Arthritis Information

June 21st, 2007

Arthritis is a general term which is applied to a number of painful conditions affecting the joints and bones. There are about 100 different types of arthritis.
Arthritis is normally associated with older people, but it can affect people at any age, even children. This is called Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.
There are some forms of arthritis which are inherited, but most are not. Some forms of arthritis show very strong tendencies to be inherited, others show a weak tendency and some based on the available evidence are not inherited.

Arthritis Symptoms

The main symptoms of arthritis are stiffness and pain of particular joints. There may also be some restrictive movement of the affected joints along with some swelling and redness over the joints in a number of cases. The specific symptoms again will depend upon what type of arthritis you’re suffering from although the vast majority of types of arthritis all include problems created by the inflammation and swelling of joints.

Arthritis Causes

The cause of arthritis is not fully known, however, some factors which may contribute to arthritis are obesity and jobs which put repetitive movements of a particular joint. This includes sports people, for example footballers tend to develop arthritis in their knees and ankles as a consequence of injuries sustained to these parts. There is no evidence however, that suggests that physically active people who are not injured through sport have a higher risk of arthritis. Some studies have suggested that gout may sometimes be a contributing factor to causing arthritis.

However, as mentioned earlier, nobody really knows what the exact cause of arthritis is. There are many people around the world though attempting to discover what the cause of arthritis may be.

Arthritis Treatment

Each different form of arthritis may require a different form of treatment and management of the conditions and symptoms of the particular type of arthritis you’re interested in. First of all, you should decide what your type of arthritis is. Once you’ve done that, then you can search for the various treatments.

One thing which is common though across most forms of arthritis, is that early treatment is essential as this will mean that further damage to your joints is reduced and your quality of life is improved.

There will probably be a wide range of medical professionals involved in your treatment. They will probably include your doctor, an arthritis specialist, a physiotherapist amongst many others.

A common theme though all the different kinds of treatment for arthritis though, is to reduce the inflammation and swelling of the joint affected. This can be done via various drugs and/or some kind of physiotherapy.

A number of sufferers of arthritis find the condition so debilitating and painful, that they resort to a joint replacement. A while ago, it was only hips, knees and shoulders that were replaced, however, now, most joints it is possible to replace.

Arthritis Summary

Arthritis is a very painful and debilitating condition which affects many people, and can affect young and old alike. We have some idea as to what causes arthritis but as of yet, we don’t fully understand the causes. As such, it is quite difficult to figure out how to stop people from suffering from this condition. There are a number of treatments available for sufferers which may include various drugs or physiotherapy and even replacement of the joint.

For more information on Arthritis, have a look at this site Arthritis Relief http://www.arthritis-relief.info/

Arthritis pain and natural cure

June 21st, 2007

Ayurveda is used widely to treat Arthritis. According to the Ayurveda, arthritis is caused due to an excess of ama and lack of agni. The reason for this is nothing but poor digestion and a weakened colon. This results in the accumulation of undigested food and also building up of waste matter. Poor digestion in the system allows toxins to accumulate in the body. Along with this the problems with the colon let the toxins to reach the joints.
Therefore, the only way to treat arthritis is by stimulating the digestive fire which is the agni and to reduce the ama.

Ayurveda identifies and distinguishes three categories of arthritis. These categories are corresponding to vata, pitta, and kapha. For treating this condition properly, it is crucial to carefully diagnose which type of arthritis you have.

There are three types of Arthritis according to Ayurveda. These include:

* Vata
* Pitta
* Kapha

Vata

If arthritis is due to vata in your body, your joints will crack and pop. The joint then become dry. they are not swollen if excess vata is not the cause for arthritis.

Pitta

The arthritis which is caused due to Pitta is characterized by inflammation. The joint becomes swollen. The joint also becomes painful even without having any kind of movement. The knee looks red and feels hot to the touch.

Kapha

In kapha-type arthritis, the joint tends to become stiff and swollen. The joint also feels cold and clammy rather than being hot. A little movement in the joint tends to increase the pain than reducing it.

General Treatment of Arthritis

Depending on an individual’s lifestyle, his diet, and his emotional pattern, either vata, pitta, or kapha goes out of balance and this can lead to arthritis. After that, a particular dosha slows down agni which is the digestive fire. This results in the toxic, sticky by-product of insufficient digestion and this is known as ama.

