Here is a list of common symptoms related to menopause, and among the most common are hot flashes, mood changes, fatigue and irregular periods. These symptoms are also common in pre-menopause and in some cases post-menopause.

1. Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are among the most common symptom of menopause. They cause the menopausal woman to suddenly become hot, sweaty, and flushed; especially in the face, neck, and chest. Some females also experience chills associated with hot flashes.

2. Night Sweats

Night sweats are hot flashes that occur at night. Scientists are not sure why they occur, but it appears that falling estrogen levels can affect the hypothalamus which regulates body temperature.

3. Irregular Periods

Throughout the pre-menopausal and menopausal transition, it is normal to have irregular, heavy or missed periods. Eventually, a female will stop having periods entirely. When a woman hasn’t had a period for an entire year, then that is officially the transition from pre-menopause to menopause.

4. Mood Changes

Mood changes are unpredictable shifts in mood that are not related to life events. They can cause someone to feel suddenly sad or angry. Mood changes are common during peri-menopause and menopause.

5. Breast Soreness

Breast tenderness is another common symptom of menopause, though its frequency tends to decrease in the later stages.

6. Decreased Libido

Menopause also affects libido or desire for sex. This can be the direct result of having lower levels of testosterone and estrogen, which can make physical arousal more difficult. It can also be a secondary result of the other symptoms of menopause, such as mood changes, or a side effect of a medication.

7. Vaginal Dryness

Female sex hormones ensure there is good circulation of blood around the vagina that helps with natural lubrication. Without good hormones, women experience dryness during sexual intercourse, which can be uncomfortable or make penetrative sex more difficult.

8. Headaches

Entering menopause may cause headaches or migraine as a result of a dip in estrogen. This can be similar to the headaches that some women experience before a period. However, unlike during a normal menstrual cycle,

9. Tingling Extremities

During menopause, some women experience tingling in the hands, feet, arms, and legs. This symptom is the result of hormone fluctuations affecting the central nerve system and typically only lasts for a few minutes at a time.

10. Burning Mouth

A burning mouth is another potential symptom of menopause that can be experienced as a feeling of burning, tenderness, tingling, heat, or numbing in or around the mouth. This is another result of hormonal changes. The mucus hormones in the mouth have sex hormone receptors, which decrease with a decline in estrogen.

11. Changes in Taste

Some women have reported changes in their sense of taste, with stronger flavors during menopause. They may also experience a dry mouth, which can lead to a higher risk of developing gum disease or cavities.

12. Fatigue

Fatigue could be the result of lower quality sleep as a result of hot flashes and night sweats or the result of hormonal fluctuations themselves.

13. Bloating

Women can experience bloating during menopause as a result of water retention, gas or slower digestion due to stress.

14. Digestive Changes

Female sex hormones have an affect on a woman’s mouth and digestive tract. This can mean that during menopause, a female’s microbiome and gut flora changes. They may notice changes in their digestion or that they react differently to certain foods.

15. Joint Pain

Estrogen helps decrease inflammation and keep the joints lubricated. As a result, some women experience joint pain as a result of decreased estrogen. Estrogen is responsible for regulating fluid levels throughout the body, so when the body becomes low in estrogen, women are more prone to joint aches or menopausal arthritis.

16. Muscle Tension and Aches

Women going through peri-menopause or menopause can also experience muscle tension and aches.

17. Electric Shock Sensations

Women can experience sensations that resemble electric shocks during peri-menopause and menopause. It is not clear what causes this, but it may be the result of changing hormone levels in the nerve system.

18. Itchiness

Because estrogen is related to collagen production and skin hydration, a decline in this important hormone can lead to increased itchiness and dryness.

19. Sleep Disturbance

A woman’s sleep can become lighter or disrupted for many reasons during menopause. They may wake frequently due to night sweats, wake up earlier, or find it difficult to get to sleep. Menopausal women tend to experience sleep disruptions caused by drinking wine also.

20. Difficulty Concentrating

A decline in estrogen can sometimes cause mental fogginess or difficulty concentrating. Hot flashes and sleep issues may also be contributing factors.

21. Memory Lapses

As with concentration and focus, menopause can also affect memory. Again, this could be a direct result of lower estrogen levels or compromised sleep.

