Diagnosing Menopause – Ways on How You Can Do It

Diagnosing menopause is usually done when a woman already starts to experience cessation in her menstrual period.  Menopause usually begins at the age of 50 and ends at the age of 55.  However, some symptoms of this condition can already manifest in women during her late 40’s.  Therefore, women must know different ways on how to determine if they are already in the state of having a menopause.

Simplest Way to Diagnose Menopause

The simplest way to know that you are having menopause is when you do not have menstruation for 12 months.  This condition should happen without any other medical reason for the menstrual period to stop.  However, waiting for 12 consecutive months of no menses is a very long duration.  That is why you should know other ways to on how to diagnose menopause at the occurrence of different symptoms.

Diagnosing Menopause

Diagnosing Menopause through FSH Test

As you enter menopausal transition or what they call perimenopause, you tend to experience a lot of various symptoms.  These symptoms cause both physical and emotional changes which may bring discomfort.  However, they may also be just an indication of other condition.  To be able to diagnose menopause properly, you can opt for a Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Test.

Step 1. You should be aware that age is a natural indicator of menopause.  And most women enter perimenopause by the late 40’s.

Step 2. The level of a woman’s follicle-stimulating hormone may indicate that she is already in the transition process of menopause.  However, FSH can have extreme fluctuations every month that is why the test alone may not be reliable enough in diagnosing menopause.

Step 3. Together with your FSH levels, you should test your luteinizing hormone (LH) levels as well.  The test should be done twice with an interval of one month to counterbalance the fluctuations in the levels of FSH.

Step 4. High levels of FSH and LH indicate that you are already in the perimenopause stage.  It is because the increase in FSH and LH levels means there is a significant decrease in the levels of estrogen and progesterone.  This happens when the ovaries age and there is absence of ovulation.

Step 5. Primenopause show results of FSH level between 5 mIU/ml and 25 mIU/ml. When the test result of FSH is higher than 25 mIU/ml, it means that you are already gearing towards menopause.  A FSH level of 50 mIU/ml indicates that a woman is already fully menopausal.

Other Ways to Diagnose Menopause

Apart from the FSH test which was thoroughly discussed above, there are also other lab tests which may assist in properly diagnosing menopause.  When these tests are done, it would be easier to confirm that you are already in the menopausal stage of your life.

Test 1. You should have your Estradiol tested.  This is a type of estrogen which drops during menopause.

Test 2. You should have a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test.  You need this test because a thyroid complication sometimes mimics menopause symptoms.

Test 3. You should have a Bone Mass Density (BMD) Test.  Although this does not directly confirm menopause, BMD may reinforce that condition that estrogen levels have dropped.  It is because low estrogen level can cause bone mass to deteriorate.

Diagnosing menopause on the basis of menstrual cycle alone is not enough.  You should also consider going to the doctor and have some tests done.  These tests may not give conclusive diagnosis for menopause when done alone.  But when they are done altogether, they strongly verify the occurrence of menopause.

What Comes Next After Diagnosing Menopause?

Well, after diagnosing menopause, you can look for menopause treatments. First, you should ask your doctor about your options. Before going to him, you may also have all your sources ready.

Read review pages on natural menopause relief treatments using this site: best menopause treatments. Ask your doctor about his opinion on these products and see if you can take home any of the four products listed on this page with you.