Vata is the main active dosha. Vata brings the ama into the colon. After that, from there it travels through the system. Vata then gets in the bone tissue and in the joints. This gives rise to the stiffness and pain characteristic of arthritis.

Ayurveda tries to remove the ama from the joint. It also mainly attempts to bring it back to the colon and later eliminating it. For being able to do this, we need to keep the colon clean and the best way to determine the kind of arthritis. Once you determine that, you can start remedies which are recommended for the specific type of arthritis. If you do not know which kind of arthritis it is, whether vata, pitta, or kapha arthritis, you can safely take 1 teaspoon of triphala at night. You can take that along with 1/2 to 1 cup warm water.

If you kind of get to know which kind of arthritis it is, you can follow this. Along with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon with warm water, use the following for treatment:

Use Haritaki for vata-type arthritis Use Amalaki for pitta-type arthritis Use Bibbitaki for kapha-type arthritis

Ayurveda suggest general techniques to increase the intensity of the digestive fire which is agni. This is done to burn up the toxins which are posing threat to the body.

Natural Solution: Arthcare Oil – An Anti-inflammatory Herbal massage oil.

Arthcare is an anti-inflammatory herbal oil which not only gives a relief from joint pains but also strengthens the bone tissues, the skeletal and the neuromuscular systems, giving a comfortable movements of joints and muscles.

You can follow some diets, any of the below and start getting treated for arthritis

You can use selected foods and herbs

You can use detoxification diet

Normally, a three- to five-day detoxification diet is prescribed to people having this kind of problem. You can have plenty of vegetables, juices, spices and herbs. These are usually taken during the fast. This food habit lasts till the body shows signs that the digestive fire is really burning strong. Also importantly, these signs include a return of the appetite. These signs also create a feeling of lightness apart from creating a feeling of giving a clear coating to the tongue.

Use of Enemas/ Cleaning Colon

There are enemas and other means of cleaning the colon. These are used very often to help detoxification in the body.

Gemstone Therapy

Use of Ruby, garnet or other “hot” gems which are set in gold are also used for all three kinds of arthritis.

Also there is a use of herbal, medicinal or essential oils to treat arthritis.

Several oils could be applied to the skin. These oils help the body clear toxins. They also help you relieve pain and restore mobility in your legs.

There is an oil names Mahanarayan oil. This oil helps in improving flexibility, stiffness, and muscle fatigue. This oil also removes pain. The oil is mixed with sesame oil and applied to the places where there is pain. This oil also breaks up the blockages. After the oil application, you can take warm heat, yoga, and bath. You can also take a mild exercise as this can further improves this situation.

Narayan oil is another good oil if you have muscle and joint pain. This can also be used for lower body circulation apart from being used for reversing imbalances caused by aging.

Avipattikar churna is used to ingest for rheumatism.

Heat Therapy

In this kind of treatment, the patient will be asked to sit in a sauna. He may also be told to have steam applied directly to the affected areas.

Use of herbs, spices and bitters

There are various herbs, spices and bitters which are being used in Ayurveda. These herbs are often applied externally or they are ingested inside the body. These methods of treatment are believed to cleanse the body. They also do a great deal to relieve pain and stiffness. Some herbs which are used include Mint, ephedra, golden seal, gentian, nirgundi, eucalyptus leaves. Apart from that herbs like prasarini, quassia, coptis, scute, phellodendrom, aloe, guggul, du huo, ligusticum, Siberian ginseng, myrrh, and yucca are also used.

Using all the above methods of treatment, one can successfully treat arthritis. In most cases, the oil used tends to be every effective especially for people in the older age who will not be able to take specific kind of treatments like yoga or exercise to treat arthritis.

By: Dr John Anne

Read more on Arthritis Remedy – http://www.ayurvediccure.com/arthritis.htm through Ayurvedic Medicines, Exercise, and Massage oil. Also know how to get Arthritis Pain Relief through Herbal Treatments.

Learn more on Ayurveda – through World’s Finest Portal on Ayurveda and Herbal Remedies.

