Menopause + Original Articles

The Latest on Treatments for Post-Menopausal Women

New research suggests some treatments are ineffective. But what do these studies really mean? Millions of women seek help to relieve the unpleasant symptoms often associated with menopause. Hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and the mental fogginess that comes with sleep deprivation are among the common symptoms that drive women to seek help.

Will You Have Your Mother's Menopause?

Though heredity plays a role in menopause, there are other factors that can affect your change-of-life transition. Menopause is defined as the point in a woman's life when she has stopped menstruating for at least one year (the period of time leading up to this point is called perimenopause). There are a number of factors that affect a woman's age at menopause, but one carries more weight than any other: the age your mother was when she went through it.

Your Menopause Fitness Plan

Here's a decade-by-decade guide to getting fit before, during, and after the change. The secret to avoiding the weight gain, mood swings, and fatigue that many menopausal women endure may be lacing up your sneakers. The average age for women to hit menopause—defined as going a full year without a period—is 52. Most women spend their forties in perimenopause, when hormone levels become erratic, periods and spotting come and go, sleep becomes disrupted and emotions fluctuate like a roller coaster.

Dial Down the Heat on Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are a well-known, frequently-complained-about source of discomfort brought on by menopause. Here's how to get relief from these and other "more-than-just annoyances." For some, the end of their monthly period is liberating. Others feel sadness about the closure of their childbearing years, which is more often than not accompanied by unpleasant menopause-related conditions such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and irregular heartbeats.

Mittleschmerz: A Pain in the Pelvis

Those sharp pains mid-menstrual cycle? Most likely Mittleschmerz. Learn more about it, plus get tips on how to ease the discomfort. Aches and pains during menstruation are par for the course for many women. But some women experience pain in the middle of their cycle, which is caused by a condition called Mittleschmerz, a.k.a., painful ovulation. What causes painful ovulation and what can you do about it? Ovulation typically occurs about two weeks after the start of your period and two weeks before your next period starts.

Tips to Beat Menopausal Weight Gain

A bigger middle doesn't have to accompany the change of life. From counting calories to upping your activity level, here's how to fight back. Even if you've never had a weight problem in your life, chances are as you approach menopause you will notice your waistline growing. For some women it's just a little bit of extra flab, while for others it's a bigger pants size or two. What's behind...

The Cigarette, Hormone, and Disease Connection

Researchers have identified an association among hormones and increased risk of diseases in people who smoke. Scientists are discovering more compelling reasons why quitting smoking is among the best ways to improve your health. A recent study has demonstrated a link between smoking and increased male and female hormones in post-menopausal women. These increased hormones may boost the risk for diseases like breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

8 Symptoms That Mimic Menopause

Certain symptoms often associated with menopause are actually caused by another issue, be it hormonal, pharmacological, or physiological. If you're a woman of a certain age, you might assume all those weird symptoms you're experiencing are due to menopause. But what if they're not? What if you're too young for "the change," or what if you're a man? Many symptoms we often associate with menopause are actually caused by other hormonal, pharmacological or physiologic issues.

The Link Between Menopause and Osteoporosis

Find out the link and how you can prevent osteoporosis from complicating your life. Women's bodies can change a lot after menopause and one of the most ominous changes could be the development of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that occurs when bones become porous and brittle. The minerals that make up the bone become less dense, weakening bones and increasing risk for breakage.

How to Handle 6 Uncommon Menopausal Symptoms

Menopause affects every woman differently, but there are some symptoms that you won't see coming. If you're a woman between 45 and 55, chances are you know all too well the most common symptoms of menopause: hot flashes, forgetfulness, night sweats, and insomnia. But menopause can also bring on other less common symptoms, says Jill Rabin, MD, chief of ambulatory care, obstetrics, and gynecology, and head of urogynecology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, NY.
Advertisement