraceptives with your doctor’s help. Candles containing hormonal drugs, special plasters, intrauterine devices are also used. With the help of these funds, estrogen levels increase, which allows you to slow down the onset of menopause. Hormone replacement therapy is carried out for at least 1-2 years. To prevent osteoporosis, it is sometimes required to use it for several years after menopause.

Warning:   Any hormonal drugs should be taken as directed by a doctor. Excess estrogen leads to weight gain, leg veins, breast disease, uterine fibroids and other serious health problems.

Non-hormonal agents based on plant components are used to gently reduce menopause symptoms, for example, the dietary supplement ESTROVEL® capsules, a complex of phytoestrogens, vitamins and microelements whose components act on the main manifestations of menopause.

Treatment with folk remedies for menopause

In the treatment of hot flashes, insomnia, headache and other manifestations of menopause, traditional medicine remedies are successfully used: decoctions of plants, herbal soothing baths. The lack of estrogen is compensated by phytoestrogens, which include, for example, sage.

Infusion for eliminating sweating and relieving hot flashes

Sage, valerian root and horsetail are mixed in a ratio of 3: 1: 1. A glass of boiling water is poured 1 tbsp. l collection. This healing infusion is drunk every day in several doses.

Infusion of herbs with high blood pressure, heart palpitations, sweating

1 tbsp. l mixtures of hawthorn, motherwort, dried cinnamon, chamomile (4: 4: 4: 1) insist in 1 cup of boiling water and drink the medicine 3-4 tablespoons several times a day.

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Northern State Medical University

Department of secondary vocational education

by Course: Mature

Subject: Menopause in men and women

Performed by Lashina V.P.

1st year student of the 2nd group of LD

Arkhangelsk 2014

Introduction

1. What is menopause?

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

The climacteric period as a whole can be considered as a period of complex age-related restructuring, primarily of neurohumoral regulation associated with the extinction of reproductive function. Menopause occurs in both women and men, but in men it occurs later, develops more slowly. In women, the menopause is earlier sharper and much more pronounced, which determines the convenience of its study.

The onset of menopause and the development of age-related pathological processes is associated with the cause and depends on general factors, i.e. united by one mechanism - the aging mechanism. Despite the significant successes achieved in studying the problem of aging, due to the great complexity of the problem, many unclear questions remain and there are still no generally accepted ideas about the patterns of age-related changes. Due to the commonality of development mechanisms and the brightness of manifestations, the climacteric period is a convenient model for studying these patterns, an analysis of the processes occurring during the period of age-related restructuring, allows us to establish why the body changes with age.

With age, both men and women have menopause about its causes, symptoms and treatment, I will tell in my essay.

1. What is menopause?

Climax, menopause, menopause (from the Greek. Klimakter - the step of the ladder, age tipping point) - a period in the life of a biological individual, characterized by involution, the extinction of the function of the reproductive system, which occurs due to age-related changes.

Menopause in men and women occurs in different ways: women: 40 - 50 years old, men - 50 - 60.

In terms of severity, menopause passes in both sexes differently, for women it is more painful. Women lose fertility.

2. Menopause in men and women

2.1 Menopause in men

According to the andrologist, the menopause is a natural stage in the life of every person. Due to the decrease in the level of the main male hormone - testosterone, there is a gradual transition from puberty to the extinction of sexual function. Doctors call it andropause, or male menopause. It begins at about 50-60 years.

With age, natural changes occur in the male body in one of the most important parts of the brain - the hypothalamus. It is he who regulates the activity of the main endocrine gland - the pituitary gland. As a result, the production of hormones by the pituitary gland that stimulate the activity of the male sex glands, i.e. the testes, is disrupted. They also age, because the tissue is gradually replaced by connective and fatty

2.1.1 Causes of menopause in men

As a result of changes in the functioning of the sex glands in the male body, the function of producing the androgen hormone decreases. As a rule, menopause in men appears at the age of 40 - 60 years. It can be recognized or not, but you can not argue with nature - irreversible changes occur in the testicles.

