Identifying Menopause
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Video Description:Some women enter menopause quietly, while others want to know when it's happening. Here's how doctors may identify the change.
Transcript:Unfortunately, the only SURE sign that a woman has entered menopause is that she has gone twelve months without a menstrual period, with no underlying medical reason. Thus, a woman whose menstrual periods have become irregular should start tracking them on a calendar to share with her doctor. Yet many women want more concrete (and quicker) evidence that they are indeed undergoing menopause. There are several tests that may help offer conclusive evidence. During perimenopause, which precedes menopause, the ovaries begin to produce less estrogen, in turn causing the vaginal walls to thin. A simple Pap-like smear will allow a doctor to diagnose vaginal atrophy, which is the thinning and drying out of the vagina. The results, in conjunction with careful menstrual cycle records, may help your doctor to identify menopause. Another test which may help in diagnosing menopause checks levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, or FSH. FSH is a hormone released by the brain’s pituitary gland to trigger estrogen production. During perimenopause, FSH levels will fluctuate widely, as estrogen production cycles up and down. But during menopause, FSH levels become elevated as the body attempts to stimulate the ovaries to produce more estrogen and maintain the menstrual cycle. A doctor can determine how much FSH a woman has with a blood or urine test. Levels above 50 units per liter are usually indicative of menopause, as compared to the 5 to 30 units found in a menstruating woman. Home menopause testing kits are sold in drugs stores. These require a urine sample which also tests FSH levels. No matter where an FSH test is done however, it’s important to remember that the results are just one component of identifying the onset of menopause. This means they only show elevated levels of FSH in the body, and are NOT 100 percent indicative that menopause has begun. To make that diagnosis, a doctor will also need to perform a complete medical history and physical, as well as study a woman’s menstrual records and lab results. As a doctor runs tests to determine menopausal onset, he or she should also look into a woman’s bone density. This is because lack of estrogen contributes to bone-weakening characteristic of osteoporosis. Unfortunately, symptoms of osteoporosis may not develop until bone loss is fairly extensive. For this reason, many doctors will also take bone mineral density tests at the time when menopause is approaching. A bone mineral density test, or DEXA, can quickly measure the amount of calcium in bones, in turn showing a doctor how strong they are. This test can be performed by several methods, including an x-ray or an ultrasound. While menopause can be a challenging time for many women, enlisting the aid of a support system including medical professionals and other women can help. If you have concerns about menopause or its symptoms, please make an appointment with your doctor today.
Category:Women's Health/Menopause
Tags:Health, Medicine, menopause, premenopause, woman, women, menstruate, menstruation, aging, senior, fertility, menstrual, period, estrogen, hormone, fsh, ovaries, ovary, menopausal, sex, hysterectomy, uterus, vagina, diagnosing, pap smear, bone density, women's health, hot flash, night sweat, mood swing, SexHealthGuru, Guru,
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