What is Menopause?
Menopause is a natural process in which periods stop due to lower hormone levels. Menopause occurs over time and the period leading up to menopause is called perimenopause. These hormone changes throughout menopause cause symptoms such as night sweats, mood changes and hot flashes as well as brain fog which affects how you think, remember and concentrate.
However, despite menopause being a natural biological process, there is not enough awareness among the general public. At some stage in their lives, people who have periods will undergo menopause yet no two menopause experiences are the same as whilst some may go through extreme symptoms others may go through menopause without any major effects.
Additionally, menopause does not only occur in older women. For some, menopause can occur as a result of treatments for conditions like cancer or due to primary ovarian insufficiency - which is any form of menopause under the age of 40.
Treatments for Menopause
During menopause, the levels of the hormone oestrogen begin to fluctuate and drop.
Oestrogen is an extremely important hormone with roles in regulating menstrual cycles, contributing to bone strength and influencing skin temperature. In order to stabilise falling oestrogen levels hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be used as a treatment. HRT can help with the menopausal transition as well as preventing bone loss and fractures. Fortunately, HRT prescriptions have increased since 2015-16 with there being many different forms of HRT which is important in order to find the best suited treatment as menopause varies from person to person due to different symptoms.
However, hormone replacement therapy comes with risks. For example side effects of taking HRT include headaches, stomach pain, and vaginal bleeding. Other treatment options for HRT include talking therapy which is known as CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy).
Why is increased awareness of menopause important?
Close to 4 million women aged 45 to 55 are employed in the workplace in the UK and women over 50 are beginning to represent a significant and growing percentage of the workplace and therefore there are few workplaces where menopause is not being experienced by workers. As a result, menopause is an essential factor when supporting the recruitment and retention of older women in the workplace.
The Menopause Charity is working towards educating more people about menopause as well as improving women’s and healthcare professionals’ understanding of menopause. Speaking about menopause should not be a taboo and everyone should have equal access to treatment and support. By increasing education, there can be less suffering as people are made more aware about treatments that they can receive without having to suffer in silence.
Written by Aaliyah
Moderated by Adelene
References
Cleveland Clinic. (2024). Brain fog: Why your mind feels like it’s buffering. [online] Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/brain-fog. GOV.UK. (2024). Shattering the Silence about Menopause: 12-Month Progress Report. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shattering-the-silence-about-menopause-12-month-progress-report/shattering-the-silence-about-menopause-12-month-progress-report. Hormone replacement therapy and menopause: What you need to know about HRT. (2022). BBC News. [online] 7 Sep. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-62336456. NHS (2022). Menopause - Things you can do. [online] nhs.uk. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/things-you-can-do/. The Menopause Charity. (n.d.). About The Menopause Charity - Ambassadors, Supporters & Trustees. [online] Available at: https://www.themenopausecharity.org/about-the-menopause-charity/.
