Top 7 Signs You are Approaching Menopause

You may have heard several misconceptions around menopause stage and signs. However, you can be sure that as you transit towards menopause, you can expect to experience a series of changes in your body and mind. Therefore, there is a need to understand those changes better, and menopause specialists at MyDoc Women's Health Specialist who deals with women's health in Boca Raton are here to help by letting you know what you can expect as you approach menopause. Here are the top seven signs you are approaching menopause.

1. Irregular Periods

As you approach the menopause, your menstrual cycle becomes disrupted where you may experience longer or shorter periods, or miss them altogether. Your bleeding patterns also change with your flow becoming significantly lighter or heavier. Note that the changes vary from one person to the other. If you don't experience your periods for 12 consecutive months, you have reached your menopause.

2. Vaginal Dryness

Your ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone hormones, which control your menstrual cycle and control egg production. The production of these hormones is reduced as you approach menopause. Besides affecting the menstrual cycle, research has found that with the decrease in the production of estrogen, there is less lubrication of the vaginal walls and thinning of the vaginal walls, which can cause painful sexual intercourse.

3. Pain and Soreness

As you approach menopause, you may begin to experience pain and discomfort in most parts of your body. Joint and muscle pain is common. If you are prone to migraines, you may experience a spike until the menopause has arrived. You can also experience some soreness or a dull ache in your breasts.

4. Libido Changes

As you approach menopause, you will experience some changes in your sex drive. However, this experience can vary from one person to another, where you may experience a lagging libido or a heightened sex drive. You may even not experience any changes in your sex drive. However, you can experience decreased satisfaction due to vaginal atrophy, and this can cause a loss of interest in sex.

5. Weakened Skin and Hair

Your hair can lose moisture due to hormonal changes as you approach menopause. As a result, the hair can become prone to breakage and split ends. Your finge ails can also break easily, change in color, or experience dryness. You may experience notable changes such as wrinkles, acne breakouts, oiliness, age spots, and facial hair growth on your skin.

6. Urinary Complications

As you near menopause, you can experience some urinary problems as menopause causes thinning of your vaginal tissue and loss of elasticity, which increases your vulnerability to infections. For example, you may experience a rising frequency of infections in your urinary tract. Other complications you can experience include frequent urination, reduced bladder control, and weakened pelvic muscles.

7. Poor Sleep and Cognitive Decline

As you approach menopause, you may experience night sweats and hot flashes, which can negatively impact your sleep quality. Lack of sleep may contribute to lapse in your memory. At this stage, you can also experience forgetfulness and concentration problems.

If you suspect you are in the perimenopause stage, MyDoc Women's Health Specialist team can help you identify the above symptoms and offer safe and effective personalized care.