36 Symptoms that May be Due to Menopause
(And How Hormone Therapy Can Help)
Women’s bodies are truly amazing and obviously very complex. After all, we do everything that men do AND we can grow another human being in our body! But such complicated machinery is sure to come with some maintenance issues. If you are between the age of 40 and 65 and suddenly and a strange problem that appear – whether physical, mental, sexual, or emotional – it very well could be the result of menopause or peri-(“pre”) menopause.
There are actually at least 36 women’s health issues that may be signs of menopause – related to the hormone decline that occurs as a woman moves into the end of her reproductive years. And some lists of menopause-related symptoms are as large as 85.
In this article the menopause experts and hormone therapy specialists at SottoPelle list the most common symptoms of menopause by typical age of onset. And then we cover the rest of the more unusual symptoms that can result from the hormone decline of menopause.
When Does Menopause Start?
On average, most women start menopause between the ages of 45 and 55 years old. But the mental and physical changes that accompany menopause can start as early as age 40, or as late as the 50s.
The transition into menopause – during which hormone levels begin to drop – is called “perimenopause”. This stage typically lasts about 7 years but can be drawn out for as long as 14 years.
It’s important to understand that perimenopause and menopause symptoms can occur at different ages in different people and are not fully defined by age. But here is a look at the 35 symptoms of menopause ordered roughly by when they most typically occur.
Treating the Symptoms of Menopause with Hormone Therapy: Age 40 to 45
Only one percent of women go into premature menopause before age 40. But while a missed period when you’re in your early 40s might make you think you’re pregnant – it is very possible to start menopause around this age.
Signs of early menopause include:
#1. missing three or more periods in a row
#2. periods that become heavier or lighter than usual
#3. sleep problems
#4. unexplained weight gain
#5. hot flashes (sometimes called “hot flushes”)
#6. vaginal dryness and itching
Remember, these can also be symptoms of pregnancy or other medical conditions, so see your OBGYN if symptoms persist!
Treating the Symptoms of Menopause with Hormone Therapy: Age 45 to 50
The majority of women enter the perimenopausal stage in their late 40s. During this phase, production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone slows down.
In addition to symptoms #1 through #6 above, menopausal hormone decline can also include:
#7. mood swings
#8. night sweats
#9. decrease in sex drive
#10. trouble concentrating
#11. hair loss / thinning
#12. increased or irregular heart rate
#13. urinary infections (UTIs)
#14. difficulty getting pregnant
#15. irritability
#16. fatigue
Remember, it’s harder to get pregnant during perimenopause, but it’s not impossible! So, continue to use contraception If you don’t want to conceive.
Treating the Symptoms of Menopause with Hormone Therapy: Age 50 to 55
By the early 50s most women will be in menopause or making the final transition into this phase. Typically, by age 50 a woman’s ovaries are no longer releasing eggs or producing much estrogen.
In addition to symptoms #1 through #16 above, the following problems also become more common:
#17. urinary incontinence
#18. anxiety
#19. decreased bone density (osteoporosis)
#20. breast pain
#21. changes in breast tissue
#22. sagging or wrinkling skin
#23. decreased orgasms
By age 55, most women have gone through menopause. Once a full year has passed since a woman’s last period, she is officially in the postmenopausal phase. However, a woman may still have some of the same symptoms you experienced during perimenopause and/or menopause.
During the postmenopausal phase, a woman’s risk of heart disease can also increase. Remember to discuss what you can do to protect yourself against heart disease and other age-related diseases such as osteoporosis.
Less Common Symptoms of Menopause
While symptoms #1 through #23 are the most common signs of hormone decline, there are a number of less frequently experienced symptoms of menopause. These can include:
#24. bloating
#25. brittle nails
#26. dizzy spells
#27. panic disorder
#28. depression
#29. allergies
#30. frequent headaches
#31. burning tongue
#32. digestive issues
#33. muscle tightness
#34. joint pain
#35. changes in body odor
#36. tingling or electric shock sensation
Treating Menopause with Hormone Therapy
Hormones affect every aspect of a woman’s body, including physical, mental, emotional, and sexual functioning.
The SottoPelle®100% natural bioidentical hormone therapy method can help restore a woman’s body and mind to optimal balance. And hormone pellet therapy offers several advantages, including NO daily pills, NO painful weekly shots, and NO messy creams. Additionally, SottoPelle® pellet therapy utilizes bioidentical hormones that are safer, more effective, and more natural than lab-created synthetics. Because bioidentical hormones are identical to the body’s own hormones, they offer more effective results, with fewer side-effects and risks.
If you are menopausal woman who is experiencing any of these 36 symptoms, talk to your physician about SottoPelle® Method hormone therapy today. Or you can also find a physician in your area who is a Certified SottoPelle® hormone therapy provider using our Physician Finder HERE.
Menopause Hormone Therapy Providers: (323) 986-5100
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as general information only and is not intended to be used as medical advice. While the benefits of hormone replacement are well documented through clinical research, we are not representing that hormone therapy is a “cure” for any disease. Only your treating physician can determine if hormone replacement may be a beneficial part of your healthcare regimen, based on your age, overall health, risk factors, and lifestyle.
