Menopause is the process a woman goes through that causes her monthly periods to end. This condition is a normal part of the aging process that women undergo, but its associated symptoms can vary greatly from woman to woman. As hormones change to accommodate normal menopausal changes, women may experience a wide range of complications, from hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood changes, insomnia, and changes in sex desire.
The average age for menopause is 51 years, with a typical age range somewhere between 47 and 55 years. Some women experience menopause sooner — before age 45 is considered early menopause, and before age 40 is considered premature menopause. Women who undergo hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus) with removal of the ovaries may experience menopause sooner than they would have naturally. Regardless, any woman who is approaching the middle of life can expect hormonal changes to kick in soon and for the menopause process to start. If symptoms are especially difficult or hard to handle, it can be helpful to seek support from health care professionals.
As women approach mid-life, estrogen levels start to fluctuate and then drop. Most women notice that their periods stop being predictable. They may become shorter, longer, heavier, or lighter than usual, and the spacing between periods may change, until a woman starts to skip her periods altogether. Eventually, they will cease. During menopause, a woman's ovaries stop producing eggs and produce fewer female hormones. When it is over, she can no longer get pregnant naturally.
The symptoms of menopause occur due to the changing hormones the woman experiences. As the hormone levels begin to stabilize and estrogen levels stay consistently low, many symptoms will decrease, and many will disappear altogether. Some, such as a higher risk of heart disease or bone loss, remain a constant through middle age and beyond, as a woman's body adjusts to her new hormone levels. Understanding these symptoms will help you choose the right treatment options as you navigate the changes menopause brings.
Symptoms of menopause will begin when a woman's estrogen levels start changing. The first symptoms many women notice include:
As the process progresses, women will experience additional menopause symptoms.
Pituitary is a pea sized gland situated on undersurface of the brain. It is called queen gland and it controls all other glands.
Pituitary problems can either be due to inadequate secretion of pituitary hormones (hypopituitarism) or due to excessive secretion of pituitary hormones. This excessive secretion is mostly due to pituitary tumours
Hypopituitarism is caused due to inadequate production of one or more Pituitary hormones. The symptoms vary depending on the hormone affected.
e.g. Growth hormone deficiency causes severe short stature in children.
Patients require Pituitary MRI and detailed hormonal blood tests. Lifelong hormone replacement of the deficient hormone is necessary.
Prolactinoma
Prolactin excess causes irregular periods (menses), milky discharge from breasts, infertility in females, loss of libido, decreased body hair growth, infertility in males. These tumours respond well to medical management, but may need surgery, rarely.
Acromegaly
is a condition due to growth hormone excess. Patients have enlargement of hands and feet, coarsening of facial features, joint pains, headaches, visual complaints, hypertension, diabetes and heart problems.
Hormonal evaluation and MRI of brain and pituitary gland are required for diagnosis.
Treatment is in the form of surgery with radiotherapy if needed and medical management.
Cushing’s disease (causes steroid hormone excess)
Patients have rounding of face with puffiness, excessive fat deposition on back (buffalo hump), abdominal obesity, purple stretch marks on abdomen and thighs, muscle weakness, loss of scalp hair, fatigue, Hypertension and Diabetes.
Hormonal evaluation and MRI of brain and Pituitary gland are required for diagnosis.
Treatment is in the form of surgery with radiotherapy if needed and medical management.
Nonfunctioning Pituitary adenomas
Sometimes the Pituitary tumours do not produce hormones but compress the vital brain structures in the vicinity. Patients can have headache, vomiting, double vision, defects in the field of vision.
Hormonal evaluation and MRI of brain and Pituitary gland are required for diagnosis.
Treatment is in the form of surgery with radiotherapy if needed