How to pay special attention to family harmony

How to pay special attention to family harmony

SEMARANG (JP): In the year 2000 the number of Indonesian women
aged 45 and above is estimated to reach 20 million out of the 104
million women in the population.

These women will suffer from natural diseases, especially
because at this age women usually go through the menopause. Thus
it will be important to pay special attention to harmony within
the family.

What are these complaints? According to an obstetrician and
gynecologist from Diponegoro University, Semarang, Dr Noor
Pramono, these women will go through hard times. Complaints such
as facial pain, as if the face is being soaked with boiling
water, excessive sweat, headaches, moodiness, excessive
tiredness, decreased libido, urinal pains, dry hair, absent-
mindedness, vaginal pain, and so on.

"The long-term symptoms are osteoporosis and cardiovascular
diseases. In the beginning, the woman will suffer from breathing
difficulties and stiffness", Noor added.

To remedy this Noor suggested hormonal therapy. Hormonal
therapy for aging women may take the form of pills or hormone
implants.

This therapy, Noor said, is effective, and the result will be
felt after six months. Also, one may opt to keep on undergoing
the therapy to prevent such complaints.

The therapy is relatively cheap. It costs a mere Rp 30,000
($3.7) per month for a life-long treatment.

Unlike in the U.S., in Indonesia there are not many old women
who adopt this therapy, yet there are constant yearly increases
in the usage of hormonal therapy.

"The number of old women in Indonesia already using this
therapy consists of 20 percent of the total number of women in
the population. The women who adopt this therapy are generally of
the middle and higher classes who will do anything to keep
themselves healthy".

The usage of hormonal therapy is beneficial because in the
therapy estrogen and progesterone hormones will not only keep the
user clear of the short-term symptoms but also keep the blood
pressure at a reasonably low level, thus preventing coronary
disease.

Hormonal therapy may also prevent skeletal decay in elderly
women, said Noor, a graduate from Newcastle University,
Australia.

For those who cannot afford the hormonal therapy, there is
non-hormonal therapy which may be undergone. For example, eating
regularly on a healthy diet, refraining from smoking, not
drinking caffeine and alcohol, exercising, and sexual activities.

There is a group of women who refuse hormonal therapy. Noor
explains that there are a number of reasons behind this.
First, a complaint such as skeletal pain is thought to be
rheumatism, therefore patients go to a rheumatism specialist. Or
sleeping problems, as well as temperamental and emotional
problems are treated with tranquilizers.

Second, many women assume that hormonal therapy may cause
breast cancer. News from the media often influences women on
this. Various pieces of research have indicated that hormonal
therapy practice does not cause breast cancer.

Third, hormonal therapy is a long-term medication where the
patient must be consistent in applying the therapy every day and
the result can only be felt between six months and one year
later. This often causes women to be impatient.

Fourth, hormonal therapy is still considered an expensive
treatment and the demanded consistency is found to be rather a
burden. Yet, middle and higher class women find it to be
relatively cheap.

Fifth, most women entering the post-menopause period often
complain of certain symptoms, such as diabetes melitus,
hypertension, heart disease and breast disease, so that they are
not recommended to undergo hormonal therapy.

According to research, all such health problems, if treated
with hormonal therapy, would be contra-indicated. Hormonal
therapy will decrease blood pressure, and thus prevent heart
disease.