The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Menopause includes the 50 symptoms listed below:
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Medical Books Excerpts Excerpts of published medical book chapters related to Menopause are available from published medical books for more detailed information about Menopause.
Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
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16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the symptoms of Menopause.
Many menopausal women are asymptomatic but some have severe symptoms. The decline in ovarian function and consequent decreased estrogen level produce menstrual irregularities: a decrease in the amount and duration of menstrual flow, spotting, and episodes of amenorrhea and polymenorrhea (possibly with hypermenorrhea). Irregularities may last a few months or persist for several years before menstruation ceases permanently.
The following body system changes may occur (usually after the permanent cessation of menstruation):
❑ Reproductive system: Menopause may cause shrinkage of vulval structures and loss of subcutaneous fat, possibly leading to atrophic vulvitis; atrophy of vaginal mucosa and flattening of vaginal rugae, possibly causing bleeding after coitus or douching; vaginal itching and discharge from bacterial invasion; and loss of capillaries in the atrophying vaginal wall, causing the pink, rugal lining to become smooth and white. Menopause may also produce excessive vaginal dryness and dyspareunia due to decreased lubrication from the vaginal walls and decreased secretion from Bartholin’s glands; smaller ovaries and oviducts; and progressive pelvic relaxation as the supporting structures lose their tone due to the absence of estrogen.
❑ Urinary system: Atrophic cystitis due to the effects of decreased estrogen levels on bladder mucosa and related structures may cause pyuria, dysuria, and urinary frequency, urgency, and incontinence. Urethral carbuncles from loss of urethral tone and mucosal thinning may cause dysuria, meatal tenderness, and hematuria.
❑ Mammary system: Breast size decreases.
❑ Integumentary system: The patient may experience loss of skin elasticity and turgor due to estrogen deprivation, loss of pubic and axillary hair and, occasionally, slight alopecia.
❑ Autonomic nervous system: The patient may exhibit hot flashes and night sweats (in 60% of women), vertigo, syncope, tachycardia, dyspnea, tinnitus, emotional disturbances (irritability, nervousness, crying spells, fits of anger), and exacerbation of pre-existing depression, anxiety, and compulsive, manic, or schizoid behavior.
Menopause may also induce atherosclerosis, and a decrease in estrogen level contributes to osteoporosis.
Ovarian activity in younger women is believed to provide a protective effect on the cardiovascular system, and the loss of this function at menopause may partly explain the increased death rate from myocardial infarction in older women. Also, estrogen has been found to increase levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
The transformation into
the beauty of mid life usually doesn't happen all at once. In
perimenopause, or the transition period to menopause, the production of
the female hormones estrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate, causing
a variety of symptoms, including hot flashes and mood swings. During this
time, a woman may or may not have a period. (Source: excerpt from Menopause: NWHIC)
While many women have little or no trouble with menopause, others have
moderate to severe discomfort. Some women may experience troublesome
symptoms during perimenopause and menopause. Hot flashes, caused by
fluctuating hormones, have become the hallmark symptom of menopause. Hot
flashes are a sudden flush or warmth, often followed by sweating. This is
caused by hormonal changes and their effect on your body's natural
regulation of its temperature. It is good to try to have a sense of humor
as you constantly feel the need to shed clothing to cool off, but in fact
hot flashes can cause serious discomfort and sleepless nights for some
women.
Other classic symptoms of menopause that you might experience:
Sleep problems;
Depression and mood swings;
Vaginal problems, including vaginal dryness and irritation
that can cause pain during intercourse and gynecological exams, as well
as frequent vaginal infections;
Urinary problems, including burning or pain when
urinating, or stress incontinence, the weakening of tissues in the
urinary tract which causes urine to leak when sneezing, coughing, or
laughing;
Memory loss;
Changes in sex drive and sexual response;
Weight gain;
Hair loss; or
"Spotting" and abnormal bleeding (usually normal, but
should be reported to your doctor). Some women find that they gain weight or that their hair thins after
menopause. Some symptoms, such as memory problems or feeling sad could
have causes that are unrelated to menopause. If you are having these
symptoms, it is important to discuss them with your health care provider.
And although changes in bleeding are normal as you near menopause,
abnormal bleeding should also be reported to your health care provider,
since this could be a sign of other problems.
