5 Early Menopause Symptoms

5 Early Menopause Symptoms

What is Menopause?

Menopause is not considered a medical illness, but a natural biological process that all women go through. It signals the end of a woman’s fertility and marks the end of menstrual cycles. 

However, if your periods stop before they should naturally, there may in fact be an underlying illness.

During menopause the production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone hormones becomes disrupted and lead to hormonal fluctuations.  While menopause symptoms can be frustrating and, at times, overwhelming, the process is natural. Understanding the change better will help women get through the symptoms and choose the right treatments for their needs.

 Here are 5 symptoms which suggest a woman is suffering from Menopause

• Vaginal Dryness

It is one of the most common problems during menopause that almost all women face. During menopause, the drop in estrogen levels reduces the amount of moisture available. It also makes the vagina thinner and less elastic. This is called vaginal atrophy. It can cause extreme itching, burning, pain or light bleeding during intercourse. It can also cause frequent and urgent urinary needs. Good news this can be countered by using vaginal moisturizer or a water based lubricant. Seek professional help at all times

• Hot Flashes

Many women complain about getting hot flashes during menopause. It generally occurs on upper portion of the body or throughout. The skin feels very sweaty and flushed; cheeks and face almost turn red sometimes due to hot flashes. The time tenure varies from woman to woman.  The heart rate may suddenly increase, or may become irregular or stronger than usual. Hot flashes generally occur during the first year after a woman’s final period.

• Decrease in Libido

During this process, there is fall in libido and women show less interest towards sexual relation, which is brought by physical change due to reduced estrogen in the body. One of the biggest issues with sex after menopause is that declining estrogen levels can lead to thinning of the vaginal wall. This, in combination with dryness, can contribute to making sex more painful. However, with more foreplay and gentle intercourse this can be easily resolved. It’s always good to discuss details with your doctor.

• Night Sweats & Insomnia

Sleeping problems are usually a result of night sweats, but not always, sleep disruption may be caused by insomnia or anxiety. Difficulty going and staying asleep increase as women go through menopause which results in loss of energy and may also make them more irritable.

• Irregular Periods

This is usually the first symptom; menstrual pattern changes. Some women may experience a period every 2-3 weeks, while others will not have one for months at a time.

• Depression and Mood swings

Due to less sleep and hormonal changes, women can suffer from severe mood swings during menopause. Most of the women feel irritable, depressed and moody. Moodiness often goes hand-in-hand with sleep disturbance. Experts say that most mood changes are triggered by poor sleep.

• Hairloss

You may face this problem during menopause due to decrease in estrogen. Also, fatty tissue, collagen combined will make the skin drier and thinner. You should not use any chemical treatment during this; it may damage your skin and hair more.

So, if you are noticing these changes inside you, then you may be suffering from menopause. Even though menopause is a natural biological process.

If the physical symptoms, such as hot flashes, and emotional symptoms of menopause may disrupt your sleep, lower your energy or for some women  it may trigger anxiety or feelings of sadness and loss.

Don’t hesitate to seek menopause treatment for symptoms that bother you.