What Are the Signs of Starting Menopause?

Learn the five signs that may indicate a woman is starting menopause.

As women age, the reproductive cycle begins to slow down and prepares to stop. Hormone levels (estrogen andprogesterone) that influence various systems in women’s bodies drop. The decrease in the levels of hormones gives rise to thesymptoms of menopause.

Five signs of startingmenopauseinclude the following:

1. Irregular menstrual periods.In the starting months ofmenopause, women face problems in their menstrual cycle. The next period may come sooner or later than the actual date, and the bleeding may become scanter or heavier. The periods may last for more than a week. However, bleeding aftermenopausecan be a sign of serious issues, such as uterinecancer.
2. Hot flashesandnight sweats.Hot flashesare a sudden feeling of feverish heat, followed bysweatingandchills. There could be flushing of the face and neck. The symptoms commonly occur during the night and usually, last between 30 seconds and 10 minutes. Their frequency may range from several times an hour to just one or two times a week. Some women may experienceanxietyalongside. Hot flashes last for three to five years after they start but can even persist after menopause.
3. Insomnia.Insomniais the inability to stay or fall asleep. Women may find they cannotsleepfor as long as they used tosleep早些时候,不得不经常在夜里起床。Difficulty sleeping may be caused by hot flashes that are common during the night or may be caused by the changing estrogen levels ahead of menopause.
4. Vaginal dryness.The decreasing estrogen levels can cause the vagina to become dry. The dryness may cause itchiness and irritation of the vagina. Affected women may experiencepainduring sex.
5. Mood changes.There is no clear cause of why mood changes happen during menopause. It may be due toinsomniaand hormonal changes that can make women irritable and experience sudden mood shifts. Some women experience an inability to manage their dailystress, whereas some developmental healthissues, such asdepressionandanxiety.

1. 心problems:Although men have higher chances of developing cardiovascular disorders, such ascoronary artery disease, than young women, the scenario changes after women attain menopause. After the age of 60 years old, women are more likely to die from heart issues compared to men of the same age. Women who experience menopause as early as before the age of 35 years old have their chances of developingheart diseasego up steadily as they age.
2. Decrease inbone density:Osteoporosisis the thinning of bones that makes them prone tofracture, particularly of the hip and spine. This happens when the bones lose calcium and bone density reduces. At the age of 65 years old, about three out of 10 women haveosteoporosis. After the age of 80 years old, the number of women withosteoporosisgoes up with as many as eight out of 10 women experiencing the condition. The decreased bone density makes women more likely to experiencetooth decay.
3. Problems of the urinary tract:雌激素的下降levels brought on by menopause can thin the linings of the urethra and bladder and result in problems, including
   • Stressincontinence.的非自愿通过少量的尿液whilesneezingor lifting heavy weights due to post-menopausal loss of bladder control.
   • Urge incontinence.A sudden and frequent urge to urinate due to anoveractive bladder.
   • Nocturia.Women with post-menopausal bladder control problems may have to get up in the middle of the night due to the urge to urinate.
   • Painful urination.Some women feelpainin the urethra while urinating. Because of low estrogen levels that cause thinning of the vagina (vaginal atrophy), the odds of developing recurrenturinary tract infectionsin women after menopause increase.
4. Weight gain:The hormonal changes during and after menopause contribute to the body changes, such as weight gain, particularly between the ages of 50 and 59 years. Women who gain weight around the abdomen increase their chances of developing heart disorders anddiabetes.
5. Skin and hair issues:Due to decreased estrogen levels, women develop skin dryness andwrinkles. They may experience dry hair and temporaryhair loss.

The doctor usually diagnoses menopause after taking the menstrual history of the patient that includes the gaps between two periods, the amount of blood flow during periods, and the time passed since the last period. Generally, the absence of periods for at least 12 months counts as menopause.

A blood test that measures the levels of the follicular stimulating hormone can help the doctor ascertain their diagnosis of menopause. However, for many women, a blood test is not necessary. Most of the time, their menstrual history is enough to diagnose menopause.

Many women can usually deal with their menopause by following a healthy eating pattern and by being physically active. If the symptoms of menopause start to become bothering, women can talk to their doctor.

There are many treatment options that the doctor can suggest to make women feel at ease during and after menopause. These include hormonal treatments and nonhormonal treatments. Women need to discuss with their doctors about the right treatment for them.

Hormonal therapy (also called hormone replacement therapy or HRT)

• Estrogen therapy.Estrogen therapy involves taking estrogen in the form of pills, skin patches, and vaginal creams. The therapy is often prescribed for women who have had ahysterectomy.
• Estrogen and progesterone or progestinhormone therapy.Often called combination therapy, estrogen and progesterone or progestin hormone therapy are meant for women who still have their uterus. Taking estrogen with progesterone lowers women’s risk of uterinecancerafter menopause.

Nonhormonal therapy

• Treatment of specific symptoms of menopause (if required).For example, estrogen alternatives, also called syntheticestrogens, such as ospemifene, can help improve symptoms of vaginal atrophy, such as dryness,itchingof the vagina, and painful sex.
• Healthydiet.Women should follow adietthat contains all types of food groups, such as whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, fish, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. They should avoid foods andbeveragesthat may cause hot flashes, such as spicy foods,alcohol, coffee, and tea.
• Regular exercises.Regular exercises not only keep the weight under check but can also act as a stress buster and help women deal with mood changes.