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The Relationships of Common Diseases and Menopause

There is no question that menopause certainly does cause a change of life for women. It does bring with it some new challenges that have to be dealt with. What these challenges are will vary from one woman to another.  It is suspected that some menopausal women may be at risk for some diseases. As a woman who is going to deal with menopause or already is, you need to be aware of what some of these are.

Looking at High Risk Realistically

A lot of women have different fears when it comes to menopause. One of these is being put at higher risk for some types of diseases. It is normal to fear disease. There are times where the potential risk increase in menopause is over-played. It has to be remembered that menopause and age are related to each other. It is commonly accepted that when people age they are more at risk for some diseases. What this means is making sure that extra precautions are put in place.

 Heart Disease and Menopause

It is generally accepted that anyone who is aging is facing an increased risk of heart disease. Once a woman enters menopause, research indicates heart disease symptoms may be more prominent. It has to be made clear that menopause in itself does not cause heart disease. It can make a woman more high risk. At the same time, the lifestyle that a woman is living during menopause can also contribute to this. For example, it is well documented that those that consume a high-fat diet, or smoke are putting themselves at a greater risk.

Data shows a rise in heart attacks in women ten years after menopause. This is making expert concerned about an increased risk of heart disease, for these women.

Why Does This Risk Occur?

Researchers still don’t have all the answers as to why menopause can create a greater risk for heart disease. They have some studies that they can rely on to determine this. They also rely on other factors that they are aware of which has led them to educated conclusions.

It has been proven that estrogen levels drop in postmenopausal women.  The inner walls of the arteries may be kept flexible by estrogen. The flexibility allows the blood to flow easier.Many experts believe this. Based on this, it is felt that the drop in estrogen may mean that the artery walls may lose some of their flexibility. This is one concept concerning the higher risks of heart disease in menopausal women. It is also believed that there are more factors that play into this that have not been discovered yet.

Body Changes May Be Contributing Factors

It is also well noted that other physical changes take place in the body during menopause. An increase in bad cholesterol and a decrease in good cholesterol could occur. It has also been documented that blood pressure can tend to rise during menopause.

Autoimmune disease

Autoimmune disease is a big topic. There are many categories of disease that come under this heading.

What Is Autoimmune Disease?

Autoimmune disease is a collective name that encompasses 80+ diseases. These can be categorized as serious and chronic disorders. These diseases can affect the majority of the organs found in the body. It is most commonly known to include diseases of the….

• Connective tissues
• Blood
• Blood vessels
• Gastrointestinal
• Endocrine system
• Nervous system
• Skin

These pertain to different systems of the body. The autoimmune disease affecting these systems all have one thing in common. The immune system has reversed its role of protecting the organs. Now it is attacking them.

Why is This Happening?

There is still a great deal that is not known about this disease in general. It is indicated that it affects women more than men. It is estimated that about 75% of this disease occurs in women. It has been determined that some of the individual autoimmune diseases surface after menopause. Some women have been diagnosed with some diseases that improve during pregnancy.  Then these can flare up once again after the baby is born. Reports show that some of the other types of the diseases get worse after pregnancy.  These situations are leading researchers to think that autoimmune disease is related to hormones. Based on this, it is believed that some of the autoimmune diseases could be related in some way to menopause.

Thyroid disease

It is not distinctly proven that menopause can cause thyroid disease. There is no proof that thyroid disease occurs more readily in menopausal women. It has been proven that thyroid disease symptoms can be mistaken for menopause symptoms.

When this happens the thyroid disease goes undetected and can go untreated. This can be distressing for the menopausal woman dealing with thyroid disease.

One in every twelve women by the age of fifty will be dealing with hypothyroidism. This is according to statistics.  Then by the age of sixty, it increases to one in every six.

Hypothyroid Symptoms Similar to Menopause Symptoms

• Feeling tired and sluggish
• Heavy or irregular menstrual cycles
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory loss
• Hair thinning
• Depression
• Modest weight gain
• Muscle aches and cramps

This is a pretty significant list. Many of these symptoms are similar to menopause. Women who suffer with these symptoms may not bring them to the attention of their Doctor. Or if they do they are not putting enough emphasis on them. They need to show their concern, or how it is really affecting their lifestyle.

What is Hypothyroidism?

The thyroid gland sits in the lower front section of the neck. It produces several different types of hormones which assist different functions throughout the body. Such as growth and development and the metabolism along with body temperature. The most significant hormone that it produces is thyroxine (T4). When the thyroid is not producing enough of this it is called hypothyroidism.

There are several different causes for this condition.  The most common is an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. This causes inflammation of the thyroid gland. It is like other types of autoimmune disorders. The immune system is attacking the thyroid gland.

Diabetes

Diabetes is another one of those diseases where hormones are involved. Menopause does not necessarily cause it, but it can have an effect on those who do have it. It is also suspected that it can increase the risk for some menopausal women to develop it.

When it comes to menopause the two main hormones are estrogen and progesterone. These two hormones also play a role in the way that the cells of your body react to insulin. Insulin affects your blood sugar and that is what diabetes is all about.

Estrogen changes following menopause can create blood sugar level fluctuation. It is when blood sugar levels go out of control that one develops diabetes. Some experts believe this puts menopausal women at greater risk for developing diabetes.

There are several menopause symptoms that can also correlate with diabetes.

Infections

Some menopausal women may be at higher risk for urinary tract and vaginal infections. This is according to some experts. This is because when a drop in estrogen occurs, bacteria and yeast can be more prominent. High blood levels in diabetes can increase the chance of infections in these areas.

