The cessation of a woman's menstruation period is signaled by the post menopausal stage. It can be a relief for many to reach this point but don't be fooled into thinking the symptoms also stop.

Menopause symptoms will affect some women more than others yet there is little doubt that being armed with more knowledge about the topic will be more beneficial for women than not knowing anything about menopause and how it can affect someone.

It seems women with a good understanding of what to expect during this period aren't as shocked or troubled by the symptoms as those who choose to ignore information.

The Stages Of Menopause

Most women experience menopause during their fifties, though pre-menopause can strike in a woman whilst she is still in her forties as well.

Peri menopause is a process that takes about four years to complete and it is during this time that a woman will need to deal with normal menopause symptoms. Once a woman has completed an entire year without having had periods; this period in her life is known as post menopause.

All different stages in menopause can cause a woman to experience a lot of discomfort and these years are not so easy in her life either. In fact, once a woman has been diagnosed (officially) that she is in the post menopausal stage in her life she will most probably start to feel happy that all of her post menopause symptom related changes are going to come to an end once and for all.

However, this may be expecting too much because hormone levels at this stage in a woman’s life will be in a state of flux and other post menopause symptom related problems will also begin to crop up.

Blood Loss During Post Menopause

For example, there may be some amount of blood loss following the menopause stage and this is a post menopause symptom that can give rise to a lot of worry in the minds of women experiencing such symptoms.

In fact, blood loss following menopause can actually be a pointer to a more serious health condition, though doctors generally will wait till the results of your tests come in before offering their advice.

Hot flashes following menopause are not so commonly experienced and this is one post menopause symptom that is known to occur just once in two months, and even once in two years following menopause.

However, another post menopause symptom that is sure to occur is discharge in the vagina that shows that the walls of the vagina have begun to atrophy – mainly because of low levels of estrogen.

The easing of symptoms will happen during the post menopausal stage but as mentioned above, burying one's head in the sand is a smart move. The more you can do to learn about menopause and it's stages the better you will be equipped to handle the symptoms.

One of the best ways to fight back against menopause symptoms is to be well prepared. For women in their thirties who think they are still a long way off from going through nature's change in life think again.

Think about it, the majority of women will experience menopause in their forties and fifties but time passes quickly and while we're not suggesting you need to keep thinking about it in your thirties, we are suggesting you do your homework and find out exactly what it is.

Yes, you have probably heard the horror stories but the truth is, many women who deal with it successfully and without too much fuss do so simply because they took the time to prepare for it mentally and knew exactly what to expect.

We are going to examine some symptoms common with menopause and while this is a solid list of symptoms, bear in mind there are many others so don't be afraid to do further research on the subject.

6 Symptoms Of Menopause

- Up to 85% of the women who go through menopause suffer from hot flashes. Although these hot flashes are normal, they may not feel like they are. You may experience hot flashes that are a small wave of heat felt spreading throughout your body, or they can be fierce, making it feel as if your body is suddenly on fire.

- Night sweats are also common, and are similar to hot flashes but are usually found to be more intense, uncomfortable and can cause serious sleep deprivation.

- Serious fatigue can be a major issue. Also known as exhaustion, fatigue is a serious menopause symptom that can make you feel like something is seriously wrong. This symptom is experienced in almost all women who go through menopause.

If you feel like you just ran around your state, worked all day and then did a couple hours worth of aerobics and you just got out of bed, this could be a menopause symptom that you want to talk to your doctor about if you experience this kind of fatigue for more than 2 days straight.

- hair loss on the head, pubic and body are all possibly menopause symptoms. This isn’t to say that you’ll lose enough to make a difference in your appearance, but it will be enough to be noticeable to you. These symptoms definitely deserve a call to the doctor.

- Another common menopause symptom found in women is the growth of facial hair. You shouldn’t expect to grow a full beard or mustache, but finding random whiskers that are course and thicker than your normal hair can mean that you’re experiencing menopause.

- Confusion and memory lapses are also common menopause symptoms that can leave women wondering what is wrong with them. Not being able to remember conversations or plans recently made are good examples of the kind of memory loss that may mean a menopause symptoms.

The start of pre menopause can affect women well before they reach the age of forty. Peri menopause is basically the prelude to menopause but it can start to affect women years before full menopause actually sets in.

Many women will experience strange symptoms and think they could be losing it but the truth is, unless you speak with your doctor and identify what exactly is at play then avoid making any assumptions.

Peri menopause is also known as pre menopause but shouldn't get confused with induced menopause which can occur for several reasons including surgery to remove one's ovaries.

One of the best ways to know what's happening is to simply get educated on the subject. Many women avoid the topic because they think it's a sign of old age but this is simply not true.

Understanding what your body is going through will help you in dealing with it much more effectively and without the usual stress of trying to "put your finger" on something unknown when you're suddenly affected by it.

6 Symptoms Of Peri Menopause

Let's look at some scenarios and see if you can identify with these. For example, does a television commercial suddenly reduce you to tears; an innocent comment or even look from your partner or friend want to make you argumentative or, you're just feeling off or not in balance with your normal self.

The trouble is, too many women want to ignore even the mention of the word menopause because it suggests being old and no woman wants to think they're getting older right?

Being mentally prepared is one of the best ways to prepare for the change in a woman's life. The more you know about the big "M" the less likely it's going to be a shock to the system when it arrives.

The symptoms of peri menopause will occur over a period of time and can commence in a woman's thirties. Many confuse these with other conditions and may even think they've contracted something sinister.

Well, the first thing you should do is visit your doctor and discuss these symptoms with them before making your own self-analysis.

In a way, it will be a relief when you can finally put a name to whatever symptoms or ailments have been playing havoc in your life. But don't rest on your laurels and just accept it. Learn what pre menopause is and how it can affect you leading up to full menopause.

Let's take a look at some of the peri menopause symptoms you could likely be experiencing or expect to experience:

1. menstrual changes are the main giveaway and although you shouldn't immediately assume, if it continues over a period of time then the chances are strong

2. unpredictable behavior including mood swings

3. hot flashes can strike even before menstrual change however, pre menopause should be considered only when there are other symptoms present

4. vaginal dryness and painful sexual intercourse

5. lack of energy including fatigue and a general drop in libido

6. anxiety and depression which can lead to withdrawal from social activity

Acne is a real battle for teenagers and if you suffered from it during those formative years then beware with menopause approaching, the issue could flare again.

This article is not meant to alarm you but just highlight that menopause acne can be an issue during these life changing years but the good news is, with some commonsense precautions and treatment, you can keep it well under control.

The worst case scenario is if you let acne run rampant during menopause and leave it untreated. Now let's be real, this is not likely to happen. If this is the case, just as acne affects a person in their younger years the results can be similar later on.

A rash can quickly develop and cover the face and the acne can also become inflamed. If this happens then scars can be the result. But you can prevent this or simply keep it under control with treatment and preventative measures and we'll highlight some of those in just a moment.

It's always important to know that you should talk to your doctor before commencing any menopause acne treