DEFINING DEMOCRACY Government of the People. Democracy may be a word familiar to most, but it is a concept still misunderstood and misused in a time when totalitarian regimes and military dictatorships alike have attempted to claim popular support by pinning democratic labels upon themselves.
In most women who undergo natural menopause, hot flashes subside within 2 to 5 years after the last menstrual period. In a small number of women, however, hot flashes can continue for 8 to 15 years after the last menstrual period. There is some evidence that women who go through menopause due to surgery may have more severe hot flashes for more years than women who go through natural menopause.
The average age for menopause in the United States is approximately 52 years, but the menopause transition can last for a number of years. During the menopause transition, women's ovaries produce less and less of the hormone estrogen, until menses stops completely. The loss of estrogen may cause hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, headaches, irregular periods, and vaginal dryness.