These are the 10 Most Common Symptoms of Menopause

May 29, 2018

Menopause can be a tricky period in a woman's life. Many women begin to experience menopause symptoms in their mid-40s, and while these symptoms may be unpleasant, they are not as unmanagable as many believe. With that being said, here are the ten most common symptoms that will tell you that you're approaching menopause. 

Hot flashes are sudden sensations of heat that spreads throughout your entire body. They can range in severity from feeling like a minor flush to feeling like you're on fire. Hot flashes are caused by decreased estrogen levels and affect 75 to 85 percent of menopausal women. 

Night sweats might happen if a hot flash happens while you're asleep. It's not a sleep disorder, but it can be very uncomfortable and keep you awake at night. Lower the temperature in your bedroom and sleep with fewer blankets if you want to keep yourself reasonably comfortable while you sleep. 

Most women experience irregular periods at some time or another, but they are far more common during menopause due to the hormone imbalance. Your periods may come earlier or later than you expect, and you may occasionally skip your period altogether. 
 

As the estrogen in your body decreases, your vaginal tissue may become drier and less elastic. This can cause itching and pain during intercourse, but it can be treated with medication or mitigated by a personal lubricant. 

You may experience significant mood swings as your hormones become increasingly imbalanced. You might go from feeling perfectly happy one moment to unreasonably upset the next. These mood swings will vary from woman to woman. 

You may also notice that your hair is thinning as you get older. Like many of the other symptoms of menopause, this is due to a lack of estrogen. Hair loss due to menopause may be gradual or sudden, but it can usually be lessened if your hormone imbalance is treated. 

Your fluctuating hormones could also cause you to feel more fatigued than you have been before. This may also be accompanied by irritability or apathy.

The discomfort that comes with hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and everything else that accompanies menopause might make sleep more difficult than it was when you are younger. 

Some women report having trouble concentrating and staying focused once they reach menopause. Whether this is caused by a lack of estrogen or a lack of sleep will vary from one woman to the next, and some women may not have this problem at all. In any case, this can have a big impact on your daily life if it happens to you. 

Osteoporosis is a loss of bone strength and density, and it happens to a lot of women during menopause. Estrogen plays a major role in calcium absorption, and lower estrogen levels can make it harder for your bones to repair and replace damaged cells. This could make you much more susceptible to fractures, so be careful as you get older. 

As unpleasant as these symptoms can be, most of them can be controlled. Speak with your doctor about how to manage the worst of these symptoms, and remember that what you are going through is completely normal as you age. Stay positive, and don't hesitate to find support from others who may be going through the same thing. 
 

Let's remove the stigma about menopause and spread the word about these common manageable symptoms. 

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!