No woman probably needs convincing about how difficult the time leading up to the menopause can be. Problems such as significant hot flashes come to the fore in the peri-menopausal period, but they are not the only complaints faced by patients. Indeed, the pre-menopausal period can be associated with the emergence of mental health problems - often overlooked by the patient and those around her.
Menopause is the last menstrual period in a woman's life. The phenomenon occurs in patients of different ages; statistically, menopause occurs around the age of 50. However, before the patient stops menstruating, she may experience a number of different discomforts associated with the so-called peri-menopausal period. Its length can be up to several (5 to 10) years.
The peri-menopausal period - a time associated with somatic as well as psychological problems
Patients entering the peri-menopausal period may be confronted with numerous problems. Their "culprit" is the changing levels of hormones in the body - particularly the decrease in female oestrogen. Somatic complaints are not infrequently considerable and can significantly interfere with the patient's daily functioning. These can be:
- frequent, sudden hot flashes,
- increased sweating,
- sudden flushing of the face,
- palpitations,
- occurrence of cold chills.
Usually, the intensity of the above complaints is such that women overlook the presence of other discomforts. However, during the peri-menopausal period, the incidence of problems affecting more than just the body increases - hormonal changes also have an impact on the psyche, which patients experience more frequently:
- irritability
- depressive disorders,
- neurotic disorders,
- sleep disorders.