Sleep

Diabetics that have sleep issues have a harder time managing their blood sugar levels. During menopause, it can be common for sleep problems to arise. Another good example of where menopausal women with diabetes, have to be careful.

Sexual Activity

It has been shown that some female diabetics can suffer from nerve damage in the lining of the vagina. This, in turn, affects their sexual arousal and performance. During menopause, it is not unusual for the vaginal area to become dry. This combined with diabetes side effects can cause some pain and discomfort during sex.

Increased Weight

There are some women who struggle with weight gain during menopause. Menopausal women with diabetes may find a need to increase their diabetic medication.

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Menopause

Researchers are beginning to believe that hormones play a factor in Rheumatoid Arthritis. As yet, they are not as yet sure as to why or how.  Statistics show that women are more prone to RA by nearly three times more compared to men.

Women who suffer from RA will vary in their symptoms, especially during menopause. There is some belief that there is a connection between estrogen and RA. It has been noted that a lot of women find that their RA symptoms are not as severe during a pregnancy. This is leading scientists to think it is because the estrogen levels are higher during this time.  It is thought that increased severity in RA symptoms during menopause is because of a drop in estrogen. Some women don’t experience RA symptoms until they start menopause.

Another issue with RA is that it is possible that this condition can lead to another condition which is osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis and Menopause

Many women during menopause suffer general aches and pains. Some will use the cliché, “it feels like my bones are aching.” Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones. It is also called a silent disease. This is because it most often does not create any physical symptoms, like pain or discomfort. The aches and pains in menopausal women don’t necessarily indicate that she has Osteoporosis.

What is Osteoporosis?

It is a condition where the bones become weak. This can be so extensive that an individual can end up with fractures that occur suddenly. The bones are becoming porous which means they are losing their strength, and bone mass is lost. The diagnosis for this disease is reached by looking at the effects of it, which are the fractures. Bone examination shows changes in the sponge-like bone that encase the inner bone. This sponge type bone is comprised of several “holes”. In osteoporosis, these holes increase in size and number. This causes weakening in the internal components of the bone.

While experts know the signs of osteoporosis, they do not what causes it.

How Is Osteoporosis Related to Menopause?

Research may show a connection between menopause and osteoporosis due to estrogen reduction. This takes place during perimenopause and menopause. Postmenopause bone breakdown is more prominent compared to new bone creation. This is what research is indicating.  Long time intervals combined with low hormone levels can create bone mass reduction. The same applies to women who enter into early menopause.

Menopause and Cancer

There are many different types of cancer, but one that concerns women the most is breast cancer. There has not been any evidence to date to show that menopause increases the risk of cancer. What has been indicated is that developing different forms of cancer can increase as one ages. Some women worry about any correlation between menopause and some types of cancer. This because of menopause being related to age. There is no research to support this.

There are some concerns about cancer and menopause. These can surface with some menopause treatment drugs. These are sometimes used to treat the menopause symptoms. Some evidence shows hormone therapy treatments can cause some types of cancer.

At the same time, there have also been indicators that some of the drugs used can reduce some of the risks.

Menopause Age and Cancer

The age that a woman starts menopause could be important. Some research shows this could have a bearing on the risk for cancer. Research has indicated this could happen with women who started menopause late. After the age of 55. They could be at risk for breast or endometrial cancer.  The reason suspected for this is because she has been producing estrogen for a longer period of time.

Every menstrual cycle produces estrogen that stimulates some breast and uterus tissue. It is suggested that some women in late menopause may be at greater risk for ovarian cancer. This is because of additional ovulations.

Where Does All This Leave the Menopausal Woman?

There are also several other conditions that can be discussed along with menopause. With many of them being the autoimmune diseases.

When looking at all of these it really is important to put the risk factors into proper perspective. Don’t let these create an unnecessary fear with regards to menopause.

Many high-risk diseases pertaining to menopause are those that women may already have. Menopause may play a role in lessening or increasing their symptoms.

Age is probably the more important factor when considering some of these diseases. The majority of them are known to increase in their risks as one ages.

A better understanding of these diseases in important. You need to know how they relate or connect to menopause. There are two reasons for this.

1. To Dispel the Fear

As mentioned, fear of menopause is really something that needs to be dealt with. No woman should have to live in fear for any reason. Menopause doesn’t mean you are going to be stricken with any of these diseases. Knowing this helps to relieve so of the stress

It is much easier to deal with menopause when you have a full understanding of it.

2. Regarding Menopause Treatment Drugs

Taking treatment for menopause symptoms has to be done for the right reasons. This is important. Here is an example. Having RA and being menopausal doesn’t mean that hormone therapy will change the symptoms.

Menopause is a natural part of life. It can create some inconveniences and some struggles with its symptoms. You can do a lot to help yourself progress through it much easier by being more knowledgeable about it.

Being Informed

Being informed as to what can take place in menopause makes it far less concerning when it comes to fear of menopause related diseases. Any disease has to be treated with whatever is available. For those women who are dealing with a disease in the menopause years, it means taking extra precautions. Making sure that you follow all of the advice that your health care provider gives will be important. Living a healthy lifestyle should also be high on the list.

Educating yourself about the disease you are dealing with will also help you to deal with it effectively. You will learn what you can and cannot do and you will make the necessary adjustments.

Knowing that just because you may have a disease through your menopause years this should not create fear in you. Anyone can develop a disease at any given time. Being proactive in your treatment and forming a positive outlook is important. This will make a big difference in how you cope with. You will be in control of it instead of it controlling you.