Menopause usually starts when a woman is in her 40s and is not considered complete until she has been without a period for one year.
Hormone therapy helps relieve some of the symptoms.
This involves the use of estrogen replacement or a combined estrogen with progesterone therapy. Until menopause is complete, there is still the chance that a woman will continue to ovulate, so a method of birth control will need to be used if she does not want to get pregnant. She also needs to include adequate calcium in her diet. Menopause is a natural stage of a woman's life and each woman deals with the change differently. Consult with your physician if you are experiencing menopause symptoms.