Male menopause can also be simply called the physiological process of aging. That is a natural process. You need to sound the alarm when a menopause is accompanied by severe health deterioration, if it occurs before 45 years (early) or after 60 years (late).

However, the late menopause is not scary, the man is even glad that a longer period remains young in all senses of the word. Of particular concern should be a pathological menopause, which is accompanied by changes in the work of the genitourinary and cardiovascular systems of the body. Neurotic disorders can also be mixed with this condition.

Also, the male hormone testosterone has an important mission: it regulates the activity of the testicles, their appendages, seminal vesicles and the prostate gland. It stimulates sperm formation and even determines libido, sexual arousal and orgasm intensity.

Various diseases accelerate and complicate anropause. With hypertension, atherosclerosis, sugar debit and alcoholism, old age catches a man unexpectedly and makes itself felt in full.

2.1.2 Symptoms of menopause in men

Symptoms of menopause in men and women are very similar. The main ones are: heart palpitations; dizziness; "tides" in which the skin of the face and hands reddens; possible changes in blood pressure, which threatens the development of hypertension.

It should be noted that with physical exertion and psycho-emotional differences, all these symptoms manifest themselves more clearly, their consequences can be worse.

But the main thing is that most men (up to about 90%) report a decrease in sex drive. In some men, potency gradually disappears, sexual intercourse becomes shorter, ejaculation occurs faster, sperm volume decreases. Representatives of the strong half of humanity endure all this very painfully. And, as you know, strong emotional experiences only exacerbate the situation - at least, no sexual intercourse has done better.

The manifestations of menopause can also include a change in the appearance of a man - the appearance of sagging skin and muscles, the deposition of fat on the hips and buttocks, sometimes even an increase in the mammary glands. But, of course, in all men, menopause symptoms manifest themselves very individually.

2.1.3 Treatment of menopause in men

The appearance of symptoms, signaling the presence of menopause, should provoke a man to think about a healthy lifestyle. Maybe this is commonplace, but enough rest, an active lifestyle, movement, walking in the fresh air, proper nutrition and weight control - all this ensures good health.

In addition, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination. After all, the presence of unpleasant symptoms can signal not only about problems in the sexual sphere. Diseases of the cardiovascular system should also not be allowed to drift.

In addition, the doctor may prescribe a special examination, in particular, an ultrasound of the prostate, as well as a blood test that reveals a prostate-specific antigen. According to the results of the examination, a man, in addition to recommendations on the right lifestyle, can be prescribed drug therapy, including antidepressants or sedatives, biogenic adaptogens and hormonal drugs.

2.2 Menopause in women

During menopause, the female body is functionally rebuilt in a new way: now, conception and childbirth are no longer part of its “duties”, therefore, the woman’s reproductive system is gradually dying away. The ovaries are preparing to lay down their powers, which is facilitated by hormonal changes in the body - estrogen is produced less and less. Upon completion of menopause, the likelihood of pregnancy will forever be a thing of the past. Therefore, many women carry it very hard.

Climax is considered the beginning of aging and wilting of a woman, which is actually not quite so. With the right approach and attitude to the issue, as well as with advance preparation for the upcoming changes, a woman is able to feel all the charm of life at this time. The psychological attitude plays a big role.

As a natural biological process, menopause is inevitable: any woman who has survived to this age is “doomed” to survive this time. But here's how to survive - a question that largely depends on each of us. And to start preparing for the inevitable must be young.

Climax does not occur suddenly, although many people think so. It develops and gains momentum gradually, passing from one manifestation to another.

Experts say about 3 periods of menopause:

· Premenopause - when certain disorders and disorders begin to appear, one of the most indicative of which is considered to be a malfunction in the regularity of the menstrual cycle; reproductive function is gradually dying away, but pregnancy is still possible, so you can’t stop protecting yourself;

· Menopause - marked by the onset of the last menstruation in a woman’s life. Menopause is said to be if no menstrual discharge has been observed for 12 consecutive months;

· Postmenopause - following menopause, that is, after a year from the last menstruation, and lasting until the ovaries completely stop functioning.

