February 26th, 2010
Menopause is an unavoidable part of the human life cycle that will affect most women after they reach middle-age. The shift into menopause usually begins around the age of 45, with the final menstrual period occuring commonly at age 50. As the levels of estrogen in a woman’s body decrease, many symptoms start to occur and they can be uncomfortable, stressful, or painful.
These menopause symptoms can last the entire transitional period, or even for the rest of a woman’s life. However, there are many treatments available to restore hormone imbalance and return the female body to a normal state. Prescription drugs, natural supplements, and lifestyle changes can all be used to restore hormone levels and make menopause manageable. Here are the 34 most common menopause symptoms:
1. Hot flashes, cold flashes and night sweats. Clammy feelings are due to an increased activity in the autonomic/sympathetic nervous system and can be treated. The prescription drug Femhrt is used to treat these feelings of warmth in the face, neck and chest, and sudden intense spells of heat and sweating.
2. Short periods of a rapid heartbeat. This symptom also occurs due to an increased activity in the autonomic/sympathetic nervous system. Women can also experience skipped or irregular heartbeats and if these symptoms continue, it’s a good idea to visit your doctor.
3. Irritability, “anger problems” and feelings of being out of control. Women can often react to a normal situation in an angrier manner than usual. These feelings are hormone-induced and there is nothing wrong with seeking counselling to discuss these issues.
4. Mood swings and sudden crying spells. Often misdiagnosed as symptoms of bipolar disorder because women tend to feel extremes of emotions due to the hormone imbalance.
5. Insomnia and trouble sleeping. Relaxation and breathing exercises can be useful with this problem.
6. Irregular periods. Shorter, lighter or heavier periods, flooding and phantom periods are common in the perimenopause stage before a woman’s period actually stops altogether.
7. Lower sex drive, loss of libido. Not every woman will lose her libido, but many do temporarily. Often, the reason for this loss is simply due to a decreased interest in sex caused by the ill feelings from menopause.
8. Vaginal dryness. When estrogen levels drop, vaginal tissues start drying and become less elastic. Sex can become uncomfortable and painful, and you may be more prone to infection. Transdermal skin patches such as Climara, help to treat the dryness, burning or itching of the vaginal area.
9. Chronic fatigue and morning sluggishness. Can be due to an amalgamation of the other 34 menopause symptoms or simply due to exhaustion in general.
10. Hair loss or thinning on the head, pubic area or whole body, as well as an increase in facial hair. Hair follicles need estrogen and because of menopause, hair loss is inevitable. Hair may also get drier and more brittle.
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension and doom. These feelings can be mild or extreme and are caused by physical or psychological conditions. If your life becomes disrupted by this symptom, consult a doctor.
12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation and mental confusion. Many women have trouble remembering things and concentrating. This can be due to a lack of sleep, or sleep disruption.
13. Incontinence. Stress incontinence can occur accidentally when you laugh, cough, sneeze or exert yourself. Urge incontinence, occurs when our bladder tricks you into feeling as if it is constantly full. Lastly, with overflow incontinence, you completely lose the sensation that you have to go. Often, women take a prescription drug called Climara to reduce any urgency or irritation related to urination.
14. Aching sore joints, muscles and tendons. This is one of the most common symptoms of menopause and is related to immune system effects caused by fluctuating hormone levels.
15. Breast pain and tenderness. Pain or tenderness in the breast can precede or accompany menstrual periods.
16. Sudden bloating. A puffy and bloated feeling can often come out of nowhere due to periodic increases in fluid retention and abdominal distension.
17. Allergies increasing. Many women who suffer from allergies develop worse symptoms during menopausal years. Also, women who have never experienced allergy problems may develop them for the first time.
18. Depression. Feelings of sadness or unhappiness may appear for short periods of time without reason or warning. If this condition worsens or continues, consult a doctor.
19. Weight Gain. This occurs most obviously in the middle section of a woman’s body. Doctors believe that this is due to metabolism slowing down and increased hormone levels causing a redistribution of fat.
20. Dizziness, light headedness, loss of balance. Spinning sensations and the inability to maintain balance can be a symptom of menopause.
21. Changes in body odor. The smell of sweat is more obvious from people with inadequate hygiene, or bad genes. Antibacterial soups should solve the problem.
22. Distressing memory lapses. Women who are nearing menopause often suffer from memory loss and an inability to concentrate. This is associated with low levels of estrogen and higher stress levels.
23. Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head. Buzzing sensations, as if you have just touched a light socket, are due to constantly fluctuating hormones.
24. Increase in headaches. Dropping estrogen levels during the early stages of menopause will increase the frequency and intensity of headaches.
25. Tingling in the extremities. Can also be due to a B-12 deficiency, diabetes, or from a change in the flexibility of blood vessels in your extremities.
26. Gum problems with increased bleeding. The most common gum problem is bleeding, due to inflamed gums or gingivitis.
27. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste, and bad breath odour. This disorder can affect up to 5% of U.S. women and generally occurs after the age of 60.
28. Digestive problems, indigestions, flatulence, gas pain, nausea. Menopause brings changes of gastrointestinal function with excessive gas production, gastrointestinal cramping and nausea.
29. An increase in muscle tension. This increase throughout the body is associated with soreness and stiffness in the muscles. Women are less likely to suffer from this symptom if they are in good health and have adequate nutrition and physical exercise.
30. Changes in fingernails. Nails often become brittle, softer or crack and break more easily during menopause.
31. Anxiety and feeling ill at ease. A loss of emotional control can be associated with panic attacks, rapid heartbeats, shortness of breath and palpitations. Early diagnosis may help with faster recovery.
32. Itchy skin. When estrogen levels lower, collagen production slows down as well. When you run low on collagen, it makes skin thinner, drier, flakier and less youthful-looking.
33. Tingling extremities. This symptom is similar to the feeling that bugs are crawling on your skin. This can either be a harmless symptom, due to a pinched nerve or reduction of blood flow. Or, it can be due to anxiety, a herniated spinal disk, poor blood circulation, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, carpal tunnel syndrome or a tumor.
34. Osteoporosis. This degenerative bone disorder occurs where there is thinning and weakening of the bone. As you get older, there is less bone building in your body to keep up with bone removal. Estrogen is involved in the process of calcium absorption into your bones, meaning that menopausal women will experience bone density reduction as estrogen levels drop. Most women take medication such as Actonel to treat and prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Menopause is a natural process for women, and should not be treated as an illness. Most, if not all, women will go through the same process and experience many of these 34 menopause symptoms.
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