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms

June 21st, 2007

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammation of the joints, the surrounding swelling and discomfort is painful. How the body treats this attack to the equalibrium is by attempting to repair the afflicted area, in doing so the surrounding area may have the bone and cartilage disrupted and broken down. Everyone has different results with intervals where the symptoms are less but cruelly return again later as if taunting the sufferer.

Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers waking in the morning often feel joint stiffness for more than an hour. This is one of the first signs that arthritis may be starting. Observing the joints in question should reveal some swelling and tenderness in more than one part of the body. The discomfort may reside to acceptable levels after a while but can come back in periods of inactivity.The early rheumatoid arthritis symptoms do not necessarily have to be confined to the joints of the body. Upon closer inspection of the joint area can reveal small nodules under the skin or even an accumulation of fluids. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause a loss of appetite and body shaking chills, other than the common pain of the joint area.

As time moves on the person afflicted with the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis have times of :
*unusual tiredness
*morning stiffness
*extensive aches and pains
*low stamina

These early rhumatoid arthritis symptoms need to be heeded because if treated quickly the joints permanent ruination may be lessened or at least slow it down to manageable levels. Failure to action these arthritis symptoms early enough will condemn the person to a life of medications, monitored exercise programs, physical therapy or even surgery.

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can greatly reduce the mobility of the person to such an extent where previously accepted lifestyles need to be readdressed. The joint mobility and resulting pain and discomfort should cause the person to follow through with treatment, thus preventing the rheumatoid arthritis from having free reign and causing much more damage than necessary. Seeking out appropriate medications, natural remedies and dietary changes can provide comfort and allow the sufferer to maintain the lifestyle at a standard that they are used to for many years to come.

By: stevo

For further information on this important subject click here http://www.pozzee.com/rheumatoid_arthritis_symptoms.htm to visit our web site

Arthritis home remedy, arthritis cure

June 21st, 2007

Arthritis is inflammation of the joints. It can occur anywhere in the body and, based on that, there are several types of arthritis. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is the common ailment of pain in the joints observed in elderly people. Other common types of arthritic ailments are rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

The word arthritis is derived from two root Greek words – arthros meaning ‘joint’ and itis meaning ‘inflammation’. Hence, arthritis literally translates as inflammation of the joints.

Arthritis is an auto-immune disease, which means, it is a disease in which the human body attacks itself. It begins in one or two joints where an acute pain is felt. This is the most miserable phase of arthritis. Over time, this pain may disappear, but it could cause permanent deformities in the bones and joints.

In all types of arthritis, the following symptoms are observed:

- The initial pains are felt as fleeting pains in the joints, which seem to be no more than a twitching pain.

- Pains alternate between various joints quickly.

- If the arthritis becomes acute, then on a particular day there is very sharp pain in a joint, and it becomes absolutely normal the next day. The next day another joint could be affected in a similar fashion.

- The pains could increase in the winter season or in cold nights.

Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Arthritis

- Alfalfa (Medicago satina)

Alfalfa makes the food residues in the body alkaline, which helps in assimilating them easily into the blood. This is effective in reducing the rheumatoid pains. Tea is made from the seeds of the alfalfa for consumption.

- Castor seeds (Ricinus communis)

The seeds of castor are beneficial in arthritic pains that are of a gouty or rheumatoid nature. The seeds are made into a poultice and applied over the affected joints.

- Celery (Apium graveolens)

The high sodium content of celery is useful in relieving the pains of arthritis. Freshly extracted juice of the celery plant must be taken for the best results.

- Garlic (Allium sativum)

The benefits of garlic in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis are acknowledged all over the world. It relives the pains of arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. There are very little or no side-effects in using garlic as a remedy.

Dietary Treatments for Arthritis

Constipation can aggravate arthritic pains. Hence foods that are difficult to digest must be avoided.

The following foods must be avoided if you have continuous arthritic pains:

- Animal fats

- Fried foods

- Foods rich in carbohydrates like potatoes

- Tomatoes

- Peppers

- Salt

- Sour foods, including curds

Taking five cloves of garlic early morning is a good diet remedy for reducing arthritic pains. Bitter vegetables have also been found to have excellent properties in the treatment of arthritis. These include bitter gourd and bitter drumsticks.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Arthritis

Mahayogaraja Guggulu is the drug of choice in arthritis. Its dosage depends on the climate. In winter season, the dosage is double of what it is in the summer. In summer the dosage is two tablets twice a day. The preferable mode of taking these tablets is on an empty stomach, and they should be taken with milk or warm water.