The entire menopause lasts approximately 10-15 years.

In all women, menopause occurs at different ages and may have individual differences in manifestations and duration. However, for many centuries, medical scientists have noted that, on average, this tipping point occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.

They also distinguish a special type of menopause - artificial or surgical, due to the surgical removal of the ovaries and / or uterus at a young reproductive age.

2.2.1 Causes of menopause in women

From the time of puberty to the time of entry into the menopause, the female body undergoes multiple changes every month. A follicle matures regularly in the female ovaries, from which an egg is ready to be fertilized, emerging into the abdominal cavity in anticipation of a sperm. Up to this point, all the forces of the female body are directed towards creating favorable conditions for egg maturation: maintaining the optimal temperature, the required level of humidity, etc.

Simultaneously with ovulation, the body is rebuilt to further protect the egg, which is theoretically fertilized after its release. Now conditions are already being created to maintain the vital activity of the fetal egg and enable it to make a successful landing in the uterine cavity. If conception did not take place, then the female body receives a “hang up” command and is taken to prepare for the next cycle: menstrual bleeding begins, after which the attempt to realize itself as a mother is repeated again.

All described processes occur under the vigilant guidance of hormones and under their close supervision.

It is simply amazing, but the nature also provides for the logical completion of this persistent cyclic repetition: the birth of a child in adulthood and old age is not only unnatural, but also unsafe - both for a woman and for posterity. That is why the ability to conceive and have children (reproductive function) fades over the years, which is called the menopause.

The main reason for the onset of menopause is, perhaps, a decrease in the production of sex hormones and the resulting change in the hormonal background of a woman. This process begins from the departments of the central nervous system, where all natural processes are programmed.

The onset of menopause is genetically determined, but the course of this period very much depends on how the woman cared for her health during her life and in what condition it appeared when she entered the menopause.

2.2.2 Symptoms of menopause in women

The most pronounced and characteristic symptoms appear in the first phase of menopause - premenopause. These are changes not only at the physiological, but also at the mental level.

Everything can begin with a general malaise, which is repeated with different regularity and manifests itself with a different set of symptoms. Headaches are noted, weakness and dizziness are felt, disability is reduced, insomnia appears, jumps in blood pressure are observed, usually upward.

The most striking symptom accompanying menopause are the so-called hot flashes, when the skin of the upper body - the face, neck, chest, neck of a woman - suddenly turns red due to a sharp onset of heat. Hot flashes are accompanied by a rapid increase in body temperature (followed by a decrease), chills, excessive sweating, migraines, shortness of breath, palpitations, and even panic attacks and fear - this condition persists for several minutes and also suddenly disappears. Most frightening and exhausting tides, rolling at night. In general, they can occur several tens of times a day, in the present way weakening a woman.

Among the most common menopause satellites, there are also a number of disorders, diseases and syndromes associated with the functioning of the limbs. Wake up rheumatism, arthrosis, numbness, tingling, trembling or pain in the arms and legs. In the longer term, many women are expected to have osteoporosis, if during their life they did not care about regular replenishment of calcium reserves.

At the same time, the nervous system also suffers, not only of the lady, but of her entire environment. The prevailing stereotype that a woman of the climacteric period is characterized by increased irritability, anxiety, and often just unbearable nervousness and suspicion, and is subject to sharp unreasonable mood swings, is quite justified in itself.

Changes in sexuality, of course, also do not pass by. First of all, there are transformations of the woman's genitals: the labia (like the entire mucous membrane) is thinning and draining, the vagina narrows and itches, sexual intercourse becomes painful and often does not bring satisfaction, despite the fact that sexual desire during this period can be significantly enhanced . However, much more often the sexual libido of a lady is reduced, not increased.

Genitourinary disorders also occur: discomfort and pain in the bladder (in particular during urination), leakage and urinary incontinence, prolapse of the pelvic organs and others.

