Male menopause is a natural physiological period in the life of every man; the period is typical for men in the age category from 40 to 60 years. At this stage, due to age-related changes in the body, the predominance of involutional processes in the reproductive system occurs.
What is going on in the body?
The main changes in the male body occur in the hypothalamus – pituitary – testis system. Thanks to the correct operation of this system, a man can lead a normal sex life. In the menopause, there is a decrease in the production of male sex hormones, namely testosterone. This irreversibly leads to hormonal imbalance, changes in metabolic processes, the restructuring of the functioning of many organs and systems.
Men who adhere to the daily regimen from a young age, eat right, are not addicted to alcohol and smoking, exercise regularly, are much easier to tolerate physiological age-related changes in the body, and in most cases do not even have a clue about what menopause is. Men whose body is weakened due to injuries, illnesses, a hectic lifestyle, are quite difficult to endure the manifestations of the menopause.
Who is at risk?
In some men, menopause can occur at age 30, the reason for this is the presence of some factors:
- various diseases of the genitalia of an inflammatory nature;
- swelling of the testicles ;
- the presence of circulatory disorders in the genitals;
- alcohol consumption and smoking;
- signs of male menopause are most pronounced in men who, for whatever reason, have undergone surgical castration;
- poisoning with toxic substances;
- radiation effects (radioactive contamination).
In the absence of the above factors, in most cases, men do not have a clue about how the menopause manifests itself, since the symptoms are almost invisible, and a strong half attribute them to normal malaise. But in order to prevent the development of unpleasant symptoms of menopause in time, men need to know the characteristic signs of the disease and carefully monitor their health.
Male menopause: symptoms
Treatment is best started as early as possible, even if the first symptoms do not cause much discomfort.
The first signs of the onset of menopause are reflected in a change in the state of the body as a whole:
- increased fatigue, decreased performance, lost interest in life;
- irritability;
- excessive suspiciousness;
- dizziness;
- sleep disturbances;
- frequent depression;
- increased sweating.
The most common symptoms of male menopause:
- cardiac dysfunction (arrhythmia, palpitations);
- sudden tides to the head, neck and hands, which are manifested by reddening of the skin in these places;
- strong changes in blood pressure both to a smaller and a larger side;
- excruciating headaches;
- shortness of breath, lack of air;
- periodically stitching, aching or crushing pain in the heart appears, radiating to the left shoulder blade or arm (pain occurs at any time of the day, regardless of physical exertion).
Male menopause is characterized by a disorder of sexual function. As a rule, violations in the reproductive system develop quite slowly, so at the initial stage they may be invisible:
- accelerated ejaculation;
- reduction in the duration of sexual intercourse;
- violation of orgasm or its complete absence;
- decrease in the amount of ejaculate;
- decreased sex drive.
There are several other factors that characterize the menopausal period. Symptoms in many men manifest in the form of various urinary disorders:
- frequent urination;
- decreased urinary stream strength;
- heaviness in the lower abdomen and groin.
The time of the appearance of menopause and the severity of its symptoms depend on the lifestyle, general condition of the body and on the degree of activity of sexual life. Therefore, for a visit to the doctor, you do not need to wait for the appearance of all of the above symptoms.
Diagnosis of menopause in men
Diagnosis consists of a comprehensive examination, which includes:
- Ultrasound of the prostate gland;
- detailed blood test;
- PSA analyzes: general and free.
The examination should go through every man, especially at risk, so as not to complicate the male menopause.
Symptoms - Treatment: An Important Relationship
The manifestations of menopause in both men and women alone will not go away. Therefore, it is necessary to seek the help of a specialist in order to determine the correct therapy. You also need to understand that each person is individual, therefore, for all representatives of the strong half, the male climacteric period proceeds differently. Symptoms, treatment are interconnected, since the more pronounced the signs of menopause are, the faster you should start treatment, which, in turn, must be comprehensive: drug therapy, a healthy diet, sports and sexual activity, as well as the patient needs to adjust his Lifestyle.
