The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Male Menopause article.
Aging: The process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and environmentally modulated. See the entire definition of Aging
Androgen: A male sex hormone that promotes the development and maintenance of the male sex characteristics. The major androgen is testosterone.
Antidepressant: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression. See the entire definition of Antidepressant
Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread). See the entire definition of Cancer
Depression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts, that affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be wished away. People with a depressive disease cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people with depression. See the entire definition of Depression
Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus share the name "diabetes" because they are both conditions characterized by excessive urination (polyuria). See the entire definition of Diabetes
Diagnosis:1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by diagnosis. The diagnosis is rabies. 3 The identification of any problem. The diagnosis was a plugged IV. See the entire definition of Diagnosis
Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency of accomplishment, usually accompanied by a feeling of weariness and tiredness. Fatigue can be acute and come on suddenly or chronic and persist. See the entire definition of Fatigue
Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activity of certain cells or organs. See the entire definition of Hormone
Hormone therapy: A form of treatment that takes advantage of the fact that certain cancers depend on hormones to grow. Hormone therapy may include giving hormones to the patient or decreasing the level of hormones in the body.
Libido:1. Sexual drive. 2. In psychoanalysis, the psychic energy from all instinctive biological drives. See the entire definition of Libido
Low testosterone: Abnormally low levels of the male sex hormone testosterone in the blood. Testosterone is produced by the testes and to a lesser extent by the adrenal glands. Testosterone encourages the development of male sexual characteristics at puberty, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, drives the production of sperm, and is involved in regulation of muscle mass and sex drive. Testosterone levels are highly regulated by a complex glandular system. Abnormally low testosterone levels can occur due to a number of conditions affecting the glands that regulate and produce this hormone. Symptoms of low testosterone include decreased libido, impotence or erectile dysfunction, breast enlargement, and a lowered sperm count. Low testosterone levels may be treated with hormone therapy.
Male menopause: A controversial concept reflecting the belief that the decline in testosterone levels observed in men as they age causes a clinically significant and potentially treatable set of symptoms, including sexual dysfunction, mood changes, weight gain, fatigue, and other nonspecific symptoms. While testosterone therapy has been recommended to treat men with midlife symptoms of low testosterone levels, the value of male hormone therapy remains controversial because there are few long-term studies about the effects or benefits of testosterone supplementation.
Menopause: The time in a woman's life when menstrual periods permanently stop; it is also called the "change of life." Menopause is the opposite of the menarche. See the entire definition of Menopause
Perimenopause: The time in a woman's life when physiological changes occur that begin the transition to menopause. Menopause is the time when there have been no menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months. A woman can usually tell if she is experiencing symptoms characteristic of the perimenopause because her menstrual periods start changing. See the entire definition of Perimenopause
Prostate: A gland within the male reproductive system that is located just below the bladder. Chestnut shaped, the prostate surrounds the beginning of the urethra, the canal that empties the bladder. See the entire definition of Prostate
Prostate cancer: An uncontrolled (malignant) growth of cells in the prostate gland which is located at the base of the urinary bladder and is responsible for helping control urination as well as forming part of the semen. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death of males in the U.S.
Rule out: A term much used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from consideration. The ACB (albumin cobalt binding) test helps rule out a heart attack in the differential diagnosis of severe chest pain.
Sperm: A sperm is the male "gamete" or sex cell. It combines with the female "gamete," called an ovum, to form a zygote. The formation process is called "fertilization." (see ovum, zygote).
Substance:1. Material with particular features, as a pressor substance. 2. The material that makes up an organ or structure. Also known in medicine as the substantia. 3. A psychoactive drug as, for example, in substance abuse.
Testes: The male sex glands. They are located behind the penis in a pouch of skin called the scrotum. The testes produce and store sperm, and are also the body's main source of male hormones, such as testosterone. These hormones control the development of the reproductive organs and other male characteristics, such as body and facial hair, low voice, and wide shoulders. See the entire definition of Testes
Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages the development of male sexual characteristics, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, and prevents changes in them following castration. Chemically, testosterone is 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one. See the entire definition of Testosterone
Testosterone replacement therapy: The practice of giving testosterone to treat conditions in which the testes do not produce enough testosterone. This may be due to absence, injury, or disease. See the entire definition of Testosterone replacement therapy
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
Hot flashes (or flushing) is the most common symptom experienced by a woman prior to and during the early stages of menopause. Hot flashes can be caused by other conditions. Diagnosis is made by taking a patient history and at times, blood tests. Treatment options include hormone therapy, bioidentical hormone therapy, and medications. There are non-FDA approved natural remedies.
Sexual health information including birth control, impotence, herpes, sexually transmitted diseases, staying healthy, women's sexual health concerns, and men's sexual health concerns. Learn about the most common sexual conditions affecting men and women.
Men's health is an important component to a happy lifestyle and healthy relationships. Eating healthy, exercise, managing stress, and knowing when to have medical tests for a particular age is key to disease prevention in men.
A hot flash (is a feeling of warmth that spreads over the
body that begins, and is most strongly felt, in the head and neck regions. Hot
flashes are a common symptom experienced by women prior to, and during the early
stages of the menopausal transition. However, not all women approaching the
menopause will
develop hot flashes.
What causes hot flashes?
The complex hormonal changes that accompany the aging process, in particular
the declining levels of estrogen as a woman
approaches menopause, are thought to be the underlying cause of hot flashes. A
disorder in thermoregulation (methods the body uses to control and regulate body
temperature) is responsible for the sensation of heat, but the exact way in
which the changing hormone levels affect
thermoregulation is not fully understood.
While hot flashes are considered to be a characteristic symptom of the
menopausal transition, they can a...
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