On top of that, a woman begins to suffer from dramatic changes in her appearance. It seems that the skin has dried out and become wrinkled in one day, and the lifebuoy on the previous waist has grown after another. Some women also have tendrils above their upper lips or acne on their faces.

While there are a lot of female sex hormones produced, they support the preservation of the figure and ensure the distribution of fat by the female type - with an emphasis on the chest and hips. Ironically, women have little appreciation of this feature until the situation is turned upside down: when male sex hormones are privileged, fatty tissue begins to redistribute according to the male type, going to the sides and stomach. In the course of this process, the figure not only disappears, but the chest also disappears: the glandular tissue in it is replaced by connective and fatty tissue, which causes the breast to lose elasticity and noticeably fall off.

As for overweight, during menopause it also appears due to changes in chemical reactions in the body. Due to the insufficiency of female sex hormones (estrogens), they have to be “extracted” from male (androgens), and this complex process can only occur in adipose tissue, which is why the “activity field” in the form of fat deposits is so diligently prepared.

2.2.3 Treatment of menopause in women

The most correct, of course, will be to prevent the severe course of menopause. This can be done including using natural phytohormonal drugs or dietary supplements containing female plant hormones. But if it still comes to the severe course of menopause, then a woman is unlikely to get along without the help of doctors. Treatment of menopause will not only reduce the violent manifestation of symptoms, but also help the body prolong the period of youth.

Doctors always emphasize that menopause is not a disease, but only a natural stage in the evolution of the female body, as inevitable as, say, transitional adolescence. Nevertheless, the treatment of menopause is a necessity, because the so-called menopause syndrome (a set of signs characteristic of this period) significantly worsens the quality of life of a woman.

Menopause treatment can and should be done only by specialists, since it is very specific and requires a special approach. A woman must certainly turn to a gynecologist-endocrinologist, who is just dealing with such issues, as well as to a mammologist. This should be done already at the age of 40-45 for conducting preventive examinations: the sooner a woman begins to take care of herself, the easier she will enter the menopause and survive it with minimal damage to health.

The main goal pursued by the treatment of menopause is to prevent a sharp drop in the level of sex hormones in the body of a woman, otherwise a malfunction in the main organs and systems cannot be avoided. It can only be achieved using hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which is recognized as the gold standard in world endocrine gynecology.

At the same time, auxiliary agents can be used to eliminate pronounced painful symptoms: headaches, nervousness, depressive states, insomnia, uterine bleeding, leg pain, and others.

In complex treatment, physiotherapy also shows a good effect.

Conclusion

Climax is not a sentence. Everyone in life experiences this period. At the end of the climacteric period, a new life begins. Women can devote more time to themselves, because the children have already grown up, their working experience has been worked out, the “home” does not go out, and men too, have more time for their hobbies.

For the course of a lighter menopause in youth, you need to take care of your health: exercise, eat the right food, abandon bad habits.

menopause sexual involution age

Bibliography

1. Physiology and pathology of menopause of a woman, L., 1965

2. Vikhlyaeva EM, Menopause syndrome and its treatment, M., 1966

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This section is a sentimental story about the fall of a woman. Although not only women. We are somehow already accustomed, speaking of menopause, to have in mind an exceptionally weak sex. But menopause - the period of physiological extinction of the function of the reproductive system -   It happens, of course, in men.

In women, this period falls on the age of 45-55 years. There is also a later menopause. This period of a woman’s life following the reproductive period can last about 30 years.

Climax is the Greek word. Hippocratic contemporaries did not invest any medical meaning in it. In their times, the so-called staircase. But experts saw this as an undoubted similarity with a multi-stage series of hormonal changes occurring in the body during this period.

What phases are secreted in the menopause?

These are: premenopause, menopause, postmenopause.

Premenopause   - This is the period from the beginning of the decay of ovarian function to the complete cessation of menstruation, which is characterized by a sharp decrease in the ability to conceive and a change in the nature of menstruation. This period usually begins at 40-45 years and lasts 2-8 years. 60% of premenopausal women experience a gradual lengthening of the intervals between menstruation, which is becoming increasingly scarce. 10% of women have a sudden cessation of menstruation. 30% of women may have acyclic uterine bleeding.

