It is called menopause to the disappearance of the menstrual periods of the woman permanently, because of the arrest of the ovarian cycle. At a certain age of the woman, the average is around 50 years, the ovaries produce less amount of estrogen and progesterone, which are female hormones. After this process the woman can no longer get pregnant. In the case of men this process is called andropause, which is the loss of sexual potency due to the low levels of the testosterone hormone in the body. The menopause process can last several years.

What symptoms does it present?

Menopause has symptoms such as changes in the menstrual cycle, insomnia, vaginal dryness, mood alteration, difficulty concentrating, hot flashes, weight gain, headache and more facial hair, among others. Some of these symptoms require medical treatment. For example, the intake of bioidentical hormones or the follow-up of a diet indicated to reduce the annoying symptoms.

Causes of menopause or why it occurs

Menopause occurs due to the low production of female hormones. Sometimes surgical menopause can occur, which is when a surgical treatment causes a decrease in estrogen. On the other hand, it is important to note that there are certain drugs such as those used for chemotherapy or hormone therapy for breast cancer that can cause menopause.

Can it be prevented?

Menopause is a part of a woman's natural development and can not be prevented. What you can do is take into account certain care to reduce the risk of long-term problems such as osteoporosis and heart disease. It is important not to smoke, exercise regularly, ingest calcium and vitamin D and control blood pressure and cholesterol.

What is the treatment?

The treatment may be a change in lifestyle or hormone therapy. The application of one or the other depends on many factors such as the severity of the symptoms, the general health and the preferences of the patient.