For bigger joints suffering from arthritis, Brihadvata chintamani is given in a dosage of 250 milligrams twice or thrice a day. If the spine also develops arthritic pains, then the dosage increased for a week; then returned back to normal. For chronic arthritis, Maharasandhi kwatha is prescribed.

Mahanarayana taila is prescribed for external application over the affected joints. The application must be done with a gently massage. In the winter months, the oil must be warmed before application for better results.

Home Medications

Some household remedies are known to provide relief from arthritic pains. The following are some of the more benefiting ones:-

- Applying a paste of limestone and honey on the affected joints externally provides relief.

- Mash some mustard in warm water and apply this solution on the joints. This must be done repeatedly to get results.

- Put two teaspoons of cumin into a glass of water. Bring this to a boil. When the water is still hot, soak a towel in it and foment the affected region with this towel. This will provide relief from the pain within a few hours.

- Asafetida mixed with egg yolk can be applied on the affected joints to seek immediate relief.

- Prepare a pancake from wheat flour. Roast it on one side, but leave it uncooked on the other. Then put some heated mustard oil on the uncooked side. When it is hot, tie it like a tourniquet on the affected joint, or provide fomentation with it. This provides quick relief.

- Mix some cardamom in milk. Put a pinch of turmeric in this milk. This is to be drunk every night while going to sleep. This makes the person sleep peacefully in the morning.

Simple yogic asanas and light exercise helps proper digestion of the body and also protects it from autoimmune problems. Hence, these are beneficial in arthritis.

If you have recurrent pains in the joints, then do not keep the joint covered. As far as possible, keep the joint exposed to the air. For example, if you have pain in the knee joints, then do not wear tight denim clothing; shorts would be a good idea. This will provide freer circulation of blood in the joint and reduce the pains.

By: tom alter

Read More on Arthritis Cure by Ayurveda and Arthritis Home Remedies at www.ayushveda.com. Read more about Ayurveda at World’s Largest Portal on Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Remedies. – The Free Ayurvedic Encyclopedia.

Arthritis symptoms

June 21st, 2007

The main symptoms of arthritis are swelling, stiffness and pain. They are all signs of inflammation of the joints. Other signs are redness of the skin of the joints and the fact that the affected joints feel warmer than the rest of the body. The most common types of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Both these illnesses show the arthritis symptoms as described above and affect and inflame the joints. People who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis will also have to endure fatigue, lack of appetite and being feverish. Rheumatoid arthritis is also well known for attacking other parts of the body other than joints: skin, lungs and heart may be affected.

The two types of arthritis have a different cause, they both attack primarily the joints, but whereas osteoarthrits is caused by the simple fact of wear of the joints through the years (as in older people or in professional athletes), rheumatoid arthritis finds its cause in the body itself. The body’s own immune system goes haywire and attacks its own joints and the tissues surrounding them. Since sometimes the immune system does not stop at the joints alone, rheumatic arthritis can have its detrimental effects on other parts of the body as well.

Treatment Of Arthritis Symptoms

Although we have to live with the fact that there is no cure for arthritis, understanding the reason why these symptoms occur is a major step. Understanding the symptoms means you can tackle them at the root of the problem . This is particularly important in the case of rheumatoid arthritis since a big part of the treatment will focus on reducing the harm, caused by the illness.

In most cases treatment will concentrate on pain management of the arthritis symptoms. This will involve medication for pain management. According to the severity of the pain this medication could be over-the-counter anti-inflammatory products containing ibuprofen ( Advil) or naproxen ( Aleve) or even stronger medication that will have to be prescribed by your doctor.

When you manage to control the pain associated with your arthritis symptoms, it is time to start working on reducing these symptoms. An exercise program is the best way to go about that. Try to create some sort of exercise routine that works on your range of motions as well as on strength and stamina. But first ask your doctor if and what exercises are best for your condition. After that it might even be a good idea to get in touch with a personal trainer, experienced in arthritis patients.

