Do you know the first signs of menopause, also known as perimenopause or change of life? Basically all the symptoms, i.e. hot flashes, headaches, joint pain, diminished sexual drive, mood swings, etc. can be attributed to fluctuating levels of estrogen and testosterone in women. Menopause generally affects females between ages 45 and 55; early menopause (premature menopause) however affect many females also. Early menopause involves women at an age younger than 40. Symptoms for both menopause and premature menopause are the same…

1. Picture credited to flashfree.me

2. Menopause Urinary Incontinence
If you’re like me, you prefer to know what’s coming, rather than
be caught off guard. When you know what the first signs of
menopause (change of life) are, it can prepare you mentally and
emotionally for a condition which no female can escape.
Keep in mind that this article serves to inform you of the signs
and symptoms of menopause; not with early menopause causes.
Early menopause (also known as premature menopause) is
defined as menopause which occurs at an age which is younger
than the expected average age for menopause which typically is
between 45 and 55. Both “normal” menopause and early
menopause symptoms are the same.
Picture courtesy livingbetter50.com

3. Menopause occurs when hormone production (estrogen and
progesterone) by the ovaries drops to a level where menstrual
cycles no longer continue.
Once you’ve had absence of your menstrual cycle for 12 months,
it signals the end of your fertility period and the beginning of
menopause, also known as postmenopause. The average age of
menopause is 51.
Credited to royalegacy.blogspot.com
Menopause is preceded by a transitional period known as
perimenopause (pre menopause). It is also during this time that
the worst of the menopause symptoms are experienced. So, how
long does menopause last? On average perimenopause lasts for
about four years; some women however have experienced the
symptoms for as long as ten years, others for several months
only. Also called the menopausal transition, it occurs when the
body moves from the regular menstrual cycle of about 28 days to
irregular cycles which are lighter, shorter, heavier, longer, and
also missed period. To avoid an unwanted pregnancy, it is
recommended you use contraceptives until such time that you

4. are officially menopausal, which occurs when you have missed
your period for 12 months.
Picture credit sillytext.com
What are the typical symptoms?
Fluctuation in your periods (menses) is probably the most
significant symptom of perimenopause.
Hot flushes: is another of the first signs of menopause which is
experienced by up to 85% of menopausal women. Hot flashes
(aka hot flushes) can last from 6 months to fifteen years. The

5. most significant symptom of hot flashes is that sudden feeling of
heat which rises up over your body, felt most strongly in the neck
and head.
Picture credited to jbbardot.com
Sleep disorders like insomnia: Menopause and insomnia
symptoms can be either temporary or chronic and severe. Main
causes of insomnia are the symptoms typically associated with
menopause, i.e. fluctuations in hormones, night sweats, irregular
periods, etc.

6. Night sweats during menopause is medically termed sleep
hyperhidrosis. It is heavy sweating which simply is the
manifestation of hot flushes while you sleep. Symptoms generally
include nausea, flushing, chills, headaches and sudden and
intense heat.
Mood swings is a menopausal symptom which affect more than
50% of women. It is an extreme or rapid change in mood which
is mostly disproportionate to what triggers it. Hormones
responsible to control moods and emotions are out of balance,
hence the mood swings. Symptoms of mood swings include, but
are not limited to depression, aggressiveness, sadness,
irritability, anxiety, nervousness, etc.
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Vaginal dryness: menopause vaginal dryness is medically
known as atrophic vaginitis. Since less estrogen is produced by
the ovaries, it leads to thinning and drying of the vaginal walls.
Symptoms of vaginal dryness which may occur as a result of the

7. thinning include painful intercourse, discomfort, itching, urinary
problems and a vaginal discharge.
Weight gain and menopause is a given (for 90% of women
anyway). Menopause weight gain typically involves increased
amounts of fat around the abdomen which is not only attributed
to a slower metabolism as a result of hormonal changes, but also
due to aging as well as an unhealthy lifestyle. Weight gain in
women on average is between 12 and 15 pounds between the
ages of 45 and 55 (menopausal years).
Credited to web.stagram.com
Menopause urinary incontinence is an undesired symptom which
can lead to dire situations and tiredness. Other serious symptoms
include breast tenderness, heart palpitations, hair loss, etc; all of
which are very real symptoms some women will have to endure.
Learn how these affect women and what you can do to minimize
the effect.
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