Climacteric

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Climacteric

Climacteric (pronounced: kly-mak-ter-ik) is a term used in medicine to describe a period of life characterized by physiological and psychological changes that occur in some species, including humans, marking the transition from reproductive to non-reproductive life.

Etymology

The term 'climacteric' originates from the Greek word 'klimaktēr' which means 'rung of a ladder'. It was first used in the English language in the 16th century to describe a critical period or year in a person's life.

Definition

In the context of human health, the climacteric is a phase in the aging process during which an individual undergoes changes leading to the loss of reproductive capacity. This phase is often associated with fluctuations in hormonal levels, particularly a decrease in the levels of sex hormones such as estrogen in women and testosterone in men.

Related Terms

  • Menopause: This is the time in a woman's life when menstrual periods stop permanently, marking the end of her reproductive years. Menopause is a part of the climacteric phase.
  • Andropause: Also known as male menopause, andropause refers to aging-related hormone changes in men. It is a term used to describe decreasing levels of the male hormone testosterone.
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): This is a treatment used to relieve symptoms of the menopause. It replaces hormones that are at a lower level as you approach the menopause.
  • Perimenopause: This term refers to the time during which a woman's body makes its natural transition toward permanent infertility (menopause).
  • Postmenopause: This is the stage of life after menopause has occurred, starting when a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months.

See Also

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski