Recognizing and Understanding Menopause Symptoms
If you are a woman in your mid to late forties, menopause may be a subject on your mind. This is the age when many women will begin to experience the menopause symptoms that signal that a change is occurring in their bodies. There are a number of types of symptoms that a woman can have during this phase of life. For some, the symptoms will be intense enough to interfere with daily life for a period of time. In this case, it is important to remember that menopause is a natural, biological process, not a disease, and that the menopause symptoms will not last forever. Other women will be fortunate enough to breeze through their menopause symptoms without a major disruption in their lives.
Types of Symptoms
The first and most obvious symptom of menopause is irregular menstrual periods. For some women, this means longer or shorter periods, and for others it may mean cycles that become longer and more irregular. Any of these changes to your menstrual cycle at this stage of life can indicate that menopause is imminent. Another common menopause symptom is hot flashes, which feel like a warmth that begins in your head or chest area, and radiates throughout the rest of your body. Hot flashes generally only last a few seconds to a few minutes, but they can be rather uncomfortable, since they can be accompanied by profuse sweating and flushing. Sometimes night sweats can be a menopause symptom, and these can cause a woman to awaken in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat.
Vaginal changes are another menopause symptom, and occur because the estrogen drop causes the vaginal lining to become drier and less elastic. You may experience itching, irritation and pain with intercourse. This problem can usually be easily alleviated with an over the counter lubricant. Since the urethra lining undergoes the same types of changes as the vagina, you can encounter menopause symptoms within your urinary tract as well. These can include more frequent urinary tract infections, or the need to go to the bathroom more often. Urinary incontinence is another symptom that many women have to grapple with at this stage of life.
The good news about menopause symptoms is that they will not last forever. It is also possible to alleviate many of the more uncomfortable symptoms with home remedies or medications that your doctor can prescribe. Talk to your doctor today about your options in dealing with your menopause symptoms.
