How Do You Know When Your Starting to Have Menopause

Larissa is experiencing the menopausal transition, a normal part of aging for women. Menopause is not a illness or disorder. This time in a woman's life is often full of other transitions in improver to concrete ones: Women may be caring for aging parents or relatives, supporting their children as they motion into adulthood, or taking on new responsibilities at work.

Some women don't have any trouble with menopausal symptoms and may fifty-fifty feel relieved when they no longer need to worry about painful periods or getting pregnant. For other women, the menopausal transition tin can bring hot flashes, trouble sleeping, pain during sexual activity, moodiness and irritability, depression, or a combination of these symptoms. Some may decide to talk with their physician about lifestyle changes or medications to treat their symptoms.

Understanding the menopausal transition

Menopause is a point in fourth dimension 12 months after a woman'due south last period. The years leading up to that point, when women may take changes in their monthly cycles, hot flashes, or other symptoms, are called the menopausal transition or perimenopause.

The menopausal transition nearly ofttimes begins betwixt ages 45 and 55. Information technology ordinarily lasts nigh vii years just can be as long as 14 years. The duration can depend on lifestyle factors such every bit smoking, age it begins, and race and ethnicity. During perimenopause, the trunk's production of estrogen and progesterone, two hormones made past the ovaries, varies greatly.

The menopausal transition affects each woman uniquely and in various means. The body begins to use energy differently, fat cells change, and women may gain weight more easily. You may feel changes in your os or heart health, your body shape and composition, or your physical function.

Is information technology menopause?

If you are having symptoms that are common during menopause, your doc may ask questions well-nigh your age, symptoms, and family history to determine if it really is the menopausal transition causing your issues. In some cases, your doc may suggest a blood exam to check your follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) levels to rule out any other causes for the changes you're experiencing.

Read and share this infographic to help spread the word most steps women can take toward optimal health during and after menopause.

While the menopausal transition may usually exist referred to as "menopause," true menopause doesn't happen until 1 yr after a woman'southward final menstrual menses. For that reason, a woman who does not want to get pregnant should proceed to utilize nascency control for at least a full 12 months afterwards her last menstruum.

Menopause can as well be triggered by a hysterectomy or surgical removal of the ovaries, which produce hormones. If y'all have surgery to remove your uterus or ovaries and are not taking hormones, you will experience symptoms of menopause immediately.

Later on menopause, women enter postmenopause. Postmenopausal women are more than vulnerable to centre illness and osteoporosis. During this time, it is of import to proceed to eat a healthy diet, exist active, and make certain you get enough calcium for optimal bone wellness.

What are the signs and symptoms of menopause?

Estrogen is used by many parts of a woman'southward torso. As levels of estrogen decrease, you could have various symptoms. Many women experience mild symptoms that can be treated by lifestyle changes such as fugitive caffeine or carrying a portable fan. Some women don't crave any treatment at all, simply for others, symptoms can exist more severe. The severity of symptoms varies greatly effectually the world and by race and ethnicity.

Here are the virtually common changes yous might observe at midlife. Some may be part of crumbling rather than directly related to menopause.

Change in your menstruation. This might exist what you notice beginning. Your periods may no longer be regular. They may exist shorter or last longer. You might bleed more or less than usual. These are all normal changes, only to brand sure there isn't a problem, see your doctor if:

• Your periods happen very close together.
• You have heavy haemorrhage.
• You have spotting.
• Your periods last more than a calendar week.
• Your periods resume after no bleeding for more a yr.

Hot flashes. Many women take hot flashes, which tin last for many years after menopause. They may be related to changing estrogen levels. A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat in the upper part or all of your body. Your face and neck may become flushed. Scarlet blotches may announced on your chest, back, and arms. Heavy sweating and cold shivering tin can follow. Hot flashes tin can be very balmy or potent enough to wake you upwards (chosen nighttime sweats). Most hot flashes last betwixt 30 seconds and 10 minutes. They can happen several times an hour, a few times a mean solar day, or just once or twice a week. Find information on managing hot flashes in Hot Flashes: What Tin can I Do?

Float control. A loss of float control is called incontinence. You lot may have a sudden urge to urinate, or urine may leak during practice, sneezing, or laughing. The first pace in treating incontinence is to encounter a dr.. Float infections also tin can occur in midlife.

Sleep. Around midlife, some women start having problem getting a good night's sleep. Possibly you tin can't fall asleep easily, or you lot wake too early. Nighttime sweats might wake you upwardly. And if you wake upwards during the night, yous might take problem falling back to sleep. Learn how to improve your sleep during the menopausal transition and beyond in Slumber Bug and Menopause: What Can I Do?

Vaginal health and sexuality. Later on menopause, the vagina may get drier, which tin can make sexual intercourse uncomfortable. Read almost options for addressing vaginal pain during sex in Sexual activity and Menopause: Handling for Symptoms. Y'all may also find that your feelings virtually sex are irresolute. You could exist less interested, or you could feel freer and sexier because afterwards one full twelvemonth without a period, y'all can no longer go pregnant. However, yous could nonetheless be at chance for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as gonorrhea or HIV/AIDS. Your hazard for an STD increases if y'all have sex with more than one person or with someone who has sex with others. If so, make certain your partner uses a condom each time yous have sexual activity.

Mood changes. You might feel moodier or more irritable around the time of menopause. Scientists don't know why this happens. It's possible that stress, family changes such as growing children or aging parents, a history of low, or feeling tired could be causing these mood changes. Talk with your primary care provider or a mental health professional about what you lot're experiencing. There are treatments available to aid.

Your trunk seems different. Your waist could get larger. You could lose muscle and gain fatty. Your skin could become thinner. You might have retentivity issues, and your joints and muscles could feel strong and achy. Researchers are exploring such changes and how they chronicle to hormones and growing older.

In addition, for some women, symptoms may include aches and pains, headaches, and heart palpitations. Follow up with a doc. Considering menopausal symptoms may be caused by changing hormone levels, it is unpredictable how often women will feel symptoms and how severe they will be.

Treating menopause symptoms: What'south correct for me?

Deciding whether and how to treat the symptoms of menopausal transition can exist complicated and personal. Discuss your symptoms, family and medical history, and preferences with your doctor. No thing what you decide, see your md every year to talk most your treatment plan and hash out whatsoever changes you desire to make.

Learn about options to aid you manage hot flashes, sleep bug, and sex issues during the menopausal transition.

Read about this topic in Spanish. Lea sobre este tema en español.

For more than information on menopause

Part on Women's Health
Department of Health and Human Services
800-994-9662
www.womenshealth.gov

This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Crumbling (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date.

Content reviewed: September 30, 2021

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Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-menopause

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