Menopause

Menopause (also known as the change of life) is the time when your body changes and you become infertile. It is a natural process which happens to every woman. It occurs when ovaries stop working and stop producing the usual amount of two important female sex hormones – oestrogen and progesterone. It is this change in hormone levels that causes the symptoms of menopause. Menstruation is normal regular physiological process indicating womanhood. It is very important manifestation that occurs in cyclic manner (monthly) in every woman’s life. Menopause denotes to body and mind that the regular secretion of hormones are going to be sluggish. Women who have both ovaries removed will go through menopause earlier than others.

According to Ayurveda, the menstruation means “Raja” (Rajas), which occurs every month from the age of 12 up to the age of 50. Raja is considered as updhatu of rasa (Lymph). Rasa is important for the proper nourishment of the tissues in the human body. Ayurveda, treated it as an ageing factors with Vata predominant. The symptoms are different from person to person based on the predominant dosha.

• Vata Type Symptoms: dryness in vagina, dry skin, extremities get cold, anxiety, difficulty in getting sleep, mild to variable hot flushes (Invariable), panic, nervousness, mood swings, palpitations, bloating and constipation
• Pitta Type Symptoms: Short temper, night sweats, excess hot flushes, extremely heavy periods with burning sensation, skin rashes, associated complaints such as UTI urianary track infection).
• Kapha Type Symptoms: Weight gain, lethargy, heavy, lack of motivation, depression, hormonal changes such as Thyroid malfunction, fibrocystic changes in uterus or in the breast and excessive fluid retention.

Menopause it not disease, it happens in every woman’s life at one stage with few symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweating, irritability, dryness in genital parts or vagina, headaches, getting tired easily, low energy and low libido (Sexual drive). It also indicates that for women the child bearing capacity is going down which is called infertile.

What age it starts: On average the onset of the symptoms will be in between 46 to 52 years old. Sometimes it may even starts in early ages, most commonly it starts at the age of 45 and last till 50 years. The early onset may be due to familial tendency or due to premature ovarian failure.

The early onset of Menopuse normally causes osteoporosis in the old age.

Treatment by Ayurveda:

Based on the above clinical symptoms we can find out, which doshas are imbalanced. Most of these are underlying factors or conditions which are usually get triggered due to menopause, and mainly happen due to the stress of shifting hormones in the woman’s body. So the treatment also should be based on the imbalanced humours or Predominant doshas (Dosha). Most of the menopause symptoms are due the Vata aggravation followed by other dosha factors. The basic concept of Ayurveda is prevention is better than cure. In the early pre- menopause stage it is better to balance the aggravated or underplaying factors, so that the intensity of the menopause symptoms will be far less or even can be negligible. In order to achieve it:

• Ayurvedic herbs or decoctions
• Follow the dosha based diet
• Follow dosha based life style principles followed by Ayurveda
• Panchakarma (detoxification therapies), which helps in the elimination of vitiated humours (dosha) to bring them to a balanced stage.
• Recommended special Yoga and aasanas