Early Menopause

Early menopause occurs when women reach menopause before the average age, which is 51 years. In fact, about one per cent of women experience early menopause symptoms before the age of 45 years. This is the reason why women should get informed about this condition in order to know how to deal with early menopause. 

What causes Early Menopause?

Early Menopause can be caused by a several factors. In most cases, the reason for early menopause is clear: you've had your ovaries surgically removed, have a family history of early menopause, or had ovarian damage due to cancer treatments. However, some special and rare causes might be possible. 

What are Early Menopause Symptoms?

Early menopause produces the same changes regular menopause does. Same as menopause, during early menopause the body losses the ability to stabilize estrogen levels leading to a declination of this hormone. This results in a overall hormonal imbalance which will produce all the early menopause symptoms like:

Not every woman will experience these early menopause symptoms, but it is a proven fact that if women are in early menopause, they will experience most of these symptoms in a more severe fashion than women going through menopause naturally. estrogen levels drop dramatically as a result of early menopause causes. 

The decline of estrogen results in a hormonal imbalance in a woman's body and causes the common early menopause symptoms. Estrogen levels will not recover after passing through early menopause. Thereby, they can raise new health concerns or still cause menopause symptoms. Continue to read more about early menopause symptoms.

Early Menopause Symptoms

The symptoms of Early menopause are the same as the ones of regular menopause because both of them are produced by hormonal imbalance. 

During early menopause estrogen levels drop dramatically. The decline of estrogen results in a hormonal imbalance in a woman's body and causes the common early menopause symptoms. 

These changes can be quite different on an individual basis, but most women will experience early menopause symptoms in a more severe fashion during this time of life. Estrogen levels will not recover after early menopause. Thereby, it can raise new health concerns or still causes menopause symptoms, including:

The most common early menopause symptoms

Women should keep in mind that the early menopause symptoms are the same of regular menopause because both of them produce the same effects in the body, which is hormonal imbalance. These are the most common early menopause symptoms:

Breast tenderness: breasts swell and star to pain and tender.

Crashing fatigue: Sensation of unexplained complete exhaustion.

Incontinence: disturbing loss of the ability to control urinary glands.

Irritability: Women tend to be more susceptible and more eager to lose control. 

Irregular periods: menstrual periods become unpredictable.

Headaches: Severe episodes of headaches are produced by hormonal imbalance. 

Hot flashes: sensations of heat in the upside part of the body. 

Loss of libido: sexual desire decrease considerably.

Night sweats: intense sweating during sleep. 

Mood swings: your reactions can become unmotivated and unpredictable. 

Memory lapses: women become eager to forget things, interfering with daily life.

Vaginal dryness: Loss of the natural moist of the vagina leading to severe discomfort. 

Weight gain: hormonal changes involve a change in metabolism; that finally leads to weight gain. 

Click Here to read more about menopause symptoms.

As hormonal imbalance is the main cause for early menopause symptoms, the best way to deal with them is following a hormone balancing treatment. 

Rare Causes for Early Menopause

The average age at which women go through menopause is 51 years. However, about one per cent of women experience early menopause symptoms before the age of 45 years. If menopause occurs when women are still in their early 20s, 30s or early 40s, it is said to be early menopause. 

What are the rare causes for Early Menopause?

Autoimmune Disorder

The body's immune system, which normally fights off diseases, mistakenly attacks a part of its own reproductive system. This hurts the ovaries and prevents them from making female hormones (estrogen, progesterone) that regulate the reproductive system. 

Chromosomal Irregularity

Some cases of early menopause are caused by defects on an X chromosome, also known as "fragile X syndrome". Women have two X chromosomes and even though only one of these chromosomes is active, a defect on either one can cause early menopause. 

Radiation Therapy and/or Chemotherapy

With the rise in cancer treatments has come a rise in early menopause due to these treatments. Unfortunately, the significant doses of radiation or chemotherapy used to kill cancer can cause ovarian damage - resulting in early menopause. 

Total Hysterectomy and Oophorectomy

In this case, women experience early menopause after removal of both of the ovaries (a bilateral oophorectomy) or removal of the uterus, both fallopian tubes, and both ovaries (a total hysterectomy). Because both ovaries are removed, women's estrogen and progesterone levels drop, leading immediately to early menopause.

Ovarian Damage Due to Other Surgical Procedures

In some cases after a hysterectomy in which one ovary is left intact, it may fail. This happens when the ovary is damaged or otherwise affected by such procedures as cyst removal. In this case, the follicles on the remaining ovary slowly die out, resulting in early menopause.