Arthritis symptoms are painful and seem sometimes even unmanageable. It is up to the arthritis sufferers to keep their spirits up and find those treatment options that will reduce the inevitable pain moments associated with arthritis and thus regain their level of activity and quality of life.

By: Frank Rom

F.Rom runs an information site about arthritis and arthritis relief http://www.arthritis-202.com/. You should also stop at: Free Yourself of the Pain, and Live Your Life 150% Better by Banishing Your Arthritis in Just 1 Month!

How to treat arthritis pain

June 21st, 2007

A normal, unaffected joint has cartilage of a certain thickness on the bones. This thickness can vary from one joint to another. The more stress a joint is supposed to take, the thicker the cartilage. In time however some of the cartilage can wear off and in extreme cases the bones themselves rub against each other without any protection from the cartilage. The wear of the cartilage can create other symptoms like oedema, this is swelling of the surrounding tissues of the joint and arthritis pain. The affected joints become less mobile as well. Arthritis is mostly found in older persons since it is mostly an affection that is induced by the wear of the joints through the continuous use.

Sometimes however, in the case of osteoarthritis, even younger adults can be affected. It is most common in individuals who put excessive strain on their joints through high level sport or heavy labor.

How to treat arthritis pain?

Medication is your best bet for the treatment of arthritis pain. Look for medication that controls the swelling of the surrounding tissues and eases the pain that comes with the diminished capacity of shock absorbing from the cartilage. It is important to find an effective medication against the arthritis pain, because you need to keep your joints moving. If any of them is causing you too much pain, you will try to avoid too much movement and that in itself will cause further stiffness and pain.

Effective arthritis pain control keeps yourself active and your muscles firm and flexible.

If you are looking for over-the-counter medication, there is a choice between several medications: be on the lookout for medication that can treat the pain as well as manage and reduce the swelling. Over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or naproxen may very well do the trick for you in keeping the arthritis pain in line. But if you don’t get enough relief from these types of medications, your doctor can prescribe other, even more effective products.

As difficult an illness arthritis is to get around with, arthritis pain does not have to be the burden that prevents you from having a full and active life. As always, the sooner one can intervene, the better and easier the arthritis pain will be manageable. Exercises and medication will help you to keep on top of things. An arthritis diagnosis is not the end of your active life.

By: Frank Rom

F.Rom runs an information site about arthritis and arthritis relief http://www.arthritis-202.com/. You should also stop at: Free Yourself of the Pain, and Live Your Life 150% Better by Banishing Your Arthritis in Just 1 Month!

Early Menopause

June 19th, 2007

The term of early menopause is most often used as a result of others actions that have been taken and that have lead to more serious problem. They are often used as umbrella terms in order to cover for the actions of other disorders or the results of actions like: premature ovarian failure, surgical menopause or even menopause caused by chemotherapy or radiation.

To better put it so that all can understand the term early is used as a consequence to a process that has ended way before it should have. Early menopause in men would be the cases of men that are still in their 20 s, 30 s and even early 40 s.

In the case of menopause the early menopause would be the one that happens before the person reaches the age of 40. in the cases of women, when this premature menopause appears from natural causes and is not the result of surgery, radiation treatment or chemotherapy the term used to better describe it, and that is most often used now would be premature ovarian failure. The basic thing is that the woman’s ovaries have stopped working normally way ahead of the time they should have, this meaning years or even decades.

In women factors that can determine the appearance of the early menopause are very many and wide spread. Premature ovarian failure would actually be the first of them, this being of natural causes. In this condition the periods stop suddenly before the age of 40. menopausal symptoms also appear, most commonly a stop In the periods of the woman. Test that are done are going to be done so in post menopausal levels. Premature ovarian failure may not always mean that the production of eggs has stopped. If so than it’s the case of a POF, if not than the body of the woman, more especially the ovaries, have sopped responding properly to the signals received from the brain.

Surgery or specific cancer treatments can also induce an early menopause in the case of women. If a woman has suffered an ophorectomy than the varies have most certainly been removed. Hysterectomy also involves the removal of the ovaries. Cancer treatments that may cause failure of the ovaries may be chemo or radiation therapy.