22. Thinning Hair

During menopause, thinning hair is another result of hormonal fluctuations. This causes the hair follicles to shrink, meaning that hair grows more slowly and sheds more easily.

23. Brittle Nails

During or after menopause, the body may not produce enough keratin, which is the substance that nails need to stay strong. This can lead to weak nails that crack or break easily.

24. Weight Gain

Women can gain weight due to a number of factors during menopause. A decline in estrogen can result in weight gain as can lower amounts of physical activity. Exercise is very important for the pre-menopausal, menopausal and post-menopausal woman. In fact, exercise is a MUST!!!

25. Incontinence

Incontinence refers to a frequent or sudden urge to urinate. During menopause, changes in hormone levels can cause the bladder and pelvic muscles to become weaker.

26. Dizzy Spells

The hormonal changes that take place during menopause affect insulin production, which can make it difficult for the body to maintain blood sugar homeostasis, balance and stability. This is the main reason that some women experience dizzy spells during peri-menopause and menopause.

27. Allergies

Worsening allergy symptoms can flair-up during menopause. This happens because during menopause, women can have spikes in histamine. Histamine is the chemical that causes allergic reactions.

28. Osteoporosis

During peri-menopause, a decline in estrogen can also result in a loss of bone density. In severe cases, osteoporosis can cause the bones to become more fragile and break easily.

29. Irregular Heartbeat

Some women may experience an irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, before, during or after menopause. Heart palpitations are common during menopause.

30. Body Odor

Hot flashes and night sweats can result in an increase in body odor during menopause.

31. Irritability

Either due to hormonal fluctuations or the impact of other menopause symptoms, women going through this change of hormones may find that they feel irritable. Stress or a lack of sleep may also contribute to irritability.

32. Depression

For some women, hormonal imbalances may trigger depression. Depression is often situational and may not be long term. A lack of sleep and stress can be a contributing factor.

33. Anxiety

Anxiety is another mood-related symptom that some women experience during menopause. It may be intermittent as hormone levels fluctuate. As with menopause-related depression, anxiety may be situational and improve once hormones level out.

34. Panic Disorder

In some cases, women may experience panic attacks during menopause. When these attacks occur unexpectedly or suddenly, they can indicate panic disorder.

What Can I Do?

Most women do not experience all 34 of these symptoms during pre-menopause, menopause and post-menopause. There are also several lifestyle changes and self-care regimes that can help alleviate symptoms, such as:

• avoiding alcohol, spicy foods and caffeine, as these can make hot flashes worse;
• stopping smoking;
• dressing in layers so that it is easier to cool down when a hot flash occurs;
• carrying gentle cleansing wipes to freshen up while on the go;
• getting regular exercise, which can help with weight maintenance, stress relief, and mood;
• learning relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises or mindfulness;
• psychotherapy, which can provide a place to talk about the effects of menopause.

There are holistic treatments that women can try to reduce discomfort, including:

• Chiropractic is wonderful to manage the nerve system which is the master control of the brain-spine connection that regulates everything;

• Naturopathic physicians and nutritionists can assist with anti-inflammatory foods, gut health, and vitamin recommendations;

• Acupuncture can assist with hot and cold fluctuations, while assessing meridians that are blocked and need to be opened for better Chi.

• A personal trainer can work one-on-one or in a group program to manage weight, muscle atrophy and overall fitness;

• Yoga and Pilates are excellent to create mindfulness during fitness and provide that time during the day to relax in a gentle class for an hour;

• Massage helps with blood flow, oxygenation and stress management to cruise through menopause knowing all the muscles and organs are receiving TLC (tender loving care).

Who Can I Talk To?

When women experience new or unexplained symptoms, they should speak with a doctor. Other health conditions can cause similar symptoms associated with menopause, so it is important to rule these out. Be sure to choose a doctor that resonates with your wellness goals and don’t assume that medications are the only answer.

Lifestyle changes can usually solve all the symptoms related to menopause, such as a new diet reducing gluten and dairy, intermittent fasting, hydrating with more water intake, supplements with pre and probiotics to improve gut health, plant-based protein shakes for breakfast, gentle workouts 3-4 times per week, and a new sleep routine that gets you in bed earlier each night.