Menopause

Menopause is often referred too to as the ‘change of life’ because it marks the end of a woman’s reproductive life. Menopause literally means that a woman has had her last (or final) menstrual period.

Most women become menopausal between the ages of 45 and 60 with the average age for Australian and New Zealand women being between 51 years of age.

Each woman will experience her menopause in her own way. Many will have only minor discomfort but others will experience a range of troubling symptoms. These symptoms are commonly short lived but, for some women, will persist for over a decade.

Perimenopause is the time leading up to the last menstrual period and for one year after this. During this time, menstrual cycles often become irregular and you may start to experience symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, muscle and joint aches and pains and breast tenderness.

Irregular periods are one of the first signs of an impending menopause. You may notice your periods may be either more or less frequent but, as menopause approaches, they usually become less and less, while the other symptoms become more prominent. These include hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, muscle and joint pains mood changes, vaginal dryness and discomfort with sex