Are you afraid you may have hit early menopause?

The menopause, sometimes referred to as the "change of life", is the end of menstruation. This is when a woman's ovaries stop producing an egg every four weeks.

In countries like the UK, 51 is the average age for a woman to reach the menopause, although some women experience the menopause in their 30s or 40s.

There are no statistics for Kenya to show at what age most women reach menopause. However, If you experience the menopause before the age of 40, it's known as a premature menopause.

Menstruation (monthly periods) can sometimes stop suddenly when you reach the menopause. However, it's more likely that your periods will become less frequent, with longer intervals between each one, before they stop altogether.

In the lead-up to the menopause (perimenopause), oestrogen levels decrease, causing the ovaries to stop producing an egg each month (ovulation). Oestrogen is the female sex hormone that regulates a woman's periods.

While some women have a smooth ride, the menopause is linked to all sorts of unwelcome symptoms including night sweats, sleep problems and loss of libido. For many it’s a challenging time because of the physiological changes that take place in the body – but there are ways of managing them.

Here are five of the most common symptoms

Hot flushes. Thought to occur in about three in four women, according to the health website Patient.co.uk, hot flushes are typically experienced as a feeling of intense heat that spreads upwards through the chest, neck and face, causing your skin to become red and profusely sweaty, and bringing on heart palpitations and dizziness.

Often accompanied by night sweats, hot flushes can last (in extreme cases) for several years after the menopause. ‘It can feel as if you’re roasting from the inside out,’ says reiki therapist Lucinda Peyton-Jones, 60, who tried various tinctures and alternative therapies before (successfully) resorting to HRT treatment in the form of skin patches.

‘Once at a dinner party with friends I had to rip my clothes off literally. It was a nightmare.’ Cutting out alcohol, avoiding caffeine and spicy foods, wearing loose clothing and exercising daily are all thought to help prevent hot flushes. Some women keep small fans on their desks in order to stay cool.

Second is, weight gain, especially around the middle. Typically a menopausal woman might develop a matronly shape with no waist. "The metabolism slows down and this makes it harder to burn fat," says GP Elisa Kajita, who sees a lot of women at this time of life. "That’s why it’s really important to remain active." Even if you’ve always been slim and healthy, you might need to eat less and exercise more just to keep your weight level.

Mood swings. This can take the form of irritability, anxiety and even rage – it’s a bit like having PMT all the time. "I found the mood swings particularly difficult, partly because they have an impact on others," says Lucinda Peyton-Jones. ‘You open your mouth and things just pop out – things you would never dream of saying normally."

Fourth is Joint pain. Typically a woman might feel as if she has arthritis and be very creaky in the morning. "This is due to a drop in oestrogen combined with getting older," says menopause specialist Dr Marilyn Glenville. Again, regular exercise, such as walking, swimming, dancing and cycling, are all thought to help.

Lastly is dry, lacklustre skin. "You lose collagen after the menopause which causes skin to get dry, wrinkled and sagging," says Dr Elisa Kajita."Using a sunscreen is your first line of defence as well as a good-quality anti-ageing cream, ideally containing vitamins A and C." Nutrients are another option. Some women take Omega-3 fish oil supplements to lessen the menopause’s impact.

Medication for the oestrogen deficiency symptoms that can occur around the time of the menopause isn't always needed. Many women find that making simple diet and lifestyle changes relieve their symptoms (see below).

If your menopausal symptoms are more severe and interfere with your day-to-day life, treatment may be recommended.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is one of the main treatments used for the menopause. It helps relieve menopausal symptoms by replacing oestrogen. It's available in many forms including tablets, cream or gel, a skin patch or an implant.

Vaginal lubricants can be used to treat vaginal dryness, and antidepressants are sometimes prescribed for treating hot flushes.

- See more at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/are-you-afraid-you-may-have-hit-early-menopause?#sthash.2dn1oX6E.dpuf