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Menopause marks the end of reproductive years in women. If you are dubious about menopause, find out what are the 34 symptoms of menopause.
To keep it simple, menopause is the end of menstrual cycles. This is commonly a natural process, although it can be done through surgeries as well.
When a female child is born, there are eggs in the ovaries. These eggs are released after the onset of puberty.
As you age, the ovaries halt releasing eggs. This occurs among women aged between 40-55. Sometimes, due to other issues like the removal of ovaries, premature menopause can happen.
When a woman doesn’t get her period for 12 months, it is called menopause. There are many signs and symptoms of menopause. The most prominent 34 symptoms of menopause are discussed here.
What are the 34 Symptoms of Menopause?
You can find out whether you are going through menopause by understanding what are the 34 symptoms of menopause.
1. Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are the sudden sensation of warmth or heat that can get you to sweat. This is one of the first symptoms of menopause.
Hot flushes happen when there is a simultaneous occurrence of hot flashes and redness in your face and neck.
Its occurrence differs from person to person. Some women may not have it. At the same time, others might experience it for 7-11 years.
You cannot completely avoid hot flashes during menopause, but you can control their frequency. Daily exercise and plant estrogens can reduce the impact of hot flushes. Avoid spicy foods and tight clothes.
2. Burning Mouth
Burning mouth syndrome is also a common sign of menopause. This condition causes pain in the mouth, lips, and tongue. It is widely known as BMS.
It is hard to prevent this sensation, and there are no treatment options, particularly for burning mouth syndrome.
Continuous hydration and avoiding alcohol, acidic drinks and food, and spicy food can limit or cure the condition.
3. Vaginal Dryness
Every woman undergoes constant changes in their body during the menopausal phase. The vaginal tissues become thin and vulnerable to irritations.
Vaginal dryness can be limited by applying vaginal moisturizers, lubricants, estrogen cream, or other treatments.
Hormones like estrogen are not effectively produced during menopause.
Low estrogen levels are the common cause of vaginal dryness. Seek medical advice to reduce the effects of vaginal dryness.
4. Irregular Periods
Since a woman’s menstrual cycle is disrupted due to menopause, irregular periods are considered a perimenopausal symptom. This is one of the first symptoms of menopause.
Women experience several issues with their periods during the perimenopausal phase due to hormonal fluctuations.
The amount of bleeding also varies during the perimenopausal stage. This stage continues for almost four years.
Perimenopause ends with menopause. You get your last period during perimenopause. Your periods during this phase are unpredictable.
5. Lack of Focus
Many women experience a loss of concentration during the menopausal phase. They find difficulty concentrating on work as well as household activities.
The constant changes in hormonal levels and aging are primarily the reason behind the lack of focus.
6. Mood Swings
Every woman’s menopausal phase is filled with mood swings and changes in their body. It is a challenging process to go through. When the estrogen levels start to drop, you may notice a low mood.
A woman may feel like crying or weeping over not-so-serious issues. Insomnia 1and mood disorders are common in this stage.
One may find it difficult to live with that amount of stress. Mood swings might cater to unsatisfactory relationships.
7. Breast Soreness
Your breasts are also affected during menopause. Women experience breast tenderness or pain in their breasts. This is reducible by wearing the right bra.
Also, one may notice changes in the shape and size of their breasts. This is due to the fluctuations in estrogen levels. Exercise can help you to cope with such changes.
8. Hair Loss
Hormonal imbalance causes hair loss during the menopausal phase. Estrogen and progesterone in women regulate hair growth.
When there is a drop in such hormones, many women face issues like hair loss.
Stress and lack of exercise can also contribute to hair loss. Therefore it is necessary to reduce your stress and keep your body moving.
Practice yoga or any other exercises to regulate your overall health during menopause.
9. Gum Problems
Women during the menopausal stage may notice issues with their mouths. Mostly, women experience dryness in the mouth, pain, and a metallic taste.
Estrogen supplements help with these gum problems.
10. Dry Skin
Estrogen develops the skin-smoothing collagen and oils. With perimenopause, estrogen levels rapidly drop off. Thus, women have dry skin.
11. Weight Gain
Menopause weight gain has a huge impact on a woman’s body. Excessive weight gain around the abdominal region causes other disturbances as well.
12. Body Odour
Many women experience changes in body odour with the start of perimenopause. Although this is unpleasant, it is normal.
Hormonal fluctuations send the wrong message to your brain. This activates the heat control mechanism, and in turn, you sweat.
Also, the stress levels in the menopausal phase are high. So bad body odour can develop.
13. Heart Palpitations
Your heart might beat faster or skip beats due to an imbalance in hormones. It happens during hot flushes.
Stress can also cause heart palpitations. Irregular heartbeat is common among menopausal women.
14. Dizziness
With the onset of perimenopause, women experience dizziness. It affects your balance, metabolism, and heart.
Aging and insomnia associated with hot flushes can also create dizzy spells in women.
