Severe Side Effects of Menopause

Menopause Has Severe Side Effects For Many Women

While most of the side effects go away with time like insomnia, Urinary Tract Infection, Hot Flashes and Vaginal Dryness, Low Sex Drive persists afterwards. On doctor's recommendation, many women today, go for Hormone Replacement therapy or Hormone therapy to get rid of menopausal side effects.

During menopause as well as post-menopause, women become less receptive to sexual activities. They find it difficult to get aroused and are less responsive to touches and strokes. However, each women is different and many women enjoy improved sex drive after menopause. Menopause affetcs sex drive and it is a reality of life, which we should be prepared to embracegracefully. These are the words I would have said if medical science had not advanced. Today, life expectation has increased and women are more clear and confident about their sexuality.

After menopause, many women opt for Hormone Replacement therapy or Hormone therapy. In this article, we will discuss the way menopause affect sex drive in women and how hormone therapies can be of help.

1. Estrogen and Testosterone

These are sex hormones that are responsible for sexual desire. Estrogen is a female hormone mainly produced by the ovaries. Testosterone, primarily a male hormone is also produced in a female body, although relatively lesser than estrogen, by the ovaries and the adrenal glands. Both these hormones help in maintaining the reproductive organs and tissues of the body. The decline in secretion of sex hormones in the body has a remarkable affect on the sexual desire of a woman in the threshold of menopause. The secretion of these hormones can be induced under the guidance of a qualied and specialized medical practitioner through a process called Hormone Replacement therapy or Hormone therapy.

2. Vaginal Dryness

The level of estrogen is related to supply of blood to the vagina. Therefore, when estrogen levels are low, the vaginal lubrication becomes lesser. This causes vaginal dryness which may cause discomfort while having sex. Sexual activities when the vagina is dry may cause irritation, discomfort or pain. Some women also use vaginal moisturizers to keep the vagina moist. Estrogen therapy can also be administered by a medical practitioner which is again a form of Hormone Replacemet Therapy.

3. Sleeping Disorders

Insomnia is very common during menopause. Menopausal women often find it difficult to get sufficient sleep. Due to hormonal changes in the body and medical conditions like hot flashes, falling asleep may not be very easy. Waking up in the
middle of the night and falling asleep again may also be difficult. Sleep deprievation can cause fatigue and
tiredness. In a condition like this, a women can lose interest in sex. It is best to consult a doctor for hormone replacement therapy when sleeping disorders are related to menopause.

4. Bladder Related Issues

The urinary ladder sometimes become uncontrollable during menopause due to the various changes taking place in the body. It is the time when the ovaries stops releasing estrogen which is responsible for a woman's menstrual cycles and keeps a woman fertile. All of a sudden when all these stop working, there is a major shift in the body's behaviour like weak bladder, hot flashes and mood swings, to name a few. During and after menopause, a lining of a woman's urethra (the tube through which urine exits from the bladder) starts getting thinner. In fact, the whole pelvic floor becomes weak. Moreover, the tissues of the vagina also starts losing elasticity. When all these conditions persist, it is natural for a women to desist any sexual urge or desire and in most of the cases, the doctor recommends a hormone therapy.

5. Anxiety or Depression

Depression due to menopause or midlife depression in women is very common. Although the reasons are not very clearly understood, it has been associated with the declining levels of estrogen in the body. Women go through a lot of emotional roller coaster during the perimenopause as well as the menopause phase. Some of the most common symptoms are anxiety, fatigue, mood swings, irritability, aggressiveness, fear, feeling low, difficulty in having focus. When there is anxiety or depression, sex-life may go backstage and arousal and sex drive may be affected. However, this can be managed through relaxation techniques and healthy lifestyle changes. Some women also adopt Hormone Replacement therapies on the recommendation of their doctors.