Climacteric
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
- Medical encyclopedia article on Climacteric
- Wikipedia's article - Climacteric
This WikiMD 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