The names
Rajonivritti meaning in Ayurveda. Rajonivṛtti means the coming to an end of menstruation: menopause, or mahvari band hona.
Urgent signs: Bleeding that soaks through protection every hour, fainting, or severe pain needs urgent care. Any bleeding after menopause, even spotting, needs a prompt review.4 The full list is under "When it should not wait" on Menopause and perimenopause.
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | Rajonivṛtti (रजोनिवृत्ति): rajas, menstruation, and nivṛtti, coming to an end |
| Hindi | Mahvari band hona, menopause |
| Punjabi | Mahvari band hona, menopause (ਮਾਹਵਾਰੀ ਬੰਦ ਹੋਣਾ, ਮੀਨੋਪੌਜ਼) |
| English | Menopause; the years of change before it, perimenopause |
How Ayurveda describes it
In Ayurveda, rajonivṛtti is a natural stage of life, not a disease. The classical texts note that menstruation usually ends at around fifty.1 It is linked with the later stage of life, when vāta becomes more prominent and the body's tissues (dhātu) gradually thin.1
The symptoms of the change, such as heat, restlessness, poor sleep, dryness, aches and low mood, are read as vāta and pitta becoming unsettled. Care in the Ayurvedic view centres on routine, regular meals, sleep, gentle activity and rasāyana, the tradition of supporting strength in later life, with medicines only where a doctor advises.
How modern medicine describes it
Modern medicine defines menopause as periods having stopped for twelve months, usually between 45 and 55.2 In the years before, perimenopause, periods often change and symptoms begin: hot flushes, night sweats, poor sleep, low mood or anxiety, joint aches and vaginal dryness.23
Over 45, the diagnosis is usually made from the symptoms without blood tests.3 Lower oestrogen speeds bone loss and makes heart health more important to watch.25 Bleeding after menopause always needs prompt assessment.4 Menopause before 45 is assessed separately.3
Where they agree, and where they differ
| Ayurveda (rajonivṛtti) | Modern medicine (menopause) | |
|---|---|---|
| The starting point | A natural stage of life | A natural stage; symptoms are treated when they affect life |
| The mechanism | Vāta becoming prominent, dhātu thinning | Falling and fluctuating oestrogen |
| The core experience | Heat, restlessness, dryness, aches, low mood | Hot flushes, sweats, sleep and mood changes, dryness |
| Longer-term health | Strength in later life (rasāyana) | Bones, heart, blood pressure and sugar checks2 |
| Tests | Not part of the classical description | Usually none over 45; more if periods stop early3 |
| Treatment | Routine, diet, sleep, rasāyana; medicines after assessment | Lifestyle, hormone therapy, other options, after weighing risks |
Both views agree that this is a stage of life rather than an illness, that sleep, activity and routine matter, and that care should fit the woman.
What the evidence does and doesn't show
- Shown: hormone therapy relieves hot flushes for many women, and cognitive behavioural therapy can help with flushes, sleep and mood; each is weighed against the person's own risks.3
- Not shown: that pregnancy is impossible once periods become irregular; it remains possible until menopause is confirmed.2
- Limited: clinical trials of Ayurvedic treatments have mostly been few, small or not well designed, so firm conclusions about menopausal symptoms cannot be drawn. 6
- Not a substitute: an Ayurvedic label doesn't replace prompt assessment of bleeding after menopause, or bone and heart checks.4
What this means for you
If periods have become irregular, pregnancy is still possible and is considered first. Any bleeding after menopause is checked promptly, not treated as part of the change. Beyond that, keep a note of your symptoms, sleep, mood and periods over a few months; it shows which changes trouble you most.
Read next
- Menopause and perimenopause: symptoms, bleeding that needs a prompt review and the questions about HRT
- kashtartava: the classical words for periods and their pain
- women's health
A consultation with Dr. D.K. Sharma (BAMS) is ₹500, in person in Ludhiana or by video. Dr. Sharma asks about your periods, your symptoms and your other health, including bones and heart, which helps decide which changes need checking and what care suits you. A personalised Dinacharya (daily-routine) guide follows.
Sources
- Suśruta Saṃhitā, Śārīrasthāna, on ārtava and the age at which it ends (classical source).
- NHS. Menopause. nhs.uk.
- NICE. Menopause: identification and management (NG23).
- NHS. Postmenopausal bleeding. nhs.uk.
- World Health Organization. Menopause (fact sheet). who.int.
- NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health). Ayurvedic Medicine: In Depth. Last updated January 2019. nccih.nih.gov.
Medical content approved by Dr. D.K. Sharma.
Reviewed by Dr. D.K. Sharma.
