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.