If you've been through the menopause you may be worried by spotting or bleeding that you find. This can be due to a number of causes including vaginal infections, fibroids and endometrial cancer.
But first you have to rule out the fact have you actually reached the menopause. Even if you have been having perimenopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats for several years, it doesn't actually mean that you have reached the menopause yet. What most people call menopause symptoms are actually due to the perimenopause - the run up to the menopause. During this time your period can occur at very infrequent times. You are said to have reached the menopause when you have gone for 12 months without a period.
Bleeding in an older woman who has properly gone through the menopause may be due to cervical cancer or endometrial cancer (womb cancer). Cervical cancer may also be accompanied by a discharge that smells or pain following intercourse. If you have any of these symptoms you should visit your doctor.
Vaginal infections can also sometimes cause bleeding. Other causes could be fibroids or polyps. Your doctor may need to arrange for a specialist examination and tests to be carried out. This would be done by a gynecologist, who is an expert in women's healthcare.
One of the tests that the gynecologist may perform is a visual examination using a tool called a speculum. A hysteroscopy maybe carried out if there is any concern that bleeding is coming from the womb. This is where a tiny telescope is inserted that can look at the lining of the womb, and take a sample of tissue (biopsy) if needed. A colposcopy is a similar procedure where the specialist uses a mini telescope to look at the cervix and take a sample if required.
Cancers of the cervix and the womb are very treatable and a cure can often be made as long as they are caught early enough. This is why it is important to visit your doctor if you are concerned about any bleeding after the menopause. You should not just hope it will go away.
For more information on menopause natural treatments visit http://www.naturalmenopausetips.com. You'll also find the latest ideas for achieving weight loss during the menopause.
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