{"id":1572,"date":"2022-12-03T13:19:05","date_gmt":"2022-12-03T13:19:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/?p=1572"},"modified":"2022-12-05T13:39:39","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T13:39:39","slug":"premature-menopause-causes-symptoms-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/premature-menopause-causes-symptoms-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Premature Menopause: Causes, Symptoms &amp; Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Early menopause or premature menopause refers to a condition where a woman goes through the processes associated with menopause at a younger age than usually expected.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Menopause, as you may know, refers to a stage in a woman\u2019s life when her menstrual cycles end. Natural menopause sets in somewhere around 50 when a woman has gone for an entire year without getting their period.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this article, our experts in <\/span><a href=\"\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">obstetrics and gynecology in South Miami, Florida<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, have prepared a comprehensive guide that discusses the signs of premature menopause and the risks that may trigger this premature onset. Also, we\u2019ll go over premature menopause treatment options.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Premature Menopause vs. Early Menopuase<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even though the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, and they both describe pretty much the same, early menopause and premature menopause differ in when they happen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Morse specifically:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Early menopause happens when menopause takes place before a woman reaches 45.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Premature menopause, on the other hand, is when menopause occurs before a woman reaches 40.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Also, it\u2019s vital to note that premature ovarian failure shouldn\u2019t be confused with premature menopause or POI (primary ovarian insufficiency). POI refers to a condition where a woman\u2019s periods end spontaneously and suddenly, prematurely or early, but with POI, there\u2019s a chance that the periods return. Also, patients with POI may still ovulate, get periods and\/or become pregnant. In the case of premature or early menopause, patients don\u2019t menstruate, ovulate, and can\u2019t get pregnant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Earliest Ages for Premature Menopause<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Premature menopause may occur in people in their 20s and 30s as well. As discussed above, premature menopuase refers to the onset of menopuase before a woman reaches 40, but it\u2019s rare for menopause to happen before a woman turns 30.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As a matter of fact, only about 5% of women experience early menopause, and only around 1% of women go through premature menopause. It\u2019s even rarer to experience menopause at the age of twenty-something, as only 0.1% of women will have to deal with this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Signs of Premature Menopause and Its Causes<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1574 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/Signs-of-Premature-Menopause-and-Its-Causes.jpg\" alt=\"Exhausted Overheated Sweaty Woman Suffering From Heat at Home Without Conditioner\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/Signs-of-Premature-Menopause-and-Its-Causes-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/Signs-of-Premature-Menopause-and-Its-Causes-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/Signs-of-Premature-Menopause-and-Its-Causes-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/Signs-of-Premature-Menopause-and-Its-Causes-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/Signs-of-Premature-Menopause-and-Its-Causes-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/Signs-of-Premature-Menopause-and-Its-Causes-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/Signs-of-Premature-Menopause-and-Its-Causes.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the most part, the causes of early menopuase or premature menopause are the same. In some cases, certain health conditions, surgery, or cancer treatment may all trigger untimely symptoms, while in others, the causes and risks of early menopause are unknown.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Experts agree that anything that can cause damage to the ovaries or interferes with estrogen production may trigger the onset of menopause.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Below are some of the most common causes of premature or early menopause:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Radiation therapy or chemo to treat malignancies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Surgery that removes the ovaries<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Uterine removal (a surgical procedure called a hysterectomy)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A family history of early or premature menopause<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Getting your first period early (before the age of 11)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Turner\u2019s syndrome, Fragile X, or other chromosomal abnormalities<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Crohn\u2019s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, or other autoimmune conditions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tobacco use<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">AIDS and HIV<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mumps and other infections<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ME\/CFS or myalgic encephalopathy\/chronic fatigue syndrome<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When talking about the signs of premature menopause, women may experience irregular menstrual cycles for a few years, with shorter or longer cycles, changes in vaginal bleeding, and spotting. These are often the first symptoms of the condition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Other signs of premature menopuase (or early menopause) can include other symptoms that are typically associated with menopause, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Night sweats<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hot flashes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Frequent urge to urinate<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Vaginal dryness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Discomfort during sex<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Frequent UTIs or urinary tract infections<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insomnia<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Dry eyes, mouth, or skin<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Emotional changes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Racing heart<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Breast