Menopause Symptoms at Every Age: From Early to Late Stages

Menopause Symptoms

When you are nearing menopause, you will begin experiencing a particular set of symptoms, hot flashes being the most common. Hot flushes are a sudden feeling of heat in the face, neck, and chest, skin flushing, sudden sweating, palpitations, and physical discomfort. These symptoms can last for several minutes.

Symptoms of menopause can range from mild in most women to severe in others. Most often, In general, menopause is a process that occurs over time. During the transition, which is known as perimenopause, the amount of hormones your ovaries make varies. Perimenopause can last 2 to 8 years. The average is about four years.

The hormonal changes associated with menopause can affect physical, emotional, mental and social well-being. The symptoms experienced during and following the menopausal transition vary substantially from person to person. Some experience very few symptoms, but some might not have any symptoms at all. Symptoms can be severe for others and affect daily activities and quality of life. Some can experience symptoms for several years.

Other symptoms of menopause include: 

• Irregular periods
• Vaginal dryness
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Sleep problems
• Mood changes, depression and anxiety.
• Brain fog (Difficulty focusing or concentrating)
• Sore breasts
• Decreased sex drive
• Increased frequency of urination
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Trouble sleeping
• Emotional changes
• Dry skin, eyes, or mouth

Early Signs of Menopause (40s)

If you miss two to three consecutive periods in your 40s, it doesn't necessarily mean you are pregnant. It could also be due to menopause. About 5% of women experience early menopause. Menopause between the ages of 40 and 45 is called early menopause. And if menopause occurs before the age of 40, it's called premature menopause. But this is rare.

But it's common for perimenopause symptoms to start around your 40s. You may have your period during this time. But your menstrual cycle may be irregular. You may not have a period for several months during the last year or two of perimenopause. You may also experience heavy or scanty bleeding.

Other early menopause symptoms include:

• Flushing
• Hot flashes
• Hair loss
• Headache
• Excessive hair growth on the face or body (hirsutism)
• Increased heart rate (palpitations)
• Increased urination
• Insomnia
• Muscle or joint pain
• Night sweats
• Pain during sex (dyspareunia)
• Breasts tenderness
• Changes in breast size or shape
• Weight gain

Read the article on Ayurveda And Yoga For Managing Hot Flashes And Night Sweats.

Mental and emotional symptoms:

• Anxiety
• Lack of interest in sex
• Depression
• Brain fog ((Lack of concentration))
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Forgetfulness
• Unexpected mood swings

Read more about Mental Health in Menopause: Handling Emotions, Stress and More - The Natural Way

Changes in Menstrual Patterns

Unexpected menstrual irregularities characterise early or premature menopause. You will experience missing two or three consecutive months of menstruation, short or long menstrual cycles and heavy or scanty bleeding. And if you're trying to conceive, you may lose your chance of getting pregnant if early menopause occurs.

Read about How to Deal with Premature and Early menopause.

Initial Hormonal Shifts

Your ovaries produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Together, these two hormones control your menstrual cycle. Menopause occurs when the ovaries stop producing reproductive hormones. The hormonal changes that occur during menopause can cause uncomfortable physical and emotional symptoms.

As you approach menopause, your levels of these hormones fluctuate. You may experience subtle changes in your hormone levels for a few years before menopause.

Initially, your progesterone levels drop. This can cause ovulation to stop in some menstrual cycles. Then, as menopause approaches, your estrogen levels also drop.

Mid-Stage Symptoms of Menopause (50s)

In your 50s, you may have gone through menopause or are about to go through menopause. Also, some of you may still have symptoms associated with perimenopause at this age.

At this point, your ovaries are no longer releasing eggs or producing as much estrogen. You may be at risk of different health problems like - heart disease, osteoporosis, inability to control your urine, urinary tract infections and vaginal infections.

In some women, menopause can occur a little later, around 55 to 60. Most women begin menopause or postmenopausal changes in their 50s, and a small percentage of people experience perimenopause at this age. This is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it reduces the risk of heart disease, heart attack, osteoporosis, and stroke in women. According to researchers, long-term estrogen production protects the heart and bones.

Lifestyle and Health Considerations

Lifestyle changes can help you cope with physical and mental health problems. Follow these tips to keep your problems under control: 

• Drink plenty of cold water to get rid of hot flashes, a significant menopause problem. The cold water helps cool down your body from the inside.
• Wear breathable or ventilated cotton clothes. Reduce the temperature in your room. Turn on a fan to reduce your body temperature. This prevents excessive sweating, which is common during hot flashes.
• Reduce the consumption of caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods that aggravate your hot flashes.
• Use a water-based or silicone-based vaginal lubricant or moisturiser. Lubricants and moisturisers help reduce vaginal dryness.
• Exercise regularly to get a sound sleep, as sleep quality deteriorates during this time. Exercise reduces your stress level and regulates sleep. Exercise also helps prevent problems such as heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which disrupt your sleep by affecting your circadian rhythm. 
• Practice exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor muscles to prevent urinary incontinence.
• Avoid smoking, as tobacco can cause early menopause by affecting your ovarian follicle.
• Eat a variety of nutritious, healthy foods. A healthy diet helps correct hormonal variations, relieve hot flashes, and maintain a healthy body weight.
• Practise yoga, breathing exercises, meditation, or massage. These help dress hormone or cortisol levels, which, in turn, help relax and calm your mind.

