A frequent and much-bemoaned symptom of menopause is the intense hot flashes that are not predictable or short lived. A sensation of warmth that spreads over the body, often most prominent around the face, neck and chest; these hot flashes usually last several minutes. Often times, hot flashes are accompanied by night sweats, an event of saturated sweat that occurs in the nighttime. Noticeably, the quality of sleep is usually disturbed.
Other common symptoms do become obvious as menopause progresses. When estrogen levels decline, the tissue lining the vagina begins to thin and loses elasticity. This incidence presents itself in generating symptoms like frequent vaginal itching, dryness, and irritation. The urethral lining also is similarly affected and this often leads to an increased incidence of urinary tract infections.
Menopausal women may also start to gain weight or redistribute body fat. Since the body continues to produce a small amount of testosterone which is now unopposed by the low estrogen, menopausal women may also notice hair growth in places like the upper lip, chin, chest and abdomen.
Aside from the physical changes menopause can bring emotional symptoms that are varied in nature. Some women experience memory problems, fatigue, irritability, depression, loss of energy and rapid mood swings. There is a definite link between low levels of estrogen and mood disorders.
However, it is difficult to say how much of any of these problems are caused by menopause itself and how big a part outside factors could play, such as stress, marriage, children, money, or lifestyle changes.
Even though it appears that the symptoms go on forever, the good news is that there are a number of good treatments available.
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