Menopause is attained when a woman’s monthly periods stop for more than or equal to a duration of 12 months. All women undergo a peri-menopausal period which may last for 2-8 years before menopause actually happens. During this time, she will detect many changes in her body which happen because of fluctuations in the hormones produced by the ovaries.
Once menopause approaches, different symptoms can be observed like hot flashes, irregular periods, night sweats, vaginal dryness and difficulty in sleeping, among others. However, each woman has her own experiences. It’s very rare for two women to have exactly the same peri-menopausal issues. Hot flashes, or extreme heat felt from the torso up, are usually felt along with reddening of the face, neck, and chest. Heavy sweating and rapid heartbeat are associated with it as well.
This symptom is seen on at least three-fourths of all women who are going through menopause. Night sweats are quite common too. Many women are bothered by this symptom a lot because it disrupts their sound and soulful sleep. Aside from excessive sweating, the feeling will be accompanied by headaches, nausea, flushing, chills, and irregular heartbeat. Three to ten years before a woman’s menopause, irregular periods will be observed. This symptom comes out 90% of the time. A woman will note that the time between her period to be either much shorter or relatively longer than it used to be.Vaginal dryness might be the common reason why women experience the loss of libido during their menopausal stage. This occurs among up to 40% of females and often times, it is the one most difficult to deal with.
Many women, including with their partners, don’t understand why they suddenly have a much decreased need for intimate relations. Some women on the other hand develop an increased sexual appetite due to a sudden increase in ovarian activity. It is important to continue to use a good contraceptive method during this time as an accidental pregnancy may occur. For some women, peri-menopausal symptoms may occur as early as 15 years before the actual menopausal stage. As such, a woman may show all these symptoms during her mid 30’s. While these symptoms are generally accepted, they can be treated so as not to keep a woman from living the life that she wanted. Consult your doctor if you are troubled by any symptom so as to lead a healthy carefree life.