physical, emotional and sexual changes you should be aware of

Menopause is one of the most scary and unknown periods for women. Some hardly notice it, but others suffer from hot flashes and severe physical and aesthetic changes that can greatly affect their self-esteem and mood. Not to mention sleep problems and emotional ups and downs.

Have you already noticed changes in your menstrual cycle? Sudden heat? Does your weight change? Don’t worry, don’t panic, first of all, slowly but surely make an appointment with a gynecologist. And from there, evaluate the different professionals who can help you when you need it. Who are these specialists? What changes are you going to experience? What type of help or treatment might you need or would improve your life at this point?

To clear up all your doubts, we spoke to two menopause specialists from Maxima, the first center specialized in menopause in Spain, where this stage is treated holistically and individually. Maxim has specialties such as gynecology, nutrition, physiotherapy, teaching, aesthetic medicine or vascular medicine and they use even methods such as acupuncture or meditationto achieve maximum well-being of women at this stage.

Are you entering menopause?

“Menopause is not a specific moment (the word means the day of the last menstruation), but a transitional stage, a stage of life that It usually begins with cycle disorders.with rules generally being more numerous and enforced and then becoming more spread out. These two different patterns indicate the onset of the menopausal transition,” says Dr. Luciana Bergamaschi, gynecologist-expert in menopause and doctor at the Maxima Center.

What if we no longer have periods? The normal thing is that if we go to the gynecologist every year, this menopausal transition will not take us by surprise, as Dr. Bergamaschi points out. “If there are no other symptoms other than an irregular cycle, the visit is not urgent.“, the expert clarifies. But, as he emphasizes, “at this stage it is very important to keep your healthy habits and other aspects of life under control.”It is worth visiting a menopause specialist so that he can advise us on what we need to do at this timewhat are the most important risks or diseases that occur most often,” adds Dr. Bergamaschi.

And menopause can bring with it hot flashes, loss of libido, skin and hair changes, weight gain, emotional instability, sleep problems… But all of them can be treated and improved with the help of the right professional.

But you may also be in perimenopause, a stage in which, as Guadalupe Gómez Lucena, pharmacist, PNI expert and Máxima nutrition coach explains: “precedes the disappearance of the final rule and may last several years, so it’s important to recognize this and take care of yourself to manage your symptoms and your health.” “In the years before menopause, due to fluctuations in hormone levels such as estrogen, Symptoms such as irregular cycles, sweating and hot flashes, mood changes, insomnia, and vaginal dryness are already appearing.and changes in libido, weight gain, changes in skin, hair and nails, joint pain, urinary problems and much more,” says this expert.

“Regular examination by a gynecologist can be a starting point for identifying this stage and thus for prognosis.r,” he adds. “But we are not all the same, so a person’s personalized history allows us to develop the most appropriate comprehensive approach for them,” emphasizes Gómez Lucena.

Specialists you may need during menopause

As Dr. Bergamaschi explains, “There may be many aspects of the menopausal transition that have less to do with the gynecological part and more to do with the hormonal part, e.g. changes in the body, since a decrease in hormonal levels can lead to a decrease in metabolism and redistribution of fata, with accumulation in the abdominal area.” This may require the support of a nutritionist and exercise coach to tell us what type of physical activity and dietary changes we need.

Or psychological support, because, as Maxima’s expert notes, “emotional changes along with the life situation coinciding at the moment, they may make us need help in this regard.” “Or we need a sexologist because at this stage we need to change the way we look at sexuality,” he adds.

“Gynecology and hormonal imbalances are one part of the process, but there are many other areas that are also involved,” says Dr. Bergamaschi. “For example, acupuncture helps balance emotions; physical therapy is essential for pelvic floor care, avoid incontinence and prolapse; and also the aesthetic part, why not, to feel better,” she adds.

As for meditation, Gomez Lucena notes, “It has many benefits at this stage, as it can improve sleep quality and help combat insomnia and night sweats.” “Also This can help us reduce stress, which increases during this stage due to hormonal and physical changes, as well as reduce mood swings.anxiety and depression that some women experience,” she adds.

That’s why a center like Maxima makes so much sense. “At Maxim we treat all these aspects and symptoms comprehensively, seeing a person at 360 degrees., appreciating both the physical and emotional parts of ourselves, as well as their habits, which is very important in order to stay healthy, feel good and have a quality of life,” says Dr. Bergamaschi. “We have a wide range of specialists who are menopause experts in a variety of areas: nutrition, physiotherapy, aesthetic medicine, anti-aging, vascular surgery, neurology specializing in sleep and menopause, acupuncturephysical training, Pilates, meditation, gynecology, regenerative gynecology, psychology and sexology,” says the expert.

“The maximum reception is very good because for the first time we have a center that brings together all specialties in one place and in which everything is coordinated and focused on caring for women at this stage. In addition, a series of free workshops are planned so that they can get to know us and talk openly about this stage and its physical and psychological changes,” says Gomez Lucena.

Start taking care of yourself before menopause

As Dr. Bergamaschi emphasizes, At this stage, the emotional aspect is especially important. That is why at Maxim, in addition to specialist psychologists, they use methods such as acupuncture. “There are proven scientific studies that show that this method improves not only anxiety, ability to rest and hot flashes, but also pain“, notes the expert.

“While there’s no guarantee that menopause will be completely symptom-free, taking steps to take care of your physical and emotional health can greatly help during the transition,” adds Gomez Lucena. “Some aspects such as genetics, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, stress management, maintaining an adequate weight and social support. and emotions will greatly influence this smooth transition,” he adds.

Regular meditation practice at this stage has many benefits as it can improve the quality of sleep. and help fight insomnia and night sweats. It can also help us reduce stress, which increases during this stage due to hormonal and physical changes, and reduce the mood swings, anxiety and depression that some women experience.

But the most important thing, as Dr. Bergamaschi states, “is Start taking care of yourself before menopause, don’t wait until your last period see a specialist, but do so before finding out what we can improve or change Let this stage find us in the best conditions.because that will largely determine how we get through this menopause.”