Common Signs of Menopause

Menopause starts when a woman has not experienced a menstrual cycle over the past 12 consecutive months. Heralded as a good thing to most women, menopause means no more periods or concern for birth control. Some of the common signs of menopause appear during the perimenopausal stage, but the most life changing signs appear after menopause has occurred.

Facts

• Once 12 consecutive months of menstrual cycles have been missed, menopause has occurred. The ovaries stop functioning, which in turn stops the production of estrogen. The average age for menopause is around 50, though some experience this change in life as early as 45 or as late as 55.

  Perimenopause comes before menopause and is marked by infrequent or irregular periods. Some women are affected by occasional hot flashes, vaginal dryness, weight gain, mood swings and difficulty sleeping. Perimenopause can start up to 10 years prior to reaching menopause.

Temporary Symptoms of Menopause

• The body produces less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone during menopause. Lower hormones may cause some women to experience mood swings. While the body struggles with the imbalance of hormones, a woman may experience hot flashes and night sweats. Hot flashes can warm the entire body but are mostly felt in the face and neck, where perspiration will display. Night sweats are more intense than hot flashes, causing night clothes and even sheets to be moistened with perspiration from sudden feelings of being very hot. Irritating as these conditions are, they are not harmful and will diminish as the body becomes accustomed to the hormonal changes.

Body Changes at Menopause

• Some signs of menopause that affect many women and never improve without medication or the woman becoming proactive in her fitness include weight gain, dryness and thinning of the vaginal wall making intercourse painful, lost desire for sex and weakened bones. Women may experience facial hair growth and thinning or loss of head hair, thinning of the wall of the urethra leading to an urgent need to urinate or leakage, adult acne and memory issues.

Significance

• All the symptoms and changes the body goes through at menopause are uncomfortable and a nuisance. Bone loss, however, is serious and should be treated, since it can lead to osteoporosis and fractures. A doctor-recommended bone density test can be administered to track bone quality.

Treatment Options

• Menopausal symptoms can be treated with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) if recommended by your doctor. Lubricants can be used to make intercourse less painful. Though lacking medical studies to prove their usefulness, some herbal supplements, like Black Cohosh, can reduce the incidence of hot flashes and night sweats. Bone loss can be reduced through calcium supplements fortified with vitamin D as an aid in absorption. Based on the results of a bone density test, your doctor may prescribe medication to help rebuild bone strength.