14 symptoms and signs of menopause

The interruption of the menstrual period is preceded by signs that warn of the entry into this stage.

Menopause. This word is seen by many people as something negative, because it means the end of female fertility. Others see it as a liberation, since it means the end of menstruation.

Regardless of how it is seen, it is an inevitable physiological phenomenon in the life of every woman and in many cases generates various discomforts and symptoms, elements that can signal the arrival of the last of menstruation.

In this article you can learn about the 14 symptoms and signs of menopause and its arrival..

Menopause: what are we talking about?

Menopause is understood as the moment in which the last menstruation occurs, being called climacteric the period of time that goes from the moments before its arrival to those after it. In fact, what is considered menopause itself is the moment when the last period, the last menstruation, occurs. The menopause is considered to have been reached when menstruation ceases for at least one year..

Its origin is the end of estrogen and progesterone production in the ovary. With age, the ovaries get older and the follicles wear out, decreasing the amount of the aforementioned hormones, until there comes a time when no new eggs are released. On average, menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, although in some cases it can occur early or late.

Menopause can be a turning point, with the sufferer losing the ability to conceive by traditional methods. This can be a major setback for some people, especially due to the consideration that old age is approaching, the unfulfilled desire to be a mother or the social stigma of losing the ability to conceive, as a result of classic gender stereotypes. derived from classic gender stereotypes, Although this stigma is becoming less and less prevalent, it still persists in some sectors of society.

Thus, problems such as anxiety crises or depression may appear. However, it is a natural phenomenon that does not have to be seen as something negative, since it does not prevent the realization of any type of activity and can even allow to live some others in a different way.

But menopause does not come suddenly. Even years before, the body already is gradually showing signs of ovarian aging, some of which we will see in detail below.some of which we will see in detail below.

Symptoms and signs of the onset of menopause

Menopause, as we have indicated above, is usually preceded by various symptoms that indicate the cessation of some of the functions of the female reproductive system and the hormonal change that is occurring in the female body.

Below is a list of about fourteen symptoms and signs typical of the onset of menopause. Some of them can be treated medicallyespecially when they cause intense suffering in the person.

1. Hot flashes

One of the best known symptoms that warns us of the arrival of menopause are those known as hot flashes. It is understood as such those waves of heat that begin with a sudden sensation of heat in the thorax and face and then and face and then spreads to the whole body. They usually last about four minutes, and are sometimes followed by trembling and shivering.

Hot flashes usually appear some time before menopause and can last up to years after the climacteric, being in general the year before the cessation of menstruation when they occur more frequently and intensely. They are more common at night.

2. Irregular menstrual cycles

Menopause is the last menstruation, but before its arrival it is common for the body to manifest the progressive degeneration of ovarian function. It is frequent that the period arrives irregularlyAlthough the periods may be shorter, it is common for the amount of menstrual flow to be greater than usual (although the opposite is also common).

3. Insomnia and sleep problems

Premenopausal women often have sleep problems, the presence of insomnia or awakenings during the night or awakenings during the night. Sometimes these problems are often facilitated by other symptoms such as hot flashes, but this is not essential.

4. Mood alterations

The fact of being in a period of hormonal changes causes that it is easy that the mood presents great variations. Emotional lability and irritability are frequent. In fact, at this stage there is a high risk of depressive symptoms appearing at this stage.. Some reasons for this are that the person in question wishes to be able to become pregnant or the thought that he or she is approaching old age.

5. Anxiety

Like the possible presence of depressive symptoms, anxiety is another aspect that is common in women in the process of reaching menopause. The decrease in estrogen can cause other hormones such as dopamine to be reduced, enhancing states of stress and anxiety.

6. Weight gain

It is very common that women who are close to or after menopause tend to gain weight. This is partly due to the hormonal changes that the body undergoes during this period, which facilitate the accumulation of lipids. In addition, anxiety and mood changes that often accompany the arrival of the climacteric period facilitate unbalanced intake.

7. Alterations in the level of sexual desire

Another common symptom of the onset of menopause is the presence of alterations in the level of sexual desire. In general, this usually decreases due to the drop in estrogen levels. However, it has been reported that in many cases sexual appetite increases after menopause, due among other factors to the increase in testosterone that also occurs after the climacteric period.

8. Headaches and migraines, vertigo and dizziness

Headache is another relatively frequent symptom in premenopausal women. Tension-type headaches in particular tend to increase, and tend to be more typical.They tend to be more typical in women who previously suffered from this type of problem. Dizziness and vertigo are also relatively common.

9. Changes in bone density

When reaching the menopause the possibility of suffering osteoporosis increases to a great extent, a bone disease in which a progressive decrease of the density of the bones takes place and facilitating the existence of fractures. This increased risk is because the end of ovarian function causes an increase in bone resorption (removal of tissue, releasing minerals from the bone into the blood).

10. Memory and concentration problems

The presence of lapses and forgetfulness in the period of time surrounding menopause is very common. The decrease in estrogen and other neurotransmitters, together with the effects produced by conditions such as low mood, often facilitates memory lapses, often facilitates the occurrence of memory lapses..

11. Loss and dryness of hair, skin and nails

The decrease of different hormones in premenopausal women is related to a decrease in the level of collagen. As a result, it is common for the skin to and dry skin, as well as dry nails and nails.and the nails and hair become brittle and easily broken.

12. Decreased energy

Difficulties in falling asleep, hormonal changes and the effect of mood swings and anxiety cause energy levels to drop rapidly. Both physical and mental fatigue appearsand a certain lack of motivation may also occur.

13. Urogenital symptoms: Urinary incontinence and vaginal dryness.

The fact that there is a progressive loss of estrogen causes different changes in the vagina and in the urogenital apparatus. As far as the vagina is concerned, there tends to be a certain dryness, loss of elasticity and even reduction of the vaginal wall, which in turn can lead towhich in turn can lead to dyspareunia and avoidance of sexual contact.

Regarding incontinence, some of the hormonal changes cause the bladder to undergo different changes, which facilitate urine leakage. It is also not uncommon for urinary tract infections to become more common.

14. Joint pain

Estrogens have an Anti-Inflammatory effect. Their decrease, therefore, facilitates the presence of inflammation in places such as joints.