Menopause Symtoms

Menopause Symtoms

Menopause symtoms can affect as many as 70% of women who are coming up to menopause. The symtoms, including night sweats and hot flashes, are the result of changing hormonal levels in the female body. Most women notice early symtoms or perimenopause symtoms while they are still experiencing periods.

Menopause symtoms can last as long as 10-15years. There are a lot of things that can be done to help woman experiencing symtoms. The symtoms most commonly experiences are night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, loss of libido, irregular periods and weight gain.

List of Menopause Symtoms:

Hot Flashes

Almost all women get hot flashes during menopause. It is the most common symtom during menopause. Hot flashes which feel like a sudden sensation of warmth that spreads over the entire body creating a “flush” face(noticeably red face). They can vary in intensity from a delicate flush to an engulfing flame…both are normal.

What causes hot flashes?

Hot flashes are a result of the body reacting to a smaller amount of estrogen. The severity of the hot flashes depends on how quickly your body slows the production of estrogen. If it is a gradual decrease over time than the body will have few mild hot flashes. However, if the ovaries stop estrogen production quickly than hot flashes will be severe.

Night Sweats: (nighttime hot flashes)

Night sweats are the same as hot flashes however occur at night and can be more intense. They are one of the most common menopause symtom. The medical name for night sweats is “nocturnal hyperhydrosis” which just means excessive sweats at night. Night sweats are cause by the same factors that cause hot flashes.

Loss of Libido

Low libido can be addressed but sex therapists agree that should only occur when it is causing a problem. All people experience changing levels of sexual drive that can be caused by many factors. One factor that can affect sex drive during menopause is the imbalance of hormones. Prescription drugs can also have a negative effect on sex drive. Loss of Libido is a menopausal symtom experienced by many women.

Mood Swings, Sudden Tears

When we are in menopause our mood swings can be like a rocky road with big ups and downs not only for ourselves but for everyone around us. If the mood swings become severe with deep depression it can be treated and you should contact your doctor.

Irregular Periods

During menopause most woman have the symtom of irregular periods. There are many things that can cause this symtom, the most common reason can be hormone imbalance. Your period may come quicker every 25 days or longer than usual, it can vary greatly. The amount of bleeding can also vary by a wide degree from month to month. It is often common for months to be skipped for no apparent reason.

This symtom is most common in women in their mid forties. As the hormonal imbalance begins to occur the body struggles to keep its natural timing.

Vaginal Dryness

Vaginal dryness is the loss of the usual soft and moist feel of the inner lining in the vaginal area. As your estrogen level goes down the vaginal tissues become dry and less elastic. This results in sex becoming uncomfortable and you can become more prone to infections. Vaginal dryness is also reffered to as vaginal atrophy and the result is a less elastic vagina which was required to be able to stretch for childbirth.

Vaginal dryness is one of the most unpleasant menopause symtoms and can be very emotionally upsetting.

Menopause and Weight Gain

Possibly the most dreaded symtom of menopause is weight gain. The weight is typically gained in the mid section of the body as a result of hormone levels changing and the body distributing fat differently.

Tips to Avoid Weight Gain During Menopause

Menopause and weight gain are the dreaded words to come or most women who have maintained their figures and body weight prior. If a woman has been living an extremely sedentary life, then there is no question that you have to make a move or you are in for serious trouble like cardiovascular problems, diabetes, and high blood pressure. You also add on to the problem by eating all the wrong foods these include colas, processed meats, and fast foods that are so easy and convenient.

These foods should be Banned on your list of groceries and you have to make life altering changes if you want to shed the extra kilos you have gained. You need to move around briskly, take a walk either in the morning or evening. Go for swimming if you can or join a dancing group where you can sweat away your extra pounds. Even the little bit of gardening that you do will help in a great way.

Don’t give in to the symtoms of depression which also adds to this problem along with stress that you go through because of menopause. You are not the only woman who is going through this. Eventually every woman has to face it.

Many leading medical clinics suggest similar methods for stopping weight gain during menopause such as the mayo clinic and menopause Canada.

Start by walking up the stairs instead of using an escalator or elevator. Make sure you eat a balanced diet. You will have to if you want to lose weight. A diet rich in Omega 3, which is found in ample quantities in fish, will greatly help. Take more green vegetables that are extremely rich in zinc. Take green tea which is very popular these days for weight loss. You could also take natural vitamin supplements including vitamin E.