Read more about Perimenopause symptoms and Its Management with Ayurveda.

Late-Stage Menopause Symptoms (60s and Beyond)

Once you attain menopause, you will be in menopause for the rest of your life. This is also called the postmenopausal stage. If you have gone a full year without a period, you are officially in menopause. Many of the problems you may have experienced during perimenopause usually go away during this time, especially breast tenderness and mood swings. Your hormone levels, which have fluctuated, settle into a stable, low level. Late menopause symptoms are similar to mid-stage symptoms and early symptoms.

Ongoing Symptoms and Health Effects

However, once you have menopause, you will not be free of all symptoms. Some of the symptoms you experienced during perimenopause and menopause may continue during this period. A significant percentage of women continue to experience hot flashes after menopause.

Other complications include:

• Osteoporosis: Due to decreased estrogen levels, there will be rapid bone density loss.
• Cardiovascular disease: Lack of estrogen increases the risk of heart disease.
• Urinary leakage: Decreased estrogen levels can also impact your urinary tract and bladder.
• Mental health issues: You may experience moodiness, anxiety and depression due to an imbalance in hormone levels.

Managing Complications and Long-Term Health Risks 

Managing the long-term health risks of menopause is a challenging task for most women. Proper precautions and lifestyle changes can make a big difference.

Reducing the risk of osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is not entirely preventable. But you can do something to make your bones stronger. Consuming calcium-rich foods can boost calcium levels in your body. You can include milk, cheese, yoghurt, spinach, sardines, canned salmon, almonds, figs and fortified cereals in your diet.

Preventing cardiovascular disease: Eating a healthy and nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding tobacco products are the best ways to prevent heart disease. Managing conditions like high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure is also essential to reducing your risk of heart disease.

Managing urinary incontinence: Using water or silicon-based lubricants and moisturisers helps. Moreover, exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor muscles will help prevent urinary incontinence.

Dealing with mental health issues: Regular practice of yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation help by decreasing stress hormone levels. Also, you can talk with a therapist or counsellor about your feelings. They can offer different techniques to cope with the discomforts faced during this phase of your life.

Coping with Symptoms at Every Stage

Menopause occurs in 3 stages - perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. Management of problems associated with each stage is a challenging task. But it is not impossible. If you understand all three stages of menopause correctly, it can be a little easier to deal with. Let's see how to deal with menopause at different stages.

The main problem seen in the first stage, perimenopause, is irregular menstruation. The most important thing here is to correct the irregular bleeding and irregular cycles. Eating a nutritious, healthy diet can help balance your hormones. A diet rich in iron, calcium, and vitamins helps boost your health. Likewise, you cannot deny the benefits of good sleep and regular exercise. So, maintain good sleep hygiene and practise regular physical exercise.

During menopause, symptoms will be severe compared to perimenopause. Diet, sleep, and exercise have a unique role in managing perimenopause too. In addition, to address hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems, mood changes, depression and anxiety, practice Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation. These can keep your stress hormone levels in check.

All the above measures are helpful in the postmenopausal stage as well. Also, you can approach a mental therapist or counsellor to get help to resolve issues like mental stress and mood swings. They can advise you on different strategies to deal with your mental issues.

But can menopause symptoms come back? Yes, there is a possibility of menopause symptoms recurring after some years. So, it is important to follow the proper diet and lifestyle modifications once you attain menopause.

When to See a Doctor?

If your hot flashes and other symptoms interfere with your day-to-day life, and you are not able to find solutions by yourself with the help of lifestyle changes, yoga, meditation, etc., it is time to see your doctor. Don't hesitate to see your doctor if you feel that your menopausal discomforts are going out of your control.

Wrapping Up

Menopause is an integral part of a woman's life. It is a natural, physiological condition and not a disease. However, many women poorly tolerate menopause symptoms, and this can significantly reduce the quality of their life. That is why menopause requires a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach.

Do menopause symptoms ever go away? Though it is impossible to prevent menopause, you can effectively manage the symptoms and you can become symptoms free. You can reduce its severity by adopting certain lifestyle modifications, which can also reduce the risk of long-term complications. A successful approach to menopause care involves a healthy diet, lifestyle modifications, mental support and counselling.