Symptoms of menopause
Menopause is a natural hormonal change that causes a woman’s periods to stop as they reach a certain age. For most women, this usually occurs between the ages of 45 to 55, but some women may experience symptoms before or after. That’s because the symptoms of menopause can begin months or even years before a woman’s periods completely stop and can last for years.
Generally, menopause symptoms come on gradually and can often be managed without medical intervention. However, for some women, the symptoms of menopause significantly impact their day-to-day life and mean that intervention, whether through hormone replacement therapy, lifestyle changes, talking therapies or a combined approach is essential to their overall wellbeing.
Keep reading to find out more about the most common symptoms of menopause. Plus, discover how learning more about your hormonal health through an advanced menopause profile test can help you better understand and manage menopause symptoms.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Most women will experience some symptoms of menopause, but the length and severity of symptoms can vary significantly from woman to woman:
Irregular periods
Usually, one of the first signs of menopause is changes to your monthly period. This could be a heavier or lighter period than normal, a change to your cycle length, or missed or irregular periods. As a result, it can be beneficial to track and record your periods, so you know what your ‘normal’ looks like.
There are many apps available to help you record when your period starts and ends, as well as how heavy your flow is each day, but you can also just record this information in a diary. The important thing is that you are aware of what’s normal for you, as this can help pinpoint when changes started and how long they have been going on.
Hot flushes
Hot flushes are the sudden feeling of warmth in the upper body, usually the face, neck and chest, that can cause you to sweat and your skin to turn red and blotchy. They can also increase your heart rate, cause feelings of anxiety and make you feel chilled as the hot flush subsides.
It is thought hot flushes are caused when decreased oestrogen levels cause your body’s thermostat (your hypothalamus) to become more sensitive to slight changes in temperature. As a result, your hypothalamus may react when it thinks your body is too warm, starting a chain of events that causes a hot flush to cool you down.
The frequency and intensity of hot flushes can vary significantly, but most women who experience them have daily episodes that last for years. The reasons why some women experience hot flushes or have more severe episodes are not clear, however, factors thought to increase your risk include:
- Smoking – Women who smoke are more likely to experience hot flushes.
- Obesity – A higher BMI is associated with a higher frequency of hot flushes.
- Race – Black women report experiencing hot flushes more than any other race, while they are least reported by Asian women.
Night sweats
Night sweats describe intense sweating during the night that can drench clothes and bedding and disturb sleep.
Although sweating is one of the body’s ways to cool down and regulate your body temperature, night sweats are rarely described as comfortable. Often, they will come on as a sudden wave of heat that spreads through your body, followed by sweating, reddening skin and an increased heart rate.
Like hot flushes, night sweats are thought to be linked to the hormonal changes taking place in your body during menopause, which can disrupt your body’s ability to regulate your temperature.
Although night sweats can often be a symptom of menopause, they can also be a symptom of other conditions, like viruses or infections or a side effect of various medications. So, if you are experiencing night sweats but have no other symptoms of menopause, you should speak to your GP.
Vaginal dryness
Changes to your hormone levels can cause vaginal tissues to become thinner and irritated more easily. This can lead to increased dryness, which can make having sex more difficult and painful. Common signs of vaginal dryness include:
- Feeling sore or itchy around your vagina
- Pain or discomfort during sex
- Needing to urinate more frequently
- Experiencing lots of urinary tract infections
In many cases, it is possible to treat vaginal dryness caused by menopause at home by, applying over-the-counter vaginal moisturisers, using water-based lubricants before sex and using unperfumed soaps and washes around your vagina. However, if these methods don’t help, you should contact your GP, as they may be able to prescribe hormonal replacement therapy (HRT).
Difficulty sleeping
The hormonal shifts, physical changes, and life circumstances that occur around the time many women start to experience symptoms of menopause can all contribute to sleep problems in different ways:
- Hot flushes and night sweats – hot flushes or night sweats can cause you to wake frequently through the night, and the discomfort they cause can make getting back to sleep difficult.
- Insomnia – during and after the menopausal transition, women have an increased risk of developing insomnia, a sleep disorder that makes falling and staying asleep more difficult.
- Snoring – declining reproductive hormones can cause soft tissues in the throat to become more collapsible, and the weight gain many women experience during menopause can both cause obstructions to the airways, which result in snoring and disrupt your sleep.
- Sleep apnoea – post-menopausal women are at a higher risk of sleep apnoea, a condition in which the breathing becomes very shallow or stops altogether for short periods during sleep and can severely impact sleep quality.
- Restless leg syndrome – many menopausal women experience discomfort in their legs when lying down, which is only resolved by movement, and this can impact sleep quality.