Abnormalities may appear during life that involve the process of ovulating, having periods and any other related processes. If the woman is still ovulating and if checked shows that It has normal levels of estrogen n her blood, but is esperiencing symptoms similar to those of menopause, it could be said she has an early menopause or a perimenopause.

By: Groshan Fabiola

For more resources about menopause or about menopause products please review www.menopause-info-guide.com/menopause-products.htm

Two Kinds Of Menopause

June 19th, 2007

The female periods and after a certain age the female menopause have been known to exist for centuries now. It was a natural way of being. But only recently, with the help of technology and modern medicine, did we discover that men also have something similar to the female menopause, very much alike in symptoms and side effects as in women. It not long now since we’ve started to really understand the way this male menopause woks, to know its actions and the way it affects the male body and mind.

A lot of questions had to be answered in order to make a compleat and accurate image of this male menopause. The studying of this fact was actually done in total confusion and controversy because it was considered that unlike the women, who had to go through the middle life crises and put up with all the ravages that the lack of estrogen had to offer, the man was considered ageless from this point of view boasting with virility al the way till very old age.

Unfortunate for us the myth that the man was anytime, `as-many-times-as-you-want’ sex machine was kind of busted. This is actually only true for the ages of until 25. the truth is that with the aging the urges reduce, the time to pop up increases and even the anytime part becomes some times actually. The erection may not be the same as it was in youth and even the ejaculation has to suffer. The time between erections also increases.

It has been found out that yes men go through this mid-life crisis as well, a time, when because of the stability that life has reached poses an actual problem. The struggle of life is no longer there to show the man that he is living and most important feeling alive. The fact that the man realizes this only makes it even worse sometimes triggering the crisis or in some cases aggravating it. This mid-life period most super em poses on a lot of things like parental change, the kids reaching the teen times or even going away from home, shifts in career , being sometimes replaced by younger men with more potential, or even marriage problems. The results after such a long period of struggling may sometimes be not enough to say that it was all worth it. On top of all this the fact of physical aging also becomes apparent, the individual not having such an athletic life anymore, signs of disabilities appearing along side normal aging signs like beer belly and wrinkling in the face. The fact that the person will re
ach a point in their life where death is going to start being a problem start to become more and more realistic.

In the case of males menopause has been found out to be more of a psychical problem than physical. Lack of testosterone has also been noticed to affect at a physical level but problems or complications are not as many as in the cases of women.

By: Groshan Fabiola

For more resources about menopause or about early menopause symptoms please review www.menopause-info-guide.com/early-menopause-symptoms.htm

Menopause and complications

June 19th, 2007

Usually one in some 100 women will experience ovarian failure before the age of 40. A chilling fact is that a lot of them have complications because of this and some half of million women in the United States must have hysterectomies. Other severe complications would involve the compleat removal of both ovaries.

Complications will most often appear in women that are experiencing an earlier menopause than it should be. The natural way, meaning the right way that it should be, usually involves the estrogen level dropping easily during the time of 2 to 10 years. In the case of surgically induced menopause the estrogen level suffers a sudden drop, fact witch can lead to complications in that particular woman.

Vasomotor symptoms are not that often and not to big in intensity in the case of general older women that are going through menopause the natural way. Its progression is rather smooth with the usual case of a bad month followed by some good month with out pain or other strange symptoms. On the other hand, severe reactions may be felt by more younger patients the effects also being more drastic. Practice done by certain doctors have shown that surgically menopausal women are very predisposed to suffer from vasomotor symptoms, reactions being very severe and spacing over a period of over 8 years. Natural menopausal women seemed to have almost none of those severe symptoms with the exception of some hot flashes. Nature has its more milder ways of getting women trough this harsh times, and although complications do appear they are rarely severe and usually go away in maximum 2 years.

Because of nasty side effects immediately after the surgery caused by bilateral oophorectomy, patients may not be able to take the medication orally, especially the estrogen pills. For this reason patches that have the same role have been developed. The advantage of these patches is that they release the estrogen gradually in the blood stream over the period of days, thus balancing levels in the body.

