Monday, 11 November 2013

Vasomotor Problems - Hot Flushes

Vasomotor Problems - Hot Flushes

The most common symptoms of menopause are hot flushes and night sweats. These symptoms occur in majority of women. Wh
at are hot flushes? When do they occur ? Know answer to these common questions.





What are hot flushes

Hot flushes are well recognized as the most characteristic manifestation of menopause. The hot flushes and night sweats of vasomotor instability occur in some 75% of women. They may be more abrupt and more severe in women whose menopause is induced suddenly, by surgery or radiotherapy. In most women, these flushes persist for more than a year, and in 25% of cases they may still be present after 5 years.


When and where do hot flushes occur

Hot flushes may occur at any time of day or night and can be precipitated by a variety of common situations such as sleeping, working, recreation, housework or stress. Flushes usually begin in the face, neck, head or chest. Hot flushes may be associated with episodes of sweating, elevation of skin temperature, irritability, lethargy, insomnia and chronic tiredness. Successful treatment of hot flushes will usually relieve associated symptoms of exhaustion and depression. 


Vaginal Changes

Estrogen is the main female hormone, responsible for all reproductive functions. Menopause is due to estrogen deficiency. This deficiency brings about a lot of changes in sexual organs. Vaginal tissues become thinner and lubrication decreases, thus making intercourse painful.

Is menopause responsible for atrophic changes affecting sexual organs

Estrogen deficiency as a result of menopause leads to atrophic changes and reduced blood flow in the genital tract and urethra. This relative ischaemia is related to the atrophic changes, which occur in the genital tract such as thin skin, sparse hair, and vagina shortening and diminished vaginal and cervical secretion. The consequences of these changes are increasing dyspareunia and apareunia, genital tract trauma, loss of libido, voiding difficulties, painful urination, increased urinary frequency, urgency and incontinence.


How can I combat vaginal infections resulting from menopause

Vaginal tissues become thinner with menopause and therefore become more susceptible to irritation and infections.  Vaginal lubrication could also decrease considerably, making  quite painful.  In this case, the use of water-soluble vaginal lubricants could help mitigate this problem.  Estrogen treatment (through Hormone Replacement Therapy) could also reverse vaginal atrophy.


Muscle & Joint Pains, Hair & Skin Changes

Menopause manifests itself in form of different symptoms. Some women may have frequent muscle and joint pain. Other complaints of menopausal women are dry skin, brittle nails and loss of hair. These changes are due to loss of collagen.

Are muscle and joint pain also due to menopause

Frequent muscle and joint pain may also have the same etiology. The role of collagen loss from the bone matrix in the etiology of postmenopausal osteoporosis may be of fundamental importance.  Many women complain of pain in the joints, especially in the knees around the time of menopause.


Does menopause also affect skin, nails and hair

Women often complain of thin dry skin, brittle nails and loss of hair following menopause. It is wrong to assume that these observations are merely manifestations of female vanity because these subjective changes actually occur due to generalized loss of collagen. This loss of connective tissue is responsible for causing thin translucent inelastic skin in the older woman. 



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