The 34 Menopause Symptoms

For most women going through menopause, they wonder, “What in the heck happened to my body?” Fair question since women going through the change of life can deal with upwards of 34 menopause symptoms. Think about that for just one minute – you are going along in life, minding your own business and then when you reach your forties, you start to notice changes in your body. Unfortunately, you can do nothing to stop them. However, when dealing with some or all of the 34 menopause symptoms, you do have many wonderful options to help squelch the symptoms, making them tolerable.

Okay, now that you heard those words, “34 menopause symptoms”, you may be feeling a little anxious. Do not worry since again, you may only have four, five, or six to deal with and with today’s technology, medication, and natural remedies, you will do just fine. However, one of the keys to getting through menopause is to understand it and to know what to expect. You know the old saying, “Knowledge is power”. Therefore, be a powerful woman, taking time to learn about these changes in your body and the list of 34 menopause symptoms that are a normal part of this phase of life.

For starters, women will go into menopause for two reasons – the body is no longer producing the normal amount of estrogen or the woman has undergone a hysterectomy or chemotherapy and/or radiation. Regardless of the reason for being thrust into the change, the results are generally the same. However, just as not all women experience the same 34 symptoms of menopause or all of them, women also do not experience the same level of intensity. Therefore, while family and friends might share experiences and offer advice, chances are you will not go through exactly the same things as they did.

We wanted to walk you through the 34 symptoms of menopause, stopping along the way to discuss a few of the more annoying ones. Just remember, every day, approximately 4,000 women in the United States alone reach menopause. This time of life is perfectly normal. Although there are the symptoms to deal with, just keep reminding yourself that once you get out of the early perimenopause stage and into the actual menopause stage, you will no longer have monthly periods, birth control issues, or the dreaded PMS. Therefore, menopause is not all bad!

Are you ready to learn about the 34 symptoms of menopause? Probably the number one symptoms are the hot flashes. During this time, the chest, face, and sometimes the arms, feel as though they are on fire. Sometimes, these hot flashes are mild, lasting just seconds but other times, they can be overwhelming, lasting up to five minutes, or longer. The second symptom, which is also complained about often are night sweats. With this, you would wake up (usually in the middle of the night) feeling cold and clammy from your pajamas and bed sheets being soaked with perspiration.

The third item on the list of 34 menopause symptoms is the mood swings. With this, you would generally go through a wide array of things ranging from irritability to frustration to depression to anxiety, and just about everything in between. As you can imagine, life for you and everyone around you becomes stressful, challenging, and frustrating. However, you need to remember that there are wonderful medications, home remedies, and other treatment options that can give you some semblance of a normal life, mood swings, and all. Therefore, never feel as if you have to simply “deal” with this or any other of the 34 menopause symptoms.

The thing is that virtually all of the 34 menopause symptoms can be treated safely and naturally, if that is the route you choose to take. For years, women would depend on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and while they had relief from the symptoms, it has been discovered in recent years that this is dangerous, often leading to further problems such as cancer. Since the majority of the 34 menopause symptoms are due to a decrease and fluctuation of the reproductive hormones in your body. Additionally, when going through these symptoms, try to remember that this is a normal part of the aging process, although not the most fun part!

As far as the other 34 menopause symptoms, we have listed them below so you will have a reference point. However, just remember that your experience will be different from someone else’s but you have tons of options to live a healthy, happy life. Once you know what to expect, things will be downhill from there! Other symptoms include:

· Fatigue – This commonly goes along with night sweats when sleep patterns are interrupted
· Insomnia – Typically occurs because of night sweats
· Irritability – Commonly associated with mood swings
· Anxiety – Although this too can be connected with mood swings, anxiety is caused by hormones being out of whack
· Depression – Many times, depression is caused by external stimuli such as empty nest syndrome, marital problems, career change, etc. However, when women go through menopause, depression is likely.
· Vaginal Dryness – As the vaginal lining becomes thinner and less flexible during menopause, causing dryness
· Painful Intercourse – Because of the change in the vaginal wall, sexual intercourse can be uncomfortable or painful
· Exacerbations – When going through menopause, other health conditions can be heightened
· Incontinence – Organs around the vagina thin and shrink, causing the bladder to “leak”
· Urinary Tract Changes/Infections – Again, when the vagina things, the pH balance during menopause have higher levels of alkaline, which creates an environment perfect for bacterial growth
· Decreased Libido – With decreased and fluctuating hormone levels, sex drive is often reduced
· Tender Breasts – Although commonly associated with Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), tender breasts are also associated often with menopause
· Water Retention – The change of hormone level can cause water retention
· Trouble Concentrating – Often referred to as “foggy thinking”, this symptom of menopause is common and related to issues with memory
· Memory Lapses – Because estrogen is important in memory and the function of nerve cells in the brain, when this hormone changes, you will experience lapses in memories
· Tooth Loss – Commonly connected to osteoporosis
· Osteoporosis – This decrease in bone density is a part of the natural aging process but can develop more rapidly during menopause
· Increased Gum Disease – Associated with decreased levels of estrogen
· Halitosis – Otherwise known as bad breath, this can be related to gum disease
· Thinning Hair or Increased Facial Hair – This symptom is another that has to do with the change of estrogen levels
· Brittle Fingernails – Associated with falling hormone levels
· Tinnitus – If you notice ringing in the years, you have Tinnitus, often see in menopausal women
· Dry Skin and/or Age Spots – All related to hormonal changes
· Heart and/or Cardiovascular Disease – Because estrogen decreases, the risk of heart attack, cardiovascular disease, or stroke increase
· Heart Palpitations
· Aching Muscle and Joints
· Dizziness
· Tingling in the hands or feet
· Gastrointestinal changes
· Migraines
 

See Also: 34 Menopause Symptoms 34 Menopause Symptoms