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Menopause

Menopause is the time in a woman's life when menstrual periods permanently stop, also called the "change of life." Menopause symptoms and signs include hot flashes, night sweats, irregular vaginal bleeding, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, urinary incontinence, weight gain, and emotional symptoms such as mood swings. Treatment of menopausal symptoms varies and should be discussed with your physician.

PMS vs. Pregnancy: Differences and Similarities

Many women have difficulty figuring out if they are pregnant, have PMS, or are about to start their period. The most common signs and symptoms of early pregnancy, PMS, and the start of your period include mood swings, back pain, increased urination, and tender breasts. These three conditions also share other similar signs and symptoms, but there are unique differences between each. Moreover, there are symptoms that only occur if you are pregnant. Early pregnancy symptoms, PMS, and the start of the menstrual period all have common signs and symptoms like mood swings, back pain, and breast pain. Symptoms and signs between the three conditions that may seem similar, but are slightly different include the following: Pelvic or abdominal cramping before or during your menstrual period is normal; however, the cramping of early pregnancy is mild. If you are pregnant, nausea and vomiting, or morning sickness, is common. They are not common symptoms of PMS. Fatigue is common in both, but PMS usually goes away once your period begins. Food cravings or aversions to certain foods are common in both pregnancy and PMS, but if you are pregnant, the cravings or aversions to foods are more specific and intense. You may have spotting or bleeding if you are pregnant or suffering from PMS. When the embryo inserts itself into the uterus (implantation bleeding), you may mistake it as your menstrual period. However, implantation bleeding is much lighter (not enough to soak a pad or tampon) than the heaving bleeding experienced at the beginning of your period. Signs and symptoms that you may have only if you are pregnant include, implantation cramping and bleeding, a white, milky vaginal discharge, and your areolas or nipples darken. The only way to find out if you are pregnant is with a pregnancy test. Home pregnancy test kits are available without a prescription at pharmacies and most grocery stores. Contact a doctor or other health care professional if you think you may be pregnant.

Sex and Menopause

Perimenopause

Perimenopause is the time in a woman's life when she is approaching menopause. During this time a woman starts to develop symptoms of declining estrogen levels that may include mood swings, painful sex, night sweats, hot flashes, and weight gain. Every adult woman eventually will experience perimenopause.

Does Sex Drive Return After Menopause?

Menopause is defined as when you haven't had your periods for 12 consecutive months. You should accept the fact that it is normal to experience changes in sexual desire after menopause.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a combination of physical and emotional disturbances that occur after a woman ovulates and ends with menstruation. Common PMS symptoms include; depression, irritability, crying, oversensitivity, and mood swings. For some women, PMS symptoms can be controlled with natural and home remedies, medications, and lifestyle changes such as exercise, nutrition, and a family and friend support system.

What Are the 40 Symptoms of Menopause?

Menopause is the end of the reproductive era of a woman's life that is characterized by drastic changes in her emotional and physical aspects. Studies have identified around 40 signs and symptoms of menopause, but not every woman gets all of them.

Menstrual Cramps and PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) Treatment

Menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms include abdominal cramping, bloating, a feeling of fullness, abdominal pain, mood swings, anxiety and more. Treatment for menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms include regular sleep, exercise, smoking cessation, diet changes, and OTC or prescription medication depending on the severity of the condition.

Premature Menopause

Premature menopause is when menopause occurs in a woman before the age of 40. Causes of premature menopause include premature ovarian failure, treatments for cancer and other conditions, surgical removal of the ovaries, chronic diseases of the pituitary or thyroid gland, or psychiatric disorders. Treatment is directed at menopausal symptoms.

Amenorrhea

Amenorrhea (including hypothalmic amenorrhea) is a condition in which there is an absence of menstrual periods in a woman. There are two types of amenorrhea: primary and secondary. Treatment of amenorrhea depends on the type. In primary, surgery may be an option and in secondary amenorrhea medication or lifestyle changes may be treatment options. We go over the definition of amenorrhea, causes, and treatment options for amenorrhea.

What Is the Best Natural Remedy for PMS?

PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, is a variety of physical and mental symptoms that women get during a menstrual cycle. The best natural remedies for PMS are vitex, gingko biloba, calcium, and St. John's wort.

Can Infertility Be Cured?

Depending on the cause of infertility, it can be cured through various fertility treatments, including therapies, medications, IUI or IVF procedures, and more.

Male Menopause

Male menopause refers to the decline in testosterone production in men. As men age, they often experience many of the same symptoms that women experience in menopause. Testosterone replacement therapy may relieve some of these symptoms.

What Menopause Does to Your Brain

Menopause is a time when you transition from one phase of your life to the next. This change will happen physically as well as mentally. In fact, your brain will undergo significant changes throughout the process of menopause.

