QUaando a woman begins to have some irregularity of the cycle Well yes approaches 50 years It is as if an alarm bell sounded in her brain that reminds her that something is changing.
Then it is as if it suddenly realized that time has passed and that the time has come to deal with one’s health and often addresses a doctor, most often than not, to the doctor of general medicine.
Is menopause?
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The first question that the woman asks to the doctor is if he has to undergo special exams to understand if menopause is really approaching. In reality, if the age is the right one for the cessation of the cycle, It is not essential to perform exams In order to say that that patient is really in menopause. The same definition considers only the Time between the last menstruation e not necessarily hormonal values.
When do you need to do control exams?
These are instead indispensable in case of absence of the menstrual cycle in younger women Compared to that of physiological menopause, therefore of 50 years. In this case in addition to dose sex hormones that is, estrogen and progesterone, it is useful evaluate the stimulating follicle hormone (FSH) and theluteinizing hormone (LH). These are produced normally by the pituitary and increase in this phase of life, in an attempt to stimulate an ovary that is now without follicles.
What is the examination of the ovarian reserve?
Even more precise for the evaluation of what is called the ovarian reserve (i.e. how many follicles are still present in the ovaries) is the antimullerian hormone. However, it is also fundamental to consider the Functionality of the thyroid and the values of the Prolactin whose alterations can be an indirect cause of the absence of the cycle.
Check vitamin D
If the woman has to undergo a blood sampling it is useful to evaluate too vitamin d values Thus important the preservation of the bone mass in consideration of the fact that from the menopause begins the process of the greatest reabsorption of the bone mass which can then lead to osteoporosis.
How is the lipid structure in menopause?
It is also important to evaluate the lipid structure, that is, the values of cholesterol and triglycerides that with the cessation of estrogen production tend to increase, especially in women with familiarity.
The breast examination, fundamental at least from 45 years old
Very important, if the woman did not do it before, it is Start performing a mammography regularly It is where it is useful, comAnd completion of investigation, also breast ultrasound. In this regard there are also regional screening programs which foresee the execution of the first mammography from 45 years old and include a mammography every two years.
The control of the heart and osteoporosis in menopause
It is also useful to undergo a cardiological control because a period of Increase in cardiovascular risk especially in the presence of risk factors such as the smoke and overweight. In cases, which exist risk factors for osteoporosis, especially familiarity, but also an early menopause or habit of smoking or poor physical activity is also useful to perform the First MOC, preferably in vertebral and femoralin order to have a basal evaluation of the bone mass that allows us to identify patients at risk of developing osteoporosis and therefore control them over time and also set a possible therapy.
Take care of yourself
These are the basic exams but it is obvious that if the patient is for example suffering from pre-existing pathologies to menopause, checks will be needed to his situation. The most important thing, however, is that the advent of menopause is a fundamental moment for the well -being of the woman in which to start taking more care of himself with the adequate lifestyle and with the right and necessary controls.
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