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Signs and Symptoms of Menopause!

All women at some point in their life will experience the signs and symptoms of menopause.  It’s all part of aging and a clear understanding of these signs and symptoms will help you deal with the physical, emotional, hormonal, and mental changes associated with this process. 

To understand the signs and symptoms of menopause it’s best to clearly define the different stages of this process.  There are a lot of phrases used which creates confusion.  If you research this process these are the terms you will most likely see:

Menopause – This is the date on which you haven’t had a menstrual period for a year.  At this point your estrogen and progesterone production has permanently decreased to very low levels.  Your ovaries have stopped producing eggs and you will no longer be able to get pregnant naturally.  It is the end of your natural reproductive life.  For many this is a blessing since you don’t have to worry about getting pregnant and no longer have to deal with the challenges of a menstrual cycle.  For others it’s a sad time because the opportunity to naturally become pregnant represents the final chapter in producing children and a family.  The average age for menopause in the United States is 52.

Postmenopause – This really is the same as menopause.  It represents the rest of your life after you have not had a menstrual cycle or period for a year.

Peri menopause – This is the period of time prior to menopause with the greatest amount of hormonal fluctuation.  This hormonal fluctuation can last from two to 15 years and leads to most of the signs and symptoms of menopause that women complain about.  This phase usually starts somewhere between the ages of 35 to 50 years of age.

Premenopause – This is defined as the period of time from a woman’s first menstrual period to her last regular menstrual period.  It’s also considered the time of “normal” reproductive health in a woman.

Medical Menopause – This is also called Premature Menopause and is usually the result of genetics, chromosome defects, autoimmune diseases and certain medical treatments like a hysterectomy or pelvic radiation for cancer.  It’s estimated that approximately 25% of women enter menopause this way.

Most women who are suffering from the signs and symptoms of menopause are typically in the peri menopause stage of their life.

Signs and Symptoms of Menopause
Before we list these signs and symptoms it’s important to understand that they are usually a result of a hormonal imbalance which is an abnormal state. 

Hormonal balance should be your normal state but because of inadequate diet, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, added stress and the extraordinary demands most women place on their bodies, hormonal imbalance is the result.  It’s estimated that 80% of women today experience some type of symptom resulting from hormonal imbalance. 

For peri menopause these signs and symptoms can include:

• Changes in your menstrual cycle such as longer or shorter periods, missed periods and heavier or lighter periods
• Hot flashes which is a sudden rush of heat caused by a vasodilation of blood to the skin of the chest, neck, and head
• Night sweats which are more severe hot flashes that happen at night while you sleep
• Vaginal dryness
• Sleep problems
• Mood swings, irritability, emotional changes, profound sadness
• Pain during sex
• Increased urinary tract infections
• Urinary incontinence
• Lost or decreased interest in sex
• An accumulation of body fat around the waist area
• Problems with concentration and memory

The signs and symptoms of menopause are:

• Spotting – Since your period has stopped for 12 months in a row, if you still have spotting then you should talk with your doctor to rule out a more serious problem like cancer.
• Night sweats may still occur to interrupt a good night’s sleep
• Sleeping problems that can still affect on your mood, health and emotions
• Vaginal changes may become more pronounced
• Increased risk for osteoporosis
• Emotional changes can still be part of the mix leading to mood swings, sadness and irritability
• Urinary problems like leaking especially when you sneeze, cough or laugh
• Continued problems with concentration, memory and focus
• Decrease in sex drive
• Hair loss
• Weight fluctuations
• Increased risk for heart disease

As you can see by these two lists there are definite crossovers in the signs of symptoms of menopause when compared to peri menopause.  The major difference is in the menstrual cycle and the increased risk for osteoporosis and heart disease.  If you’re still having your period but experiencing these signs and symptoms, then you’re most likely in the peri menopause phase.

Information is Power!
To help you better cope with the signs and symptoms of peri menopause and menopause I’ve prepared a series of articles for you.  They are:

Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes! – Learning what causes hot flashes is important but learning how to stop hot flashes naturally is even more important.

What Causes Night Sweats! – For many night sweats are even worse than hot flashes so leaning what causes night sweats and how to stop them can do wonders for your overall health.

7 Natural Remedies for Menopause! – Given the dangers of hormonal replacement therapy many women are searching for effective natural remedies for menopause to help decrease and potential eliminate the signs and symptoms of menopause.

Do Menopause Vitamins Really Work? – Is this just a marketing gimmick or are there really good menopause vitamins and supplements for menopause that really work.

Sex After Menopause!? – For some women sex after menopause is an exclamation mark and for others it’s a big question mark.  Learn the steps to change the question to an exclamation!

I hope you find these articles helpful as you journey through the signs and symptoms of menopause.  Every woman goes through the journey.  Hopefully, the content of these articles will make it easier for you while helping to improve your overall health and wellness.

Until next time, may we both age youthfully!

Synergistically yours,

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