15. Night Sweats
Night sweats are sweats that occur at night when there is a sudden increase in body heat. You can seek medical advice if the condition intensifies. Hormone therapy is used to control night sweats among women.
Wear loose clothes at night, use a fan, and avoid using alcohol to reduce night sweats.
Usually, night sweats stop in most women after menopause.
16. Fatigue
The changes a woman goes through during the menopausal phase can affect the quality of their life. Fatigue is one of the common menopausal symptoms among women.
Exercise can help alleviate your mood and energy. A perfect sleeping schedule can also benefit you in relieving fatigue.
17. Difficulty in Sleeping
Poor sleep is a symptom of menopause. Since the female hormone levels are low in this phase, women face issues with their sleeping patterns.
Hot flushes and night sweats also contribute to sleeping issues.
18. Itching
Everything that occurs during the menopausal phase is related to hormonal changes in some way. Itchy skin is also associated with the loss of estrogen. The production of body oils is reduced in menopause.
Therefore you might experience itchy skin, acne, rashes, and pigmentation.
19. Memory Lapses
As you age, it is quite normal to have problems associated with memory. Estrogen has an impact on a woman’s memory.
Thus, women find it difficult to learn as well as recollect information during menopause.
20. Headaches
Menopausal women may face severe headaches due to inconsistent hormonal changes. Hormone therapy can help you get temporary relief.
21. Bloating
The extra pressure in your abdominal area during menopause is the result of water or gas retention. Hormonal changes cause such issues.
22. Digestive Issues
Women may experience slowed digestion during menopause. Stomach pain is common when you are in the transitional stage. Intake of supplements can help with such problems.
23. Depression
The release of depression2-causing brain proteins in menopause leads to a low mood. Regular exercise and good food can help alleviate your mood.
24. Joint Pain
When the body gains weight, there is much strain on the various joints. This creates pain. Due to dehydration, stiffness is also common during menopause.
25. Shock Sensations
The sensation of electric shocks in women is still a mystery. It is mainly due to the wrong signals sent to the central nervous system. But many women have such sensations.
It is recommended to have food items that have Omega-3 to battle this.
26. Anxiety
The menopausal phase is a challenging time. The hormonal changes cause stress and anxiety.
To regulate your anxiety, exercise daily. Hormone therapy can also help with anxiety.
27. Changes in Libido
Menopause 3can affect sex drive. It varies from person to person. One might experience pain during sex because of muscle tightness.
28. Panic Attacks
Hormones are responsible for panic attacks. Try to control your breathing or consider some medications if the intensity is high.
Hormone replacement therapy can also manage panic attacks.
29. Brittle Nails
Estrogen 4decreases resulting in dry and brittle nails. Dehydration causes a lack of moisture, and hence, women have brittle nails during menopause.
30. Overactive Bladder
Bladder issues are due to the loss of elasticity in the vaginal tissues. Weak pelvic muscles and thinning of urethral tubes also cause urinal incontinence.
31. Allergies
The constant increase and decrease in hormone levels can make you sensitive to allergens. The increase in the production of histamine creates allergies.
Identify your triggers and reduce exposure to limit allergies5.
32. Increased Blood Pressure
There is an increase in the release of cortisol. This results in stress and raises your blood pressure. Hormone production has an impact on muscle tension.
33. Irritability
In your quest to find the 34 symptoms of menopause, you will find the prominence of irritability and mood changes. This is because of the stress experienced in that transitional phase.
34. Osteoporosis
Low bone density due to the reduction of estrogen results in thinning of bones after menopause. A qualitative intake of calcium can limit the impact of osteoporosis. Women are prone to fractures in this stage of life.
You can include weight training and nutrient-rich foods to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Conclusion
Menopause can bring about a lot of changes in your body as well as your mind. Hence, it is important to know what are the 34 symptoms of menopause and how to deal with them efficiently.
Find out more healthy information.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you have a baby after menopause?
A woman’s hormone levels are too low after menopause to support spontaneous pregnancy. However, IVF can be used to conceive beyond menopause through donor eggs or her own frozen eggs.
2. Is early menopause good or bad?
Those who go through early or premature menopause lose the advantages of estrogen for a longer period of time. You run a higher chance of developing certain illnesses, such as osteoporosis, if you don’t get enough estrogen. heart illness.
3. Can stress cause menopause?
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- Thapar, Anita, et al. “Depression in young people.” The Lancet 400.10352 (2022): 617-631. ↩︎
- Santoro, Nanette, et al. “The menopause transition: signs, symptoms, and management options.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 106.1 (2021): 1-15. ↩︎
- Chantalat, Elodie, et al. “Estrogen receptors and endometriosis.” International journal of molecular sciences 21.8 (2020): 2815. ↩︎
- Giannetti, Arianna, et al. “Cow’s milk protein allergy as a model of food allergies.” Nutrients 13.5 (2021): 1525. ↩︎
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