Glossary | MenoLink

Glossary

We thought a glossary would be useful because most people are not healthcare professionals. Its easy to use words like perimenopause and oestrogen and not know exactly what they mean. Very often people are too shy or embarrassed to ask a ‘professional’ what words mean and we can end up confused instead of informed. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your health. So scan through our glossary and to make sure you know all the lingo!

Hair Loss

To help prevent hair loss, adhere to a well-balanced diet. Certain supplements (iron, zinc, and vitamins D and B) may help. Also, be gentle to your hair and follicles. Avoid hairstyles that cause pulling. Minimize the use of direct heat on the hair and keep hair well-conditioned. Natural oils like argan oil, Jamaican black castor oil or olive oil may help. Over-the-counter products, such as minoxidil, or laser caps or helmets may provide some benefit. It takes up to four months for any of these treatments to work. If after four months, there is no improvement, then it’s time to make an appointment with a doctor. Hormone replacement therapy has been shown to help some women with hair loss.

Hot Flash or Hot Flush

This is a feeling of intense heat often evidenced by a burning (red flush) of the face and neck and chest, and sometimes back, and sweating and/or heart palpitations. A Hot Flash / Hot Flush normally lasts from 2 to 30 minutes. It is caused by fluctuating hormones in a peri-menopausal woman. A woman may experience a Hot Flash / Hot Flush years prior to menopause. HRT may help you manage this symptom. Read our readers’ MenoJourneys to find out how our tribe have successfully dealt with these symptoms.

Hormones

Hormones are chemical molecules (packets of information) that act like messengers in the body. They travel to specific parts of the body where they help control how our cells and our organs do their work.

HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy

As women age our sex/reproductive hormone levels decrease. This leads to a number of possible symptoms.
Many of these symptoms can be improved with the use of Hormone Replacement Therapy. HRT just means that your natural reproductive hormones (which are not needed anymore because your body knows that you have fewer and fewer fertile eggs) are being replaced with hormones that have been made outside of your body. So, HRT is one effective way to reduce menopausal symptoms and to improve quality of life for women entering the next period of their lives. The decision to take HRT is personal and should be made with the help of your healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider about breast and ovarian cancer, heart disease, and stroke, when weighing up the quality of life benefits, and risks, associated with HRT. If you have decided that HRT is for you, your Doctor will advise about the types of HRT available and will help you decide on the right dose of HRT. Our MenoJourneys’ ladies’ stories may have some good advice about what has, or hasn’t worked for them. If you have decided that HRT is not for you, or if you have had cancer, and you cannot use HRT, there are alternatives, such as bioidentical hormones, diet, supplements, acupuncture.

HRT and Cancer

If you have a history of cancer you must talk to your medical professional before deciding to take HRT. This is because HRT may not be suitable if you are on particular types of medication, and/or there is a risk that your cancer may come back with an increased level of oestrogen.

Hysterectomy

A hysterectomy is the removal a woman's uterus (womb), and, often, also the cervix. The removal of these reproductive organs leads to a loss of a woman’s periods, and end of production of reproductive hormones, and so can lead to the onset of early peri-menopause, then leading to the menopause. If a woman’s ovaries are also removed she will not only lose her periods but she will also experience a change in her sex drive due to hormonal changes (because some sex hormones are produced in the ovaries) resulting from the removal of her ovaries.

Alcohol

According to Kathy Abernethy, from the Telegraph, alcohol is not good for our bones, can lead to increases in experiencing hot flushes, and can worsen common menopause symptoms such as poor sleep and anxiety.

Andropause

Those lucky, lucky men, we often hear women sigh as they read through the seemingly endless list of menopausal symptoms. Well, actually…..
Yes, there is a male version of menopause. And yes, the two have quite a bit in common. If you are worried about what a man in your life may be experiencing as he ages, this page has some great information about his own mini menopause click here to read some great information to start you off

Brain Fog

Bioidentical Hormones

Bioidentical hormones are made from plant sources and are basically the same as hormones made by our bodies. You may have heard claims that these products are more natural, effective and safe than HRT, but there is no scientific evidence to prove this.

Cancer

See HRT and Cancer

Cervix

This is the narrow part at the bottom of the uterus (womb). The cervix is the connection (or tunnel, if you prefer) that leads from the vagina to the uterus. The cervix lets fluids, like menstrual blood, pass from the uterus into the vagina.

Creatine

Creatine is a natural bodily compound found mainly in muscles and the brain. It is synthesised from the amino acids (glycine, arginine, and methionine, if you’re interested) in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. Creatine is crucial for energy production by forming phosphocreatine, which helps regenerate adenosine triphosphate, ATP for short. ATP is the primary energy molecule used during short bursts of high-intensity activities eg sprinting, weightlifting.