A lack of estrogen during menopause also causes the bones to lose
calcium and become weaker, putting women at risk for severe bone loss or
osteoporosis. (Before menopause, you need about 1,000 mg of calcium per
day. After menopause, you need 1,500 per day.) A lack of estrogen also
causes an increased risk of developing heart disease.
(Source: excerpt from Menopause: NWHIC)
Although very rare before the age of 40, menopause can happen anytime
from your 30’s to your mid-50’s or even later. Smokers often begin
menopause earlier than non-smokers. If you have both ovaries removed
(bilateral oophorectomy) during a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus),
you may have the symptoms of menopause right away, no matter your age.
Once your uterus is removed, your periods will stop. (Source: excerpt from Menopause - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)
The event that marks menopause is your final menstrual
period. You will know for sure that you have experienced menopause when
you have not had a period in a year. Only then can you be sure that you
are no longer able to get pregnant. (Source: excerpt from Menopause - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)
Changing levels of estrogen and progesterone can cause a variety of
symptoms. You may have little or no trouble with hot flashes or other
signs of menopause. Some women, however, have slight discomfort or worse.
Common changes you might have are:
Irregular periods. Hot flashes.A hot flash or flush is common in
perimenopause. Possibly 80 % of American women have them. Suddenly you
feel heat in the upper part or all of your body. Your face and neck
become flushed. Red blotches may appear on your chest, back, and arms.
Heavy sweating and cold shivering can follow. Flashes can be as mild as
a light blush or severe enough to wake you from a sound sleep (called
night sweats). Most flashes last 30 seconds to 5 minutes. They
should disappear within a few years after menopause.
Problems with the vagina and bladder. Body tissue in the genital
area becomes drier and thinner as estrogen levels change. Sexual
intercourse might become painful for you because of this dryness. You
might also be more likely to have an infection in your vagina. As you
get older, you may begin to have urinary tract problems. These could be
more infections, trouble holding urine when you feel the need to go to
the bathroom (urge incontinence), or problems holding urine when you
sneeze, cough, laugh, run, or step down (stress incontinence). If you
have any of these problems, see your doctor.
Sex.Until you have gone 1 year without a period, you should
still use birth control if you do not want to become pregnant. Around
the time of menopause, your feelings about sex might change. You might
have trouble becoming sexually aroused because of hormone changes,
discomfort due to changes in the vagina, or medicines you are taking.
Or, you might feel freer and sexier after menopause---relieved that
pregnancy is no longer a worry. Remember that after menopause you can
still get sexually-transmitted diseases, such as HIV/AIDS (acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome).
Fatigue and sleep problems. Feeling tired is another common
symptom. You might have trouble getting to sleep, waking early, or
getting back to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night. Women
may be awakened by night sweats or the need to go to the bathroom.
Mood changes.Some people think that women may be more moody,
irritable, or depressed around the time of menopause. There might be a
connection between changes in the estrogen level and your emotions.
Other causes for these mood shifts might be stress, family changes such
as children leaving home, and feeling tired.
Changes in your body. Visible changes with menopause may include
a thickening at the waist, loss of muscle mass and increase in fat
tissue, or thinning and loss of stretchiness in the skin.
Other possible signs.Some women may experience headaches,
memory problems, and joint and muscle stiffness or pain.Article Excerpts About Symptoms of Menopause:
Menopause: NWHIC (Excerpt)
Menopause: NWHIC (Excerpt)
Menopause - Age Page - Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)
Menopause - Age Page - Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)
Menopause - Age Page - Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)
One of the first signs is a change in your
periods. They may become less regular. They could be lighter. Some women
have short times of heavy bleeding. These are all fairly common. Very
heavy bleeding for many days, periods less than 3 weeks apart, periods
that last longer than 10 days, or spotting between periods may also
happen. Check with your doctor if you find any of this
troublesome.
(Source: excerpt from Menopause - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)
When considering symptoms of Menopause, it is also important to consider Menopause as a possible cause of other medical conditions. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Menopause may cause:
For a more detailed analysis of Menopause as a symptom, including causes, drug side effect causes, and drug interaction causes, please see our Symptom Center information for Menopause.
These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:
Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Menopause. This signs and symptoms information for Menopause has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Menopause signs or Menopause symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Menopause may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Menopause symptoms.
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