Menopause and climax

What kind of difficulties can appear during the menopausal transition?

Climax or climacteric stage defines the period when a decline in ovarian activity occurs and lasts until after the end of ovarian function. At the same time the menopause happens which literally means the natural cessation, or stopping of the menstrual cycle, and marks the end of fertility.

The climax naturally and usually takes place between the age of 45 and 60. The process may last for a few years but rarely can affect a woman’s life for a decade. The main stages include the premenopause, menopause and postmenopausal periods. If the ovarian activity stops before the patient’s forties, the condition is called premature menopause.

The starting point can be significantly influenced by inner mechanisms (e.g. diseases, special medications, operations, treatments, etc.) and external factors, like daily habits or smoking.

At first the progesterone production of the female body decreases which is followed by the reduction of oestrogen level. The blood concentration of these two hormones get minimized which eventuates the cessation of the ovulation and menstruation.

The climacteric comes with several unpleasant symptoms and causes a lot of changes in the female body function. The most common ones are hot flashes, mood changes, sleep disturbances, hair loss, loss of libido and weight gain.

During the menopause the risk of developing an infection also gets higher. Because of the decreased level of oestrogen, the vaginal mucosa becomes thinner and loses its ability of producing mucus, therefore vaginal dryness occurs. These negative changes eventuates the skin becoming prone to have small injuries and helps bacterial growth. The hormonal imbalance affects the vaginal pH level and makes it less acidic which environmental condition promotes the development of bacterial and fungal infections.

Vaginal dryness may be a sign of atrophy which is really important to diagnose and treat in favor of having a complete, healthy, painless lovelife. Otherwise the condition may increase the risk of infections and affect self-esteem.

During the climacteric period there are several health issues which have an effect on the female intimate parts.

Since our mid-twenties the amount of collagen-, elastin- and hyaluronic acid decreases – these molecules have an important rule in keeping the skin even, firm and soft. Eventually this process peaks during the menopause and is responsible for developing loose, visibly saggy skin all over the body – including the private parts.The labias may become more pigmented with age, getting a darker appearance. The skin dries up and cracks and loses its natural elasticity. A lot of women suffer from the consequences of the size-, shape- and appearance transformation of their labias. The enlargement of the labia minora can make wearing some kind of underwear and bath suits uncomfortable or make doing some exercises (running, cycling, riding a horse) and even sitting painful or unbearable. These activities may irritate or harm the skin of the genitals and have a negative effect on sexual life.

Excess fat over the pubic area is also a common problem which appears as an enlarged, outreaching Venus mound. The condition is caused by an accumulation of adipose tissue and makes usual everyday activities (e.g. dressing up, working out) difficult as a negative consequence.

Beside genetic factors, aging, giving birth and other traumatic events can shape the pelvic floor muscles, and loosen or stretch out the connective tissue layers. Therefore it’s frequent to develop incontinence and problems with sexual health. The sinking and prolapse of the pelvic organs occur because of the weakened pelvic muscles.

Urinary incontinence means an overactive bladder: the sphincter muscle cannot close properly and that causes leaking out urine unintentionally. It’s extremely important to start a treatment as soon as possible because of its adverse effect on life quality and also the increased risk of health problems.

Climax is an unavoidable step in a woman’s life. However the unpleasant symptoms can be successfully eased by having a healthy lifestyle, regular workout sessions and a proper diet. As a supplement, some great techniques have been invented in favor of helping mature women handle hormonal changes.