Recognizing Your Menopause Symptom
For any woman, menopause is truly a great turning point in life. For many, it is accompanied by tremendous changes in one’s body and psyche that sometimes make the menopausal years truly difficult and challenging. Surprisingly, not everyone goes experiences symptoms and those who do, experience them uniquely from everyone else. This means that your menopause symptom may not be the same as that experienced by another woman. So what is a menopause symptom and how do you know if you are actually experiencing one.
Probably the most common menopause symptom would be what is commonly known as hot flushes. It is very usual to hear women in the menopausal stage to mention this as a menopause symptom. Other than hot flushes however, there are 35 other symptoms that a woman may or may not experience.
Changes in Appearance
It may be a menopause symptom if you suddenly notice some changes in the way you look. You may gain a bit in the abdominal portion and you may notice more wrinkles on your skin. Of course, this is also partly because you are also truly gaining more in years. It is however, also a menopause symptom and not just a sign of advancing age to loose a little of your crowning glory and your pubic hair. You may however, end up growing some hair on your upper lip and perhaps a bit on your chest.
Biological Changes
Of course, it is a known menopause symptom to have menstrual cycle that is irregular. Other than this, women should also note that urinary incontinence is also a menopause symptom along with vaginal dryness. This is because the vaginal and urethral tissue linings become a little thin and less elastic. This may also be a reason why for some women, the loss of sexual drive has also become a menopause symptom. It has become painful and inconvenient to have sex. Other biological symptoms may include head aches, joint pains, insomnia, memory lapses, fatigue, stomach discomfort and changes in body odor.
Psychological Symptoms
Psychological symptoms are perhaps the most varied. Depression for example may be deemed by some as a menopause symptom while others say that it is simply an effect of other life stresses. Added to depression are irritability, anxiety and mood swings. It is suggested that the best way to deal with psychological symptoms is to keep busy by exercising and working as usual. The psychological factor however is so diverse that one woman’s way of coping may differ from another.