Creatine can also be ingested via red meat and fish or as a supplement in the form of creatine monohydrate (capsules or powder). Normally it is used to enhance exercise performance, increase muscle mass and improve recovery which is why it can be found in the ‘body building’ section of the health food store. More recently it has been used by menopausal women to mitigate muscle and bone loss, enhance exercise performance, reduce inflammation, improve mood and reduce brain fog. It is safe when taken as directed HOWEVER individuals with kidney issues should consult a healthcare provider before use.

If you want to know more about creatine supplementation listen to this - https://drstephanieestima.com/podcasts/a-creatine-masterclass-myths-benefits-in-midlife-with-darren-candow-phd/

Clitoris (and Helen O’Connell)
Helen O’Connell is a pioneering urologist who, along with her colleagues Lakavampara V Sanjeevan and John M Hutson, published an article called “Anatomy of the Clitoris” in 2005. The article was the first to accurately provide a complete anatomical description of the clitoris. And the first to dispel a lot of myths and misunderstandings about this female sexual organ. The full article is available to read via this link:
https://www.auajournals.org/doi/full/10.1097/01.ju.0000173639.38898.cd
As the amount of sexual hormones decreases during the onset of Menopause, your sexual organs, including your clitoris, and therefore your sexual sensitivity, is impacted. This is also sometimes referred to as urogenital or vaginal atrophy. For example, due to lower levels of oestrogen and progesterone, your clitoris will become smaller over time. Your vaginal tissues become thinner and your vagina may become drier. All of these symptoms can be treated. Please click on our Symptoms page for more information, and read our readers’ MenoJourneys to find out how they have dealt with these new changes to their bodies.

Dementia

Oestrogen or other sex hormones may play an important role in cognitive decline.

Depression, Anxiety, Mood Swings, Irritability

Experiencing mental health issues is common during menopause due to hormonal changes which affect the brain's serotonin and GABA levels. This combined with other factors such as stress and poor sleep can result in very real problems with depression and anxiety. Exercise, changes in diet, and HRT can often help reduce these symptoms. But if you are feeling particularly vulnerable please see your medical professional or, if you need urgent help, please click the SOS button here and on our webpage.

Libido

Quite simply this means sex drive or a person's desire to have sex.

Menopause

The literal meaning of this word is the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. On the day when a woman has not had her period for 12 months (in a row / consecutive), she is in menopause. This means that she is no longer fertile. After this single day she begins the post-menopause period of her life. There are free apps you can use to track your periods so you know when you have had your menopause: Flo Health and P Tracker. Other trackers, including ones aimed at young girls and their often unpredictable periods, include:https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/period-tracker-apps

A woman may also have a blood test to measure her levels of a reproductive hormone known as FSH. Higher levels of FSH indicate menopause. The test is not always accurate and doctors will often rely on a woman’s symptoms to make a determination that a woman has had her menopause. If a woman has experienced Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) she will have begun the above process much earlier than the average age of 47.

Menopause Transition (MT)
This term is used to describe that period in a woman’s life when there is a change in a woman’s reproductive and non-reproductive tissues due to a decline in a woman’s sex and reproductive hormones. MT encompasses the Peri-Menopause, the Menopause (one single day in your life, see above), and Post-Menopause periods of this part of a woman’s life.

Night Sweats

These are another symptom of the fluctuations in women’s hormones which begin during the menopause. Not all women going through the Meno Transition experience night sweats, but those that do typically wake up in the night to find their bodies and bed clothes soaking wet. This happens regardless of the temperature of one’s bedroom. This symptom can be alleviated with the use of HRT.

Oestrogen (British spelling) or Estrogen
Oestrogen is one of the two main female sex hormones (the other being progesterone and, in women, small amounts of testosterone). It is produced by the ovaries, adrenal glands and the placenta of a pregnant woman.

There are three main oestrogens:

Estrone (E1) – this is the main oestrogen in menopausal years.
Estradiol (E2) – this is the main oestrogen in reproductive years.
Estriol (E3) – this is the main oestrogen that your body makes in pregnancy.