Is Male Infertility Permanent?

Male fertility is not necessarily permanent, and whether it is treatable depends on the underlying cause. However, one-third of male infertility cases have no known cause.

Will Joint Pain From Menopause Go Away?

Whether joint pain from menopause will go away depends on whether the joint pain is purely due to hormonal changes seen in menopause or due to other associated factors.

15 Things Women Should Know About Menopause

Menopause is a phase in a woman's life that challenges her physically and emotionally. Many women deal with menopause without any medical treatments, whereas some women with severe symptoms require therapies.

What Are the Signs of Male Menopause?

Andropause is a term that refers to the symptoms and signs that men get when going through male menopause.

Why Is Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Common?

Most postmenopausal women are diagnosed with breast cancer due to weakening immune systems and the cumulative amount of exposure to estrogen over the years.

What Are the Top 4 Causes of Male Infertility?

Infertility is a condition where a heterosexual couple cannot conceive a baby after having unprotected sexual intercourse for six to twelve months. The top four causes of male infertility are sperm disorders, physical issues, genetic disorders and gender transition.

Sex and Menopause

Menopause is often associated with a change in sexual functioning. Loss of estrogen, bladder control issues, anxiety, stress, health concerns, medications, and sleep disturbances often result in a decrease in libido. Though there are currently no good drugs for treating sexual problems in women, there are ways to increase intimacy with a partner and treat vaginal dryness.

What Can Cause Amenorrhea Other Than Pregnancy?

Amenorrhea is a common issue that affects some women even when they're not pregnant. Learn the signs of amenorrhea, what causes amenorrhea, how doctors diagnose amenorrhea, and what you can do to address amenorrhea.

How Do You Treat Amenorrhea?

Amenorrhea is a medical condition where an adolescent girl or woman stops having their period for three months or longer. Learn more about amenorrhea, its causes, and common treatments.

How Does a Man Deal With Menopause?

Many men do not fully understand menopause or feel comfortable talking about it. Learn about five ways men can help their partners deal with menopause.

What Is the Main Cause of Infertility?

Causes of infertility include age, ovulatory disorders, and abnormal sperm production or function. Learn about the main causes in both men and women.

What Is the First Treatment for Infertility?

Infertility is defined as being unable to get pregnant after 12 months of regular, unprotected sex. The first treatment for infertility depends on the cause, but it’s often medications to help stimulate ovulation and balance hormones.

What Is the Main Cause of Dysmenorrhea?

Dysmenorrhea or menstrual cramps occur when the uterus contracts strongly during menstruation. The contraction of the uterus aids to expel its lining (endometrium) and clots out through the vaginal opening. Prostaglandin is the chemical responsible for the contraction of the uterus.

Can Male Infertility Be Treated?

There are treatments for some types of male infertility and lifestyle changes that may improve your chances of conceiving.

Does Menopause Make You More Sensitive to Pain?

Menopause can make you more sensitive to pain due to hormonal fluctuations, especially changes in estrogen levels. Here are 12 ways to manage pain during menopause.

Sexual Side Effects of Menopause

Menopause marks the end of the reproductive era in a woman's life. Some women view it positively as periods no longer trouble them and there is no chance of getting pregnant even with unprotected sex. However, as estrogen and testosterone levels take a plunge during menopause, some women experience the sexual side effects of menopause.

What Are the Signs of Starting Menopause?

Learn the five signs that may indicate a woman is starting menopause.

What Are the 5 Causes of Female Infertility?

Around one-third of infertility cases are caused by female infertility and it affects about 10 percent of all women. Check out the center below for more medical references on infertility, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.

What Can Cause Infertility in a Woman?

Infertility affects approximately 10%-15% of reproductive-aged couples. Cause of infertility could be due to issues in one or both partners. In about one-third of infertile couples, the issue is with the male partner, whereas in a third of the couples, there is an issue with the women.

Does Stress Cause Infertility?

Although unlikely to be the sole cause of infertility, stress and anxiety can make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant.

How to Manage Menopause Symptoms After Breast Cancer

Breast cancer treatment can cause menopausal symptoms due to the way certain therapies affect the ovaries. Learn about how you can find relief.

What Are Common Causes of Infertility?

Infertility can affect both men and women, and various causes can lead to the condition. Learn about what causes infertility in both men and women.

Causes of Infertility in a Woman

Infertility is a common problem in the United States, with about 10% of women aged 15-44 years facing difficulty in conceiving or bearing a child.

Can Early Menopause Cause Breast Cancer?

Early menopause does not cause breast cancer. An increasing age, and not menopause, can increase your breast cancer risk.

How Common Is Male Infertility?

In at least 50% of infertility cases, a male factor is a contributing cause. This indicates that about 10% of males trying to conceive suffer from male infertility.