Menopause: the facts

Every woman will go through the menopause, but each experience of it is different.It doesnt happen at a particular age or last for a fixed period of time,and it can cause a variety of different symptomsboth physical and emotional. The menopause can be an unsettling time in a womans life, while some women go through it with no problems.The menopause is the time when a womans monthly periods stop. It happens because as women age, they slowly run out of eggs. Some scientists believe thishappens to protect women and their children from the dangersof late childbearing.This article covers the female menopause. Here is our information onmale menopause.When will I go through the menopause?The average age that women go through the menopause is 52, but a woman could start to experiencemenopausal symptomsbetween the ages of 45and 55. The symptoms can last two to five years.Medical conditions can cause the menopause to happen much earlier,sometimes in a womans 20s or, in extreme cases, in childhood. This is known aspremature ovarian failure (POF).Menopause symptomsChanges in hormone levels can produce different symptoms. It's estimated thataround two-thirdsof women experience the most common symptoms ofhot flushesandnight sweats. However, some women also report psychological symptoms, includingdepression,tiredness, lack of energy andvaginal dryness, which can be associated withareduced interest in sex.Long-term effects of the menopause includeincreased risk ofosteoporosisandcardiovascular disease.Find outhow to tell if it's the menopause if you take the contraceptive pill.Readwhat to doabouthot flushes.Watch thepersonalexperiencesof women who have gone through the menopause.Osteoporosis after the menopauseBone strength depends on bone tissue densityand structure. Reduced amounts of minerals in the bone and slower production or replacement of bone cells weakens bones.This happens to everybody as they age, but the change is faster in women after the menopause. This is why one in three women over 50hasosteoporosis, compared with only one in12 men.Osteoporosis increases the risk of breaking bones, especially those in the wrist, hip or spine. One in seven British women breaks a hip after the menopause.Because oestrogen is important for healthy bone growth,hormone replacement therapy (HRT)can help to protect a womans bones from osteoporosis whilst she is on treatment.Read how tolook after your bones after the menopause.Heartdisease after the menopauseCardiovascular diseaseis any disease of the heart or blood vessels, including heart attacks and strokes, usually caused by blocked arteries.It is the most common cause of death in women over 60, and there is evidence to suggest that women are more likely to get blocked arteries after the menopause.Read howwomen can look after their heart.Menopause reliefAs well as helping to protect women from osteoporosis, HRTis also good at controlling menopausal symptoms, but itcan slightly increasethe risk of developing conditions such asbreast cancer,deep vein thrombosis (DVT),strokeandheart disease.Changing your dietand doing more exercise can also help with symptoms of the menopause. Find out more inMenopause: five self-help tips.'Male menopause'Some men may developdepression, loss of sex drive,erectile dysfunctionand other physical and emotional symptoms when they reach their late 40s to early 50s. This is sometimes referred to as the "male menopause". However,this term is misleading as, unlike the female menopause,these symptoms are not necessarily hormonal.Find out more about the "male menopause"and how to treat it.