All of us women reach that definitive time in our lives when our menstrual cycle and our reproductive stage comes to an end. This happens when we are around 50 years old, however we are all different and we may begin to experience symptoms of menopause. We can start to experience menopausal symptoms from the age of 45 onwards..
Our menstruation starts its final period progressively until finally we do not menstruate anymore; during this process you may have several menopausal symptoms that indicate that this new phase is coming. Here we tell you about them.
- Related article: “Why don’t I get my period? 7 reasons that explain it”.
What is menopause?
We call menopause the moment in our lives when menstruation ends completely. But this does not happen overnight; menopause has two stages, pre-menopause and post-menopause. and is actually part of what we call the climacteric.
Climacteric is the correct term to name this stage of a woman’s life in which several changes occur that determine the transition from our fertile time to our non-fertile time. The climacteric period lasts between 10 and 15 years depending on each woman and is divided by menopause into the two stages mentioned above.
What happens is that we begin to gradually lose our ovulation process and the ovarian follicles in the ovary and the follicles of the ovary in which we produce eggs are deteriorating. This is important because the ovary is responsible for producing the hormones that make us fertile and as its function is ending, our body begins to experience many changes, such as failures in our menstrual cycle.
- Related article: “How to know when you are ovulating in 7 signs that indicate it”.
The most important hormonal change that occurs when we start our climacteric is the low production of estrogen and progesterone. This is what actually causes all the symptoms of menopause to occur.
Now, we call pre-menopause the stage of climacteric that occurs before the last menstruation, which usually begins 3 to 5 years before and is the interval in which the production of sex hormones is decreasing. Menopause occurs when we have completed 12 months without having menstruated.And finally, post-menopause, which is the interval after menopause and can last from 2 to 7 years.
What menopausal symptoms can we experience?
There are menopausal symptoms that we may begin to experience in the pre-menopausal stage of the climacteric. However, every woman is different and therefore not all of us experience the symptoms with the same intensity. There are even some women who do not feel any symptoms at all or feel them only slightly.
1. Changes in the menstrual cycle
When your menstrual cycle begins to change and becomes irregular, it may be more or less abundant.When your menstrual cycle begins to change and becomes irregular, it can be more or less abundant, you can have longer and shorter periods, until they gradually disappear.
2. Hot flashes and hot flashes
This is one of the most common symptoms of menopause and it is the famous hot flashes that are felt especially in pre-menopause.. It is a sudden surge of heat that you feel in the chest, neck and face. They are usually accompanied by momentary flushing and cold sweats when they end.
These hot flashes take you by surprise at any time of the day, but especially at night.
3. Sleeping problems
Insomnia is very common during menopause.due to the decrease in progesterone. This can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep. And if you are also feeling hot flashes, it is possible that your nights of sleep are less pleasant.
- Related article: “12 ways to fight insomnia effectively”.
4. Weight gain
Another one of the symptoms of menopause is the progressive weight gain without having changed your eating habits and maintaining the same type of activity.
5. Vaginal changes
At this stage of life, the natural lubrication of the vagina decreases. and their walls become thinner and more elastic, so that some women may find sexual intercourse painful.
6. Changes in your mood
It is normal that hormonal alterations have consequences on our emotions and mood. That said, it is normal that with the arrival of menopause you experience sudden mood swings and be much more sensitive and irritable.
Some of us may feel sad and depressed about reaching this time in our lives, especially if some of the symptoms of menopause are not making it easy for us.
7. Some urinary problems
As well as the vaginal walls the perineum also loses elasticityThis can cause you to start having slight urine leaks when you laugh, sneeze or make any strong movement with your belly. At the same time, the pH of your vagina is changing, so some infections are normal.
8. Joint pain
Some women may experience some joint pain due to a decrease in estrogen. decrease in estrogenThese hormones are also part of the body’s anti-inflammatory function.
9. Decreased sexual desire
Not necessarily all women go through these symptoms of menopause, and many times and often the decrease in sexual desire is a consequence of the other symptoms, such as vaginal dryness or vaginal dryness.such as vaginal dryness or mood swings and depression. In any case, the loss of estrogen does influence your feelings of less sexual desire.
If you are going through your climacteric period and are experiencing one or more symptoms of menopause, consult your doctor. Currently there are supplements and medications that can make this stage more bearable by making the symptoms milder. Always remember that this is a normal process that is part of what makes you the wonderful woman you are.