Oestrogen is crucial to a female's reproductive cycle. For example, oestrogen helps mature an egg prior to ovulation. And it stimulates the development of female characteristics at puberty. As the number of women’s eggs decrease with age oestrogen levels will decrease because the hormone is no longer needed to regulate fertility. This stage of a gradual decline in a woman’s eggs and fertility can take years and is called the peri-menopause.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, or the silent disease, can lead to bones being weakened, fragile, and fracturing. One of the many functions of oestrogen is to keep our bones strong and healthy. The drop in our oestrogen levels, during the Meno Transition (MT) leads to a reduction in our bone density (on average women lose up to 10% of our bone density in the first 5 years after menopause) and can cause brittle bones and fractures and sometimes osteoporosis. HRT can help with this symptom. Your medical professional may also prescribe other medication. Vitamin D supplements, exercise, particularly resistance training, can also help.

Perimenopause

On average a woman will begin to experience some of her first perimenopausal symptoms at about 47 years of age. For example, a woman’s menstrual cycle will begin to change as her hormone levels start to fluctuate and she may find that more time will pass between her previously regular monthly periods. But it can also start as early as your 30’s or as late as your your 50’s. If you ask your mother when her peri-menopause began, you may find that your own timing, and symptoms, are quite similar. Peri-Menopause usually lasts between 2 to 10 years. (YIKES!)

Post-menopause

After you have had your menopause, you enter that stage of your life called post-menopause. This stage will last for the rest of your life. However, the great news is that your menopausal symptoms do not last forever! Typically, they continue for about 7 to 10 years after you’ve become postmenopausal. This is why managing the symptoms of post menopause is so important; you don’t want to be putting up with hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, and a sluggish brain, for the rest of your life!

Progesterone

Progesterone is a hormone that plays an important role in female reproductive systems in that it helps regulate menstrual cycles, helps thicken uterus walls for the successful implantation and development of a fertilised egg (in short, it helps women stay pregnant). It can also stimulate the libido (sex drive) and it is sometimes referred to as the happy hormone, because it helps balance moods. It also helps regulate your sleep. A decline in progesterone can be indicated by any of the peri and post menopausal symptoms described in this Glossary and on this page. There is a fine balance to be struct by our bodies, and our medical professionals, when prescribing HRT, between oestrogen and progesterone hormone levels. For example, without progesterone too much oestrogen may cause the cells in the endometrium to grow too quickly, leading to cancer of the endometrium. Progesterone reduces that risk by keeping the endometrium thin.

Skin
Our skin becomes drier during menopause and we lose up to 30% of collagen. Skin products with SPF to protect from the sun’s rays is also important.

Supplements
According to Kathy Abernethy from the Telegraph, women who do not want to take HRT often reach for supplements. The evidence for their efficacy is inconclusive mainly because large double blind tests are rare. But we do know that Vitamin D does work – it is important for bones and immunity. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may also work for some symptoms.

Testosterone
In females the testosterone hormone helps regulate fertility, sexual desire, menstruation, tissues, bone mass and red blood cell production.

Uterus / Womb

The uterus or the womb is a pear-shaped organ inside a woman's pelvis. It is where a a fertilised egg lodges itself and the foetus (unborn baby) develops and grows. It is above the vagina, and it is about 7cm long by 5cm across. It is held in place by ligaments.

Vaginal Atrophy
The loss of oestrogen during menopause can change the tissues of the vagina, causing them to become thinner, drier and less flexible. This can lead to vaginal irritation and painful intercourse, which can seriously interfere with the ability to become aroused and enjoy intercourse. Unlike other menopausal symptoms, which improve over time, vaginal symptoms may worsen if not treated. In addition, women in midlife commonly complain of decreased sex drive and difficulty reaching orgasm. There are non-hormonal and hormonal treatment options that can help which are safe and effective. In some cases, pelvic floor physical therapy and sex therapy can be helpful. The Chicago WomanLab website provides information on vaginal moisturizers, lubricants and pelvic floor physical therapy along with vaginal oestrogen treatments.

Valerian

Valerian or Valeriana officinalis, is a perennial flowering plant native to Europe and Asia. The roots and rhizomes are commonly used by medical herbalists particularly for the sedative effects. Valerian has been used for centuries to treat insomnia, anxiety, and other conditions like headaches and stomach cramps. It is referred to as "nature's Valium" due to its calming effects. It is thought that compounds like valerenic acid and valerenol act on GABA receptors but scientific evidence supporting its efficacy for many conditions is mixed. But there is one study that shows that it reduces the severity and frequency of hot flashes. If you would like to read more look at this - https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-valerian-root

Weight Gain

Those pesky hormones again! During perimenopause and menopause a decrease in both oestrogen and progesterone levels can cause women’s bodies to store fat around the waist. According to Kathy Abernethy, from The Telegraph, there is also evidence that the Mediterranean diet – rich in colourful fruits and vegetables, nuts, flaxseeds, fish and olive oil, and low in saturated fats – is particularly good for menopausal health.