The diagnosis of menopause is confirmed when a woman has not had a menstrual period for an entire year, however, symptoms of menopause generally appear before the end of that period. These are the symptoms:
Irregular periods
Changes in menstrual pattern are the first noticeable symptoms of menopause. Some women may experience menstruation every 2 to 3 weeks; others will not menstruate for several months in a row.
Low fertility
Perimenopause is the 3-5 year period before menopause. During the perimenopausal stage, a woman’s estrogen levels will drop significantly. This reduces your chances of getting pregnant.
Vaginal dryness
Dryness, itching, and discomfort of the vagina tend to occur during perimenopause. As a result, some women may experience dyspareunia or pain during sexual intercourse; This occurs due to decreased estrogen levels causing vaginal atrophy. Vaginal atrophy is an inflammation of the vagina that occurs as a result of thinning and contraction of tissues, as well as decreased lubrication.
Hot flushes
A hot flash is a sudden sensation of heat in the upper body. It can start on the face, neck, or chest, and work up or down. The skin may become red and bumpy, and you may start to sweat. The heart rate may suddenly increase, strengthen, or become irregular. Hot flashes usually occur in the first year after the last period.
Night sweats
Hot flashes that occur during the sleep cycle are called night sweats . Most women say that these night hot flashes do not last more than one minute. However, studies have confirmed that moderate to severe night sweats and hot flashes can be a problem for around 10 years.
Sleep disturbance
It is often more difficult for women to fall asleep and stay asleep longer hours at a time as menopause progresses. In some cases, night sweats can cause discomfort at night and difficulty sleeping. Sleep disturbance can also be caused by insomnia or anxiety.
Urinary problems
Menopause can disrupt a woman’s urinary cycle. Women tend to be more susceptible to urinary tract infections during menopause , such as cystitis. They may also find that they also need to go to the bathroom more often.
Emotional changes
They may experience depression and low mood during menopause. Hormonal changes can trigger depressive feelings and mood swings. In many cases, these emotional symptoms also go hand in hand with sleep disorders. Having low libido or sex drive also occurs as a result of these emotional changes.
Concentration and learning problems
Menopause can affect cognitive functions, such as concentration. Some women may also experience short-term memory problems and difficulty concentrating for long periods.
Other effects
Other symptoms of menopause include: accumulation of fat in the abdomen, which sometimes leads to overweight and obesity, hair loss and thinning of the hair or breast contraction.
Without treatment, symptoms generally decrease over a period of 2 to 5 years. However, symptoms may persist longer. In some cases, vaginal dryness, itching, and discomfort can become chronic and eventually get worse without treatment.
Treatment
Each woman should choose the type of therapy that depending on her menopausal symptoms, medical history and personal preferences, be it hormone replacement therapy , supplementing the levels of estrogen and progestin, the benefits of which are to effectively treat many problematic menopausal symptoms, prevent osteoporosis and reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and whose risks are increased incidence of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer and increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke; But there are other medications available to help reduce the effects of menopause, such as low-dose antidepressants, drug treatment for hot flashes, osteoporosis treatments, for vaginal symptoms, or moisturizers that are available without a prescription.