- Hormonal imbalances – an imbalance in your hormones, such as rapidly declining oestrogen levels in menopausal women can also impact sleep. Learn more about sleep and hormonal health in our guide ‘Can hormones affect sleep?’
Reduced sex drive
The reasons for a loss in sex drive during menopause are complex. A loss of libido is linked to both falling oestrogen and testosterone levels. However, other factors such as vaginal dryness, which can make sex more painful and low mood and poor sleep, which can both make you feel less inclined to have sex can play a role.
Memory and concentration difficulties
Oestrogen plays an essential role in brain function, so fluctuating levels before menopause and low levels post-menopause can have an impact on your memory function as well as your ability to concentrate. The good news is that the effects are usually only mild, and you can usually improve your symptoms by:
- Trying to improve your sleep quality
- Exercising regularly as this can boost cognitive function
- Eating a healthy diet
- Exercising your brain by learning a new skill or doing crosswords or other puzzles
- Using memory aids
- Having cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to help you understand the changes your body is going through and reduce stress levels
- Taking HRT
Dry skin
Dry skin is a common change that occurs during menopause and is caused by:
- Falling oestrogen levels, which mean your skin cells can’t hold as much water
- Falling collagen and elastin levels, which affect your skin’s ability to stay soft and supple
- Slower skin cell turnover due to age which can cause your skin to appear duller
- Reduced oil production caused by lower testosterone levels, which can contribute to dryness
There are many lotions on the market that promise firmer, plumper skin, but the best advice for older skin is to moisturise regularly, use sun cream to protect it from UV rays, and avoid using very hot water to wash.
Urinary symptoms
Needing to go to the toilet more frequently, experiencing leaks, or having increased urgency are all common urinary symptoms peri and post-menopasual women can experience. Like many menopause symptoms, they are caused by falling oestrogen levels, which can make tissues in your bladder more sensitive and delicate.
If you are experiencing urinary symptoms it’s important to speak to your GP, as they may be able to rule out other potential causes like a urinary tract infection and suggest lifestyle changes and treatment options which could ease your symptoms.
Muscle and/or joint pain
Oestrogen can help reduce inflammation and friction in joints, reduce stiffness in tendons and ligaments, and strengthen muscles and bones. As a result, falling levels during menopause can lead to muscle and joint issues, including pain.
As oestrogen levels decrease slowly, it is common for muscle and joint pain to last for several years. And due to the way oestrogen affects your muscles and joints, it’s possible to continue experiencing stiffness and pain after menopause.
To help reduce these symptoms you can try:
- Low-impact exercises, such as swimming, walking or yoga
- Strength or resistance training to help keep your bones and muscles strong
- Stretching to keep joints supple
- Physiotherapy to support any specific pain or concerns you may have
- Over-the-counter painkillers to help with short-term pain relief
- Ensuring you are getting adequate calcium, vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids in your diet. Learn more about the role vitamin D and calcium play in supporting bone health in our guide.
Low mood
Fluctuations in your hormone levels can also affect your mental health and lead to feelings of low mood, increased anxiety and, in some cases, depression. In addition, the lack of sleep many women experience during menopause can exacerbate feelings of low mood and anxiety.
If you are concerned that the menopause is having a negative impact on your mental wellbeing, it’s important you seek support. It’s a good idea to discuss your concerns with your GP first as they can provide lifestyle advice, offer treatment options or refer you to specialist services, such as counselling or CBT, which can all help you manage your symptoms.
How long do menopause symptoms last?
There is no set time limit on how long menopause symptoms last. Some women will experience symptoms a few years before menopause and others only a few months. Similarly, symptoms can persist for years post-menopause or subside soon after.
How can hormonal testing help with symptom management?
Hormonal testing for menopause can help rule out other conditions and provide reassurance that your symptoms are linked to menopause. You can then take proactive steps to manage your symptoms, such as making lifestyle changes or seeking the support of medical treatments like HRT.
Check your hormone health
If you are experiencing symptoms you believe may be related to menopause or perimenopause and want some reassurance, why not book a private Advanced Menopause Profile blood test?
At Bluecrest Wellness, our complete female hormone package provides insights into five key female hormones as well as a private GP consultation to discuss your symptoms to help determine if you are experiencing menopause. It can also help you plan and adjust treatment options like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to your bespoke needs.
We offer appointments across the UK, so you can book a private hormone profile blood test at a time and location to suit you. Plus, you can be confident that we will deliver fast, efficient and accurate results as we have established links with leading UK laboratories and are fully accredited for a wide range of private blood checks.
