Menopause. This word is seen by many people as something negative, since it means the end of female fertility. Other people see it as a release, because after it they stop having their periods.

Regardless of how it is seen, it is an unavoidable physiological phenomenon in every woman’s life and in many cases it generates various discomforts and symptoms, elements that can signal the arrival of the last of her periods.

In this article you can learn about the 14 symptoms and signs of menopause and its arrival .

Menopause: what are we talking about?

Menopause is understood as the moment when the last menstruation occurs. Climacteric is the period of time that goes from the moments before its arrival to the ones after it. In fact, what is considered menopause itself is the moment when the last period occurs, the last menstruation. Menopause is considered to have arrived when you stop having your period for at least one year .

Its origin is the end of the production of estrogen and progesterone in the ovary. With age, the ovaries age and the follicles wear out, reducing the amount of the above-mentioned hormones, until a time comes when no new eggs are released. On average, menopause usually occurs between 45 and 55, although in some cases it can occur early or late.

Menopause can be a turning point, with those who suffer it losing the ability to conceive by traditional methods. This can be a great setback for some people, especially due to the consideration that they are reaching old age, the unfulfilled desire to be a mother, or the social stigma that the loss of the ability to conceive derived from classic gender stereotypes, a stigma that, although diminishing, still persists in some sectors of society.

This can lead to problems such as anxiety attacks or depression. However, this is a natural phenomenon that does not have to be seen as something negative, since it does not prevent any type of activity from taking place and may even allow us to live some others in a different way.

But menopause doesn’t come suddenly. Even years before, the body already gradually shows signs of ovarian ageing , some of which we will see in detail below.

Signs and symptoms of the onset of menopause

Menopause, as we have indicated above, is usually preceded by various symptoms that indicate the cessation of some of the functions of the female reproductive system and the hormonal change that is taking place in the female body.

The following are some of the symptoms and signs of the onset of menopause. Some of them can be treated medically , especially when they cause intense suffering in the person.

1. Hot flushes

One of the most well-known symptoms that warn us of the arrival of menopause is the so-called hot flushes. These are heat waves that start with a sudden sensation of heat in the chest and face and then spread to the whole body. They usually last about four minutes, and are sometimes followed by shaking and chills.

Hot flushes usually appear some time before menopause and can last for years after the climacteric, being in general the year before the cessation of menstruation when they occur more frequently and intensely. They are more common at night.

2. Irregular menstrual cycles

Menopause is the last menstruation, but before its arrival it is usual for the body to show the progressive degeneration of the ovarian function. It is common for the period to arrive irregularly , varying the dates when the period arrives and becoming longer and longer, although the periods may be shorter it is common for the amount of menstrual flow to be greater than usual (although the opposite is also common).

3. Insomnia and sleep problems

Premenopausal women often have sleep problems, with the usual presence of insomnia or waking up during the night. Sometimes these problems are facilitated by other symptoms such as hot flushes, but this is not essential.

4. Mood disorders

Being in a period of hormonal change makes it easy for mood to vary greatly. Emotional lability and irritability are common. In fact, at this stage there is a high risk of depressive symptoms appearing . Some reasons for this are that the person in question wishes to be able to become pregnant or the thought that she is approaching old age.

5. Anxiety

As well as the possible presence of depressive symptoms, anxiety is another common aspect found in women in the process of reaching menopause. The decrease in oestrogen can cause other hormones such as dopamine to be reduced, thus promoting states of stress and anxiety.

6. Weight gain

It is very common for women who are close to reaching menopause or after it to tend to gain weight. This is partly due to the hormonal changes the body undergoes during this period, which facilitate the accumulation of lipids . In addition, the anxiety and mood changes that often accompany the arrival of climacteric facilitates unbalanced intake.

7. Alterations in the level of sexual desire

Another common symptom of the onset of menopause is the presence of alterations in the level of sexual desire. This usually decreases due to the drop in estrogen levels. However, it has been recorded that in many cases the sexual appetite increases once the menopause has passed, due among other factors to the increase in testosterone that also occurs after the climacteric.

8. Headaches and migraines, vertigo and dizziness

Headache is another relatively common symptom in pre-menopausal women. Tension-type headaches tend to be especially increased, and tend to be more typical in women who previously suffered from this type of problem. It is also relatively frequent for dizziness and vertigo to appear.

9. Changes in bone density

When you reach menopause, the possibility of suffering from osteoporosis, a bone disease in which there is a progressive decrease in bone density and facilitating the existence of fractures , increases greatly. This increased risk is due to the fact that the end of ovarian function causes an increase in bone resorption (elimination of tissue, releasing minerals from the bone into the blood).

10. Memory and concentration problems

The presence of lapses and forgetfulness in the period of time surrounding menopause is very common. The decrease of estrogen and other neurotransmitters, together with the effects produced by conditions such as low mood, usually facilitate the existence of memory failures .

11. Loss and dryness of hair, skin and nails

The decrease of different hormones in premenopausal women is related to the decrease of collagen level. Therefore, it is common for the skin to peel and dry , as well as for nails and hair to become brittle and easily broken.

12. Decreased energy

Sleep difficulties, hormonal changes and the effect of mood swings and anxiety cause energy levels to drop rapidly. Both physical and mental fatigue appears , and some de-motivation may also occur.

13. Urogenital symptoms: Urinary incontinence and vaginal dryness

The progressive loss of oestrogen causes different changes in the vagina and the urogenital system. As far as the vagina is concerned, there tends to be a certain dryness, loss of elasticity and even reduction of the vaginal wall , which in turn may lead to the presence of dyspareunia and avoidance of sexual contact.

As far as incontinence is concerned, some of the hormonal changes make it easier for the bladder to undergo different changes, which make it easier for urine to leak. It is also not uncommon for urinary infections to be more common.

14. Joint pain

Oestrogens have an anti-inflammatory effect . Its decrease, therefore, facilitates the presence of inflammations in places such as joints.