Patches deliver estradiol by being placed on the lower abdomen (estradiol being the primary hormone produced by the female ovaries). Modern development has made it smaller than it was and also more resistant to daily activities like showers or changing clothes. They have even gone so far as to make it swim proof, thus the fact that it has to be changed only twice a week. It is very useful against symptoms caused by an estrogen crash.

As in all other diseases and illnesses exceptions do exist, this way women that have complications are not advised to use estrogens. Side effects may be very severe.

By: Groshan Fabiola

For more resources about menopause or about menopause symptoms please review www.menopause-info-guide.com/menopause-symptoms.htm

Menopause – symptoms and treatment advice

June 19th, 2007

Menopause is the border that appears in a woman’s life between the reproductive part and the non-reproductive part. Usually, this transition appears around the age of 50 but it is never exact. For some women, the change can come earlier while for others can come later. It depends on the biological clock of every woman.

Perimenopause is the part of a woman’s life ranging 2-8 years before the actual menopause, caused by the beginning of hormone levels to change going up and down, creating fluctuations in the menstrual cycles. This stage usually appears in a woman’s life between the ages of 40 and 50. The menstrual changes may appear in some cases in the late 30’s once the hormones levels start dropping and the fertility naturally declines, while for others, those signs appear only in the late 40’s.

Post menopause represents the part of life that starts one year after the last menstrual period, when the hormones levels remain low and stop fluctuating, and symptoms usually subside. From this point on, a woman can enjoy a life free of menstrual bleeding and birth control concerns.

Causes of menopause
Together with body aging, the egg supply of a woman ages too. So the ovulations are rarer, causing variations in the hormones production. Eventually, there won’t be enough progesterone and estrogens in the body for the menstruation, so it will stop. This is the natural cause for menopause.

Menopause may also have unnatural causes like: oophorectomy (surgical removal of the ovaries), radiation therapy in the abdominal area or chemotherapy.

The symptoms of menopause
Along with the perimenopause, irregular menstrual cycles appear and can cause heavy menstrual bleeding. Among the symptoms of the menopause we encounter hot flashes, insomnia, cloudy thinking, headaches, heart palpitations, mood swings, irritability, depression, and anxiety. The symptoms may appear even before the menopause and last a while after the transition is completed. Also the symptoms do not appear to all women with the same intensity, for some women it may be a difficult challenge while others can pass through it without noticing many changes.

Most of the symptoms of the menopause are caused by the variation of the hormones released in the body or by their low levels. Yet, if the main cause is the fluctuation, the symptoms will improve or disappear after the settlement of the levels. In some cases the symptoms like hot flashes can last a longer time after the menopause is reached. If the symptoms are caused by the lack of the needed quantity of hormones, as in the case of vaginal dryness, they can be easily treated.

The recognition of the actual stages of the menopause

The perimenopause and menopause don’t need tests to be recognized. A woman and her doctor can tell when the perimenopause has begun by the variation of the physical and emotional symptoms and the irregularity of the menstrual cycles.

Women aging around 40 years are most probably at perimenopause if there are variations of the menstrual cycles, and irregular bleedings. Yet, a specialist should be consulted because in some cases there is the possibility for those symptoms to caused by other factors as pregnancy complications or infections.

If the menstruation has been missing for one year, a woman has reached menopause.

Is treatment required?
Because menopause is a natural process encountered in every woman, it doesn’t require medication. The consequences of the menopause, as well as those of aging, will affect a woman’s body and will make necessary some slight changes in the lifestyle, like: changing the diet into a more appropriate one – healthier – make physical and mental exercises on a regular basis, reduce the factors of stress, reduce caffeine, alcohol and tobacco use.

If a woman considers that a lifestyle change is not enough help for relieving the menopause symptoms, she can turn to therapy: hormone therapy, hormone replace therapy, blood pressure medicine, antidepressants or alternative supplements. In this case, it is best for every woman that turns to this kind of treatments that there are always possible risks and side effects. Therapies based on hormones can cause health problems like cancer, heart conditions or blood pressure. The chances for a woman on therapy to develop complications are not known and cannot be found out from statistics. Before starting a treatment, any woman must consult a specialist.

By: Ruben Knisely -

Learn about menopause symptoms – http://www.continuewithmenopause.com/menopause_symptoms.htm the available menopause treatment and Menopause in general.