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Symptoms
Physical symptoms can occur in any part of the body that is responsive to sex hormones. These symptoms include:
Irregular menstrual cycles
Most women experience irregular menstrual cycles before menopause, during perimenopause. During this time, your periods may occur more or less frequently and they may end sooner or last longer than usual. You may experience more or less bleeding. Check with your health care professional if these irregularities concern you.
Hot flushes or flashes
Many women experience "heat waves" during perimenopause and menopause. A hot flash begins with warmth in the face and upper body, followed by flushing, and sometimes by heavy sweating. Night sweats are hot flashes that occur while you are sleeping. Because night sweats disturb sleep, daytime fatigue can become a problem during the menopause transition.
Atrophic vaginitis
When estrogen levels drop, the lining of the vagina can become thin, dry, and prone to inflammation and infections. This condition is known as atrophic vaginitis, which can cause vaginal itching and discomfort.
Urinary tract changes
The lining of the urethra thins as estrogen levels decrease. This thinning, combined with weakening of surrounding pelvic muscles, can lead to more frequent urination, the sudden urge to urinate, and bladder leakage. Following menopause, women are more susceptible to bladder infections than before.
Emotional changes
Some menopausal women complain of depression, mood swings, and irritability. The direct impact of menopause on these symptoms is unclear, but for many women, menopause can exacerbate emotional changes. We do know that the brain is sensitive to the effects of estrogen.