Many men believe: in order to restore sexual activity, it is necessary to resort to frequent sexual intercourse. But this is an erroneous opinion. The frequency of sexual intercourse does not affect the symptoms of male menopause. On the contrary, doctors recommend a measured sexual life during this period of life.
Drug therapy
The treatment mainly consists of:
- hormone replacement therapy;
- drugs to normalize erectile function;
- vitamins to maintain and correct concomitant health problems.
Male sex hormones are the main treatment for menopause. Hormone replacement therapy is prescribed only after an examination, the result of which should exclude prostate cancer. Patients are prescribed testosterone preparations (injections intramuscularly of 5% testosterone propionate solution 1 ml 2 times a week, 10-12 injections). In most men, the painful manifestations of menopause disappear, and the condition of the body generally improves. After injections, patients are prescribed methyltestosterone tablets (0.005 g 2-3 times a day, courses lasting 20-30 days).
Following the recommendations of the attending physician and prolonged treatment with hormonal drugs gives positive results: overall well-being improves, insomnia disappears, and the heartbeat normalizes.
Alcohol consumption and smoking significantly reduce the effectiveness of treatment. It is important for the patient to understand that the menopause is a temporary condition of the body and passes with the right treatment, without leaving consequences.
Treatment with folk remedies
If there is no way to see a doctor, and a man is tormented by a male menopause (symptoms), treatment can consist not only in taking medication. There are quite effective folk remedies for eliminating the symptoms of menopause in men.
- Grass shepherd's bag. It is necessary to pour 30 g of grass with 1 cup of boiling water. Leave the broth for 1 hour. Then strain and consume half a cup at least 3 times a day.
- Hawthorn flowers. 3 tbsp. l flowers pour 3 tbsp. raw water. Insist 8-10 hours. Then boil for 5-7 minutes, warm and insist 30 minutes. After the time has passed, strain and consume in the morning 1 cup of decoction on an empty stomach. Then take during the day after meals.
- Hypericum perforatum. 15 g of St. John's wort pour 200 ml of water, boil for 15 minutes. Then wrap and leave to infuse for 45 minutes. Strain and consume 1 tbsp. l 6 times a day.
- Omenous scented well helps during the early menopause. It is necessary to prepare a mixture consisting of: odoriferous woodruff (20 g), blackberry leaves (25 g), hawthorn flowers (10 g), motherwort grass (20 g) and marshmallow (15 g). 1 tbsp. l mixture pour 1 tbsp. boiling water, heat well and insist 1 hour. Before use, strain and drink 1 tbsp. l at least 3 times a day.
To restore sexual function help:
- ginseng root tincture;
- onion;
- Vitamin E
- celery;
- rosemary officinalis.
Alternative methods of treatment can be used only by agreement with the attending physician.
What is the danger of male menopause?
Numerous medical studies have shown that male menopause aggravates the course of coronary heart disease and contributes to the development of heart attack and impaired cerebral circulation, which can lead to stroke. Also, during menopause, immunity decreases. This factor contributes to the risk of developing myeloma and Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, if you are at the stage when the male menopause begins, treatment should be timely. To do this, do not postpone the visit to the doctor.
How to delay the onset of menopause?
- It is recommended to use foods that contain vitamin E (lettuce, nuts, cereals).
- Eat foods that contain a large amount of fiber (bread from coarse flour, cereals, fruits, bran).
- It is necessary to reduce the intake of salts, carbohydrates, smoked meats.
- Visit your doctor regularly for a routine checkup.
- Seek medical attention in case of health problems.
- Follow all doctor's prescriptions.
- Try to spend more time outdoors while hiking.
An important role is played by the person’s internal emotional state.
Prevention of menopause
A major role during the onset of menopause is played by the regulation of sexual life, marital harmony, compliance with the regime of work and rest, proper nutrition, the elimination of traumatic situations and regular dosed physical activity.
It should be noted that preventive measures are not aimed at eliminating menopause, but at eliminating its manifestations.