What is the average duration of menopause

This is the most common pattern, and it tends to be associated with a gradual onset of symptoms. Often, the severity of symptoms tends to fluctuate prior to and after menopause for a period of around 10 years. In general, late-onset menopause e. However, early-onset menopause can be associated with health problems. Fortunately, it can be possible to delay early menopause if perimenopause has begun, but this depends on the cause of the condition.

In some cases, it is possible to reduce the time that menopause symptoms last through treatment. If these symptoms are recurring for an extended period of time and are bothersome, you may consider HRT hormone replacement therapy. This is considered to be a safe and effective option for postmenopausal women.

Essentially, this therapy is used to increase your estrogen levels, which will reduce or eliminate the symptoms of menopause in many cases. However, HRT will not reverse the process of menopause, but some types of treatment can bring back certain aspects of monthly cycles for some women e. However, fertility does not return after menopause, even if a woman is taking hormone replacement therapy. There are two main types of hormone replacement therapy HRT. The most common type of HRT involves taking both estrogen and progestin taken daily.

Another regimen involves taking estrogen daily and supplementing that with progestin taken daily but only during a two week period each month. A combination of estrogen and progestin taken daily will generally not cause a return of monthly cycles, but alternating estrogen and progestin may for some women.

However, this typically only occurs for a few months. Rarely, this reaction to the treatment will last for a longer period of time, but it is uncommon.

In most cases, HRT is well-tolerated, and it can be continued for years if this is necessary. This is often for a period of around 10 years if therapy is started at the beginning of perimenopause. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile.

Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Although there is a usual range for how long menopause symptoms last, each woman's journey is unique. The transition often takes about four years, but some symptoms may last longer. Perimenopause , sometimes referred to as menopausal transition, starts when a woman begins experiencing changes in her menstrual cycle for example, longer or shorter cycles , as well as symptoms related to a decline in estrogen levels—most notably hot flashes.

The majority of women enter perimenopause sometime in their 40s , with the average age being Note that perimenopause refers to a period of time whereas menopause refers to a point in time—a common misunderstanding and source of confusion.

The period of time after menopause is called postmenopause. During postmenopause, a woman has not had a menstrual cycle for over a year, although she may still be experiencing symptoms related to estrogen deficiency like vaginal atrophy.

The average length of perimenopause is four years, so the mean age at which a woman reaches menopause is 51 years old. Even though menopause marks a point in time in which a woman has not menstruated for 12 months and is no longer ovulating releasing any eggs from her ovaries , the symptoms of menopause may persist.

Two common menopause-related symptoms are hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Most women stop having hot flashes within five years following their final menstrual period. However, a report on the management of menstrual symptoms notes that the Penn Ovarian Aging Study found that more than one-third of women continued to have moderate to severe hot flashes for 10 years or more.

African-American women had a longer duration than white women. Vaginal dryness, burning, and itchiness also occurs as a result of estrogen deficiency. The difference with this symptom is that it tends to get worse as women get older. Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause. What are the most effective remedies? Hot flashes and night sweats can be some of the most uncomfortable changes you experience during menopause.

Learn the triggers to avoid, and start…. Menopause and pregnancy share many similar symptoms. See which symptoms are unique to menopause and pregnancy, and which ones overlap. Check out these best menopause books for help and advice on perimenopause, symptom treatments, and living your best life.

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Duration Symptoms Treatment Additional treatments When to seek help Benefits Outlook We include products we think are useful for our readers.

Overview Menopause is a normal and natural part of aging. Natural menopause, which happens without medical intervention, occurs in three stages: perimenopause menopause postmenopause Many people confuse menopause with perimenopause. Some common symptoms of the perimenopausal phase include: hot flashes night sweats vaginal dryness During perimenopause, your body begins to make less estrogen.

How long do symptoms last? Symptoms of menopause. Managing symptoms. Additional treatments. When to seek help. Benefits of menopause. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Remedies for Hot Flashes. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. Are You Pregnant or Starting Menopause? Compare the Symptoms. Medically reviewed by Daniel Murrell, M.