ทำอย่างไรดี? เมื่อมี “อาการวัยทอง”

&#8220;Menopause&#8221; is an unpleasant term that no one wants to hear, and if given a choice, no one would want to experience this phase in their life. However, no matter what, we cannot avoid menopause. Therefore, getting to know menopause and preparing to cope with it well is the best way to help make this period a happy time with the strongest possible physical and mental health. For those who want to know what menopause really is, how important it is to our lives, and how to cope with it, this article has the answers!
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<h2>What is menopause? At what age does menopause begin?</h2>
Menopause is the stage when the body&#8217;s sex hormones decrease, especially in women, where the decline is very rapid, causing quite clear and severe menopausal symptoms. Menopausal symptoms can occur in both women and men. For women, it usually happens about one year after their last menstrual period. On average, this occurs around the age of 45-50 years and onwards.
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For men, menopause typically begins around the age of 50-55 years, which is later than in women. This is because the decrease in sex hormones in men happens gradually, so the symptoms are not as clear or severe as those in women.
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<h2>What symptoms indicate menopause?</h2>
The symptoms of menopause are influenced by the rapid decline of sex hormones, with women showing more prominent symptoms than men. The signs that indicate menopause is approaching include:
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<li>Hot flashes – a sudden feeling of heat spreading throughout the body. Medically, this is called “Vasomotor Symptom.” It mostly occurs around the chest, middle back, and face, sometimes accompanied by sweating. The symptoms last for a short time and can happen during both day and night.</li>
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<li>Frequent waking at night – waking up feeling hot even though the environment is cool, such as sleeping with air conditioning on, but still feeling hot and sweating. This leads to problems with insomnia and restless sleep throughout the night.</li>
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<li>Mood swings more than usual – this can manifest in two ways: irritability and quick temper, or depression, loneliness, boredom, feeling life is meaningless, and reluctance to socialize.</li>
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<li>Other symptoms from decreased sex hormones include thinning bones, dry skin, hair loss, vaginal dryness causing pain during intercourse, or in some cases, vaginal dryness leading to burning and itching sensations.</li>
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<h2>How to treat severe menopausal symptoms?</h2>
Since menopause is not a disease but a stage everyone must go through, and all symptoms result from decreased sex hormones, treatment focuses on &#8220;symptom management.&#8221; Treatment can be divided into two main types: &#8220;hormone therapy&#8221; and &#8220;non-hormonal therapy,&#8221; detailed as follows.
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<h2>Non-hormonal treatment for menopausal symptoms</h2>
Initially, doctors use &#8220;psychotherapy counseling&#8221; to address problems in patients with insomnia, allowing them to express worries or stress from mood swings and insomnia caused by menopause. If this is ineffective, vitamins and amino acids may be considered to help improve sleep quality, calm the mind, and reduce irritability. For patients experiencing hot flashes, doctors may consider &#8220;herbal medicines with proper FDA registration,&#8221; which can help alleviate hot flashes. However, even herbal treatments must be used as prescribed by a doctor due to potential effects on the liver and other body systems.
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Additionally, doctors will advise patients to &#8220;change behaviors&#8221; alongside treatment, such as practicing good sleep hygiene by creating a conducive sleep environment and preparing for bed at least one hour before sleeping by avoiding mobile phone use and other non-sleep activities in bed, to improve sleep quality.
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<h2>Hormonal treatment for menopausal symptoms</h2>
Generally, doctors do not choose hormone therapy as the first option because excessive hormone use may increase the risk of tumors in women and raise the chance of blood clots. However, if a patient has severe menopausal symptoms and non-hormonal treatments for about 2-3 months are ineffective, doctors may opt for hormone therapy.
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Nevertheless, before starting hormone therapy, screening for breast cancer, tumors, and ultrasound examinations of the abdomen and ovaries must be done to assess the risk of hormone use.
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<h2>How to prepare before menopause arrives?</h2>
Since menopause is a stage where sex hormones significantly decrease, causing various body systems to function less efficiently, it is recommended to consult a doctor before entering menopause. This allows for discussion, consultation, and understanding of what to expect during menopause, the symptoms, and how to take care of oneself to pass through this stage happily. Especially for women, before their periods stop permanently or during irregular menstruation occurring every 2-3 months in their late 40s, this is a warning sign that menopause is approaching.
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Therefore, this period is ideal for consulting a doctor to prepare knowledge, readiness, and physical fitness to be as strong and complete as possible. When menopause truly arrives, a well-prepared body will experience less severe symptoms, leading to a better quality of life and greater happiness.
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Although we cannot avoid menopause, it does not last forever, typically only about 3-5 years. If we take good and appropriate care of ourselves, the bothersome menopausal symptoms will gradually disappear. Having good knowledge about menopause and being well-prepared is crucial to avoid suffering from severe menopausal symptoms and to reduce the risk of complications.

Rapidly changing sex hormones cause menopausal symptoms without realizing it. Let's get to know menopause today to handle it properly when it arrives.

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