tenderness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Headaches<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Muscle and joint pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sex drive changes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Being more forgetful, having difficulty concentrating<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hair loss<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gaining or losing weight<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Diagnosing Early or Premature Menopuase<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If patients start experiencing menopause symptoms before they turn 45, their healthcare provider will recommend several tests and ask a series of questions to establish a definitive diagnosis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The diagnosis process may include the following:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The doctor may ask you questions about the regularity of your periods<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ask about your family history regarding menopause<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Perform a physical exam<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Order a blood test to examine your hormone levels<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Look for other medical conditions that may be producing your symptoms, like thyroid issues<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Early and Premature Menopause Treatment<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The best premature menopause treatment method will most probably vary depending on why the condition has started earlier than it typically should. In some cases, healthcare providers may recommend starting HRT or hormone replacement therapy unless there\u2019s a reason that this treatment method is deemed unsafe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">HRT aims to replace the lost hormones in the body, helping fight the side effects and symptoms of menopause, and will also decrease the risk of developing other health conditions that can be caused by premature or early menopause. HRT may be prescribed until the patient turns 51, which is the time when most women will reach menopuase.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It\u2019s crucial to discuss the advantages and possible drawbacks of HRT with your provider. When dealing with infertility due to premature or early menopause, consult with a fertility specialist to see your options for becoming a parent if you plan to have a family.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unfortunately, premature menopause treatment can\u2019t reverse menopuase itself and restore normal ovarian function. Still, providers can help reduce the side effects and symptoms of menopuase. On the other hand, if you have POI, there\u2019s still a possibility that your ovaries will regain function.<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b>Prevention<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the most part, the causes of premature menopause are beyond the patient\u2019s control. Eliminating tobacco use is the only lifestyle change you can utilize to decrease your risks, but cancer treatments, surgeries, and other health conditions are often unpreventable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Risks of Early Menopause<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1575 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/The-Risks-of-Early-Menopause.jpg\" alt=\"Tired Middle Aged Woman Lying in Bed Can\u2019t Sleep Late at Morning With Insomnia\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/The-Risks-of-Early-Menopause-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/The-Risks-of-Early-Menopause-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/The-Risks-of-Early-Menopause-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/The-Risks-of-Early-Menopause-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/The-Risks-of-Early-Menopause-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/The-Risks-of-Early-Menopause-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2022\/12\/The-Risks-of-Early-Menopause.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Those who go through menopause early usually experience more severe menopuase symptoms, which can lead to a loss of intimacy or sexual dysfunction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Furthermore, these patients will also spend more years without estrogen, which puts them at a greater risk for specific medical problems, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Heart disease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Osteoporosis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Depression<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Parkinson\u2019s disease and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/aging\/dementia\/index.html#:~:text=Dementia%20is%20not%20a%20specific,a%20part%20of%20normal%20aging.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">dementia<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Early and premature menopuase both describe an earlier onset of menopuase than it\u2019s typically expected. For the most part, women reach menopause in their fifties, around the age of 51. In the case of premature menopause, this can happen before a woman turns 40.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you are under 45 and starting to experience some of the signs associated with menopause, like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, spotting between periods, and irregular menstrual cycles, consult with your healthcare provider. They will order blood work tests and perform a series of other exams to diagnose your condition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Remember, there is a treatment to ease your symptoms and get relief from the unpleasant menopausal side effects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Are you looking for options regarding <\/span><a href=\"\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/menopause\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">menopause care and treatment in South Miami, Florida<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">? In that case, you can always count on our skilled, knowledgeable, and compassionate staff to always strive to help the patients feel comfortable and live full lives regardless of their condition.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Early menopause or premature menopause refers to a condition where a woman goes through the processes associated with menopause at a younger age than usually expected.\u00a0 Menopause, as you may know, refers to a stage in a woman\u2019s life when her menstrual cycles end. Natural menopause sets in somewhere around 50 when a woman has  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1573,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[306,304,308,307,305],"class_list":["post-1572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-menopause","tag-early-menopause","tag-premature-menopause","tag-premature-menopause-treatment","tag-risks-of-early-menopause","tag-signs-of-premature-menopause"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1572"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1572\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}