Symptoms of Menopause

The signs and symptoms of Menopause

There are many menopause symptoms but these vary from one woman to another. Here is a list of some of the most common symptoms.

Hot flashes, hot flushes or night sweats. This is one of the most common and well known symptom.

Palpitations. Irregular heart beat, usually the heart beating faster.

Getting easily irritated and reacting angrier than is normal.

Mood swings and shifts.

Insomnia or trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.

Irregular menstruation.

Decreased libido

Vaginal Dryness sometimes causing painful intercourse.

Fatigue

Anxiety

Problems concentrating for a long period of time

Incontinence usually under specific circumstances like sneezing or laughing.

Itchy skin that may also feel as though ants are walking on the skin.

All over aches in joints and muscle pain etc

Breast tenderness

Migranes

Increased frequency of urination

Skin starts losing elasticity resulting in wrinkles.

Weight gain

Hair loss

To be really certain that your symptoms truly translate to menopause, you can visit your health provider who is likely to ask you about your medical history. After this, one or more exams will be performed on you.

The most common tests performed by health providers are the blood test and urine test. These tests are tools in determining the levels of such hormones as estrogen and progesterone in your body. If you are positive for menopause, the levels of these hormones must be low. In contrast, levels of your follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone usually rise during menopause. To measure such hormonal levels, the same types of tests are employed.

Pap smear may also be used to detect certain changes in your vaginal lining and in your estrogen levels. Older women, especially those older than 65, are usually advised to undergo a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry screening. This is for the purpose of determining their bone density, to make sure that they are protected from the increased risk of osteoporosis. The same screening test may be done on you if you have experienced bone fractures in the past.

While you may have the mindset that certain changes and sensations in your body are just normal symptoms of menopause, you can never go wrong about paying your health provider a visit just to set things straight. This way, you not only get to confirm your hunches, you also get to talk to someone who can logically explain this challenging stage in your womanhood.