Menopause can cause a slew of symptoms. Most women experience at least some of these menopausal symptoms, usually in their late forties or early fifties, though it can happen sooner or later.
1. Night sweats and hot flashes
According to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), 75 percent of North American women will experience menopause. Have hot flashes during perimenopause, forcing almost one-quarter of them to seek medical attention.
Hot flashes are rapid bursts of extreme heat, commonly felt around the face and upper torso. Your face and chest may grow flushed, and you may perspire profusely. Some ladies also have a fast pulse. You can feel cold when it stops.
Night sweats are similar in that you will wake up soaked in sweat, sometimes having to change your clothes and bedding.
Causes
The cause is unknown, but one explanation is that alterations to the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that regulates body temperature) allow it to misread body temperature and begin the cooling process by dilating blood vessels near the skin’s surface in order to increase blood flow. As a result, the skin becomes red and sweaty.
2. Weight Gain and Slowed Metabolism
Many women develop the dreaded “menopot” or “menopause spread” during menopause, accumulating weight in the belly. According to NAMS, menopausal women gain 1.5 pounds each year on average.
Overweight affects two-thirds of women aged 40 to 59, and almost three-quarters of those over 60. Excess weight gain increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, respiratory difficulties, uterine and breast cancer, as well as exacerbating hot flashes.
3. Hair Loss and Brittle Nails
Many women experience hair thinning throughout menopause, with others experiencing a severe variant known as female pattern hair loss. Your nails may develop ridges and become brittle.
Cause
Again, blame the estrogen and progesterone reductions. These are the hormones in charge of sustaining healthy hair. It’s also a double whammy: as they fall, the male hormone androgen has a greater impact. (8) To add insult to injury, the latter may cause hair to grow in undesirable areas, such as your chin and upper lip.
Keratin, the main component of hair and nails, is impacted by decreasing blood flow. According to one study, blood flow to nail beds was decreased by 30% in postmenopausal women compared to premenopausal women or women on hormone treatment.
4. Sexual Dysfunction and Desire Problems
Many women experience unpleasant changes in their vaginas as they approach menopause, which can make sexual activity difficult or painful. Women describe vaginal tightness during penetration and are more likely to rip and bleed during intercourse. In fact, between 17 and 45 percent of postmenopausal women report that sex is extremely painful.
In addition to vaginal pain, some women may experience a decrease in libido, a condition known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder. According to one research published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, 26.7 percent of perimenopausal women had reduced libido, compared to 52.4 percent of naturally menopausal women.
Cause
The drop in hormone levels causes vaginal walls to thin, dry, frail, and less flexible, a condition known as vulvovaginal atrophy. Atrophic vaginitis occurs when the vagina gets inflamed (the vagina becomes red and produces discharge). Along with the decrease in estrogen, libido can be suppressed by stress, sadness, poor body image, and dissatisfaction with the length of time it takes to attain orgasm.
5. Risk of Bone Loss and Osteoporosis
Until about the age of 30, you can create more bone than you lose. After the age of 35, bone loss outpaces bone formation, resulting in total bone loss. When menopause occurs, the demineralization process accelerates, leading to osteoporosis in certain women (brittle, fragile bones).
Cause
One of estrogen’s responsibilities is to preserve bone health. When it is depleted, the advantage is lost, leaving bones prone to degeneration.