Menopause   - This is the last independent menstruation in the life of a woman. The fact that it has come can be said no earlier than a year after the cessation of menstruation.

Postmenopause   - This is the period from the last menstruation to the complete cessation of ovarian function, which precedes old age. The duration of postmenopause is 5-6 years. During this period, from time to time, a woman may still notice cyclical changes in the body, but menstruation does not come.

What is menopausal syndrome?

Female sex hormones affect all organs, including the central nervous system, blood vessels, heart, bones, mucous membranes, urinary system, skin and others. Therefore, when the ovarian function is turned off, symptoms of menopausal syndrome may appear in 40-80% of women.

This syndrome manifests itself in different women in different ways:
   “Hot flashes” of heat to the head, neck and upper half of the body,
   periodic “jumps” in blood pressure,
   palpitations
   insomnia,
   excessive sweating
   depression and irritability.

The severity of menopausal syndrome is often determined by the frequency of "hot flashes." If there are no more than 10 of them per day, menopausal syndrome is considered mild, if 10-20 “hot flashes” are of moderate severity, more than 20 are severe.

2-3 years after the onset of menopause, changes in the genitourinary tract can occur: dryness of the vaginal mucosa, itching, rapid or painful urination. 5 or more years after menopause, late metabolic disorders can occur - atherosclerosis and osteoporosis, which leads to an increase in the likelihood of many diseases - hypertension, myocardial infarction, bone fractures.

Often the thyroid gland suffers, metabolism may be impaired, which will lead to obesity or weight loss. Often it is during this period that diabetes develops.

The earlier menopause (natural or surgical) occurs, the earlier late metabolic disorders can occur, due to age-related disorders, the disappearance of the protective effect of estrogen on bones, heart and blood vessels.

Why does the ovarian function fade and unpleasant symptoms appear?

In the hypothalamus and pituitary gland due to age-related changes, the regulation of hormone formation is no longer so cheerful. They send too weak commands to the ovaries. And with a decrease in ovarian hormones, the mucous membrane of the uterus becomes thinner, and therefore menstruation stops.

The body suffers from a lack of progesterone and estrogen. Hence many problems in the body. The fact is that estrogen is not only responsible for sexual functions, it participates in thermoregulation, protects arteries from atherosclerosis, strengthens bones, and maintains skin elasticity.

The hypothalamus is responsible for the work of the heart, blood vessels, lungs and other internal organs. It is precisely due to a decrease in the activity of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland during menopause that many body functions are disturbed, new diseases may appear or aggravate, and bone fragility increases.

The severity of all menopausal disorders is not the same in different women. Someone is incredibly tormented by these manifestations of menopause, and someone does not even notice him. Why? It all depends on the state of the body and lifestyle. If a woman has always led and leads an active life in all its manifestations, takes care of herself, controls her weight, plays sports and has not acquired any serious chronic diseases during her life, she will suffer less from the negative manifestations of menopause. But in women with an unstable nervous system, leading a sedentary lifestyle, during the menopause, existing diseases can aggravate and new ones join.

What drugs are indicated for menopausal disorders?

Preparations that are designed to alleviate menopausal syndrome contain natural (natural) analogues of female sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone. Such hormone replacement drugs   (HRT) are popular all over the world today. Thanks to them, millions of women in different countries safely pass the critical age.

These drugs include climonorm. It consists of estradiol and levonorgestrel and has a very mild effect on the body. Women taking this drug have a real opportunity to argue with the laws of nature and prolong youth. The drug takes control of the bone, nervous, cardiovascular and genitourinary system. To a certain extent, it protects against cancer of the uterus and ovaries, polyposis, endometriosis.

But climonorm, like all medicines, has its contraindications. These are oncological diseases, disorders of the kidneys, liver, pancreas, tendency to thrombosis. Therefore, you must first talk with your doctor and decide whether to take this drug or not.

Currently appeared herbal preparations:   climadinone, remens, climactoplan.