A newly invented T-shirt with tiny sensors can make it easier to diagnose whether the woman has started the menopausal phase. The user has to wear the shirt, and it automatically checks on the body temperature and identifies sweating caused by the hot flushes many menopausal women suffer. The readings will take every 30 seconds. The results will then be relayed via a thin wire to a tiny computerized controller sewn into the hem. After that, it'll be transmitted to a private doctor's computer via Bluetooth.
The idea of the invention is to speed up the diagnosis of menopause. Thus, potentially giving women earlier access to treatment to relieve symptoms. Late diagnosis of the menopausal is sometimes distressing to the patient, such as depression, mood swings, tiredness, and headaches.
When does menopause naturally start?
Menopause usually occurs when aging ovaries naturally stop producing the hormones progesterone and estrogen. The average age that the menopause begins is 51, some women start as early as 45, while others see signs during the mid-50s. Many factors can account for this phase, including the age a woman's own mother went through the menopause and whether she breastfed her children.
Before the invention, preventive health care as you age may include recommended health screening tests, such as colonoscopy, mammography, and triglyceride screening. Your doctor might recommend other tests and exams, too, including thyroid testing if suggested by your history, and breast and pelvic exams.
The Invention
Scientists in China desire the smart T-shirt can help women aged 50 and under get a faster diagnosis, as their menopausal symptoms can often be ascribed to other causes. While doctors consider symptoms, their determination is based on a patient's age.
The ordinary T-shirt is embedded with combined humidity and temperature sensors in areas where women report the worst effects of a hot flush, such as the abdomen, armpits, and upper back. The cotton cloth was tested on eight middle-aged women who had been experiencing hot flushes for three years but had not been diagnosed yet. They have to wear it for a few days while doing different activities, including relaxing on the sofa and going for a walk.
According to the published article in the journal Sensors, it shows that the T-shirt could accurately track how often these hot flushes occurred, and their intensity and length. This gave doctors essential clues on how advanced the menopause phase occurred. They now plan extensive studies.
Conclusion
Tania Adib, a consultant gynecological surgeon at Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex, and The Medical Chambers in London, says 'wearable technology' (clothes or devices worn to monitor various aspects of health) is becoming increasingly popular.
However, she warned that the T-shirt might only prompt women only to seek help when they suffer hot flushes when the earliest signs of menopause are often depression, anxiety, or insomnia.
'It's an interesting concept, but it remains to be seen how much practical use it is,' she added.
