Menopause can be a very difficult time for many women. Studies show that up to 70% of women will be affected by some sort of uncomfortable symptom during menopause. Menopause is caused by changing hormones in older women. After women go through the change, they will no longer have a menstrual cycle. Unfortunately, there can be some very uncomfortable symptoms that can occur while women are going through this transitional period.
Menopause symptoms range from the more common hot and cold flashes to ones that deserve more concern, such as depression and anxiety. There are a large number of potential symptoms and most women will experience at least a few of them during menopause.
The most common symptoms associated with menopause are hot flashes, irritability, irregular periods, memory loss, mood swings, fatigue, and a wide range of physical body changes. Unfortunately, there is not much that can be done in the way of treating menopausal symptoms but there are ways to cope and reduce the symptoms' effect on your life.
In the case of irritability, mood swings, depression, and anxiety, they will all come and go randomly during menopause. If these menopause symptoms persist consistently for an extended period of time, more than a week or two, it is time to contact a doctor. If these symptoms become too severe, they could start to adversely affect your life. A doctor will have the tools to assess the problem and come up with a treatment plan.
Physical changes are extremely common during menopause. Women may experience headaches, weight gain, sore joints, achy muscles, a burning sensation in the mouth or on the tongue, digestive problems, bleeding around the teeth and gums, itchy and dry skin, and stiffness. All of these conditions are in some way related to the changing hormones in the body. For example, the drop in estrogen results in the body producing collagen at a much slower rate. Collagen helps keep skin looking and feeling soft and moisturized. If there is not enough, the skin will start to get dry, flaky, and itchy.
Most physical menopause symptoms are normal and can be combated naturally with exercise, medication, and a good diet. If stress becomes an issue, doctors recommend small lifestyle changes. Put time aside to relax and be alone. Go for a walk to burn off some stress. In the case of the more serious symptoms, such as depression, disorientation, interrupted sleep, extreme memory loss and lapses, it is the best idea to get in touch with a doctor. Menopause is a normal and expected change in a woman's life. The symptoms may be extreme at times, but typically they pass quickly.