Menopause: Five symptoms that people may not know about, according to the experts
Gabby Logan says its important to talk to men about menopause
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Symptoms of the menopause include hot flushes, night sweats and vaginal dryness, and most women will experience menopausal symptoms. The NHS says that some of these can be quite severe and have a significant impact on your everyday activities. After menopause, your risk of certain medical conditions may rise. The length of each stage of the menopause transition can vary for each individual.
The first sign of the menopause is usually a change in the normal pattern of your periods.
The NHS says: “The frequency of your periods may also be affected. You may have them every two or three weeks, or you may not have them for months at a time. Eventually, you’ll stop having periods altogether.”
About eight in every 10 women will have additional symptoms for some time before and after their periods stop, which can have a big impact on people’s lives.
The NHS says: “See your GP if you’re finding your symptoms particularly troublesome, as treatments are available.”
Experts at Healthily have shared details of menopause symptoms “that people may not know about”.
The platform says that during menopause, “one of the unknown symptoms can be painful sex”.
You may also experience brittle nails, hair loss, and aches and pains.
It adds: “Due to the hormone imbalances experienced during menopause, you may experience trouble concentrating on tasks or remembering things. This can be down to hormone imbalances that the body is going through.”
Doctor Rebecca Thomas at Healthily said: “Many women experience menopausal symptoms that can impact their daily lives.
“If that’s you, you’re not alone, so don’t suffer in silence. There are a range of self-care and medical treatments that could help you.”
The NHS says that on average, most symptoms last around four years from your last period. However, around one in every 10 women experience them for up to 12 years.
“If you experience the menopause suddenly rather than gradually – for example, as a result of cancer treatment – your symptoms may be worse,” it notes.
The main treatment for menopausal symptoms is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), although other treatments are also available for some of the symptoms.
Most symptoms are caused by low oestrogen levels, so this is the most important hormone to replace.
NIH National Institute on Aging says: “Deciding whether and how to treat the symptoms of menopausal transition can be complicated and personal. Discuss your symptoms, family and medical history, and preferences with your doctor.”
It adds: “Some women don’t require any treatment at all, but for others, symptoms can be more severe.”
Your GP can usually confirm whether you are menopausal based on your symptoms, but a blood test to measure your hormone levels may be carried out if you’re aged 40 to 45.
NHS Inform says: “Blood tests may also be carried out to help diagnose suspected premature menopause if you’re under 40 and have menopausal symptoms.”
It adds: “Many women experience symptoms of anxiety, loss of confidence, ‘brain fog’ and other symptoms relating to their mental health during menopause.
“These psychological symptoms are a result of the changes happening to your body and can have a big impact on your life.”
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