What Are the Symptoms of Menopause?
A person can understand that he will enter menopause based on the symptoms that occur in his body. The heavy or prolonged menstrual periods and the irregularity of these periods indicate that the person will enter menopause. During menopause, many physical and psychological changes occur in the person.
Hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations, dizziness, ligament pain, weakness, breast tenderness, muscle and joint pain, sleep disorders, increased appetite, increase in body hair, weight gain, sexual organ withdrawal (atrophy), urinary incontinence when coughing, vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse are common physical changes. This situation, which causes the person to think that he is getting old, has nothing to do with old age. This change, which is mostly psychological, may also be accompanied by symptoms such as anxiety disorder, depression, forgetfulness, tantrums, lack of concentration, decreased sexual desire, and excessive crying in simple situations.
Estrogen deficiency during menopause causes shrinkage in the vulva, (external genital organs), vagina and urethra. Due to this shrinkage, complaints of itching in the vulva, frequent urination, urinary incontinence, sagging bladder, uterine prolapse, constipation and painful sexual intercourse can be seen. While there is a decrease in armpit and genital area hair, there may be hair in the face, chin, lips and chest area.
The slowing of the metabolic rate during menopause can lead to weight gain. In addition, the risk of heart diseases such as arteriosclerosis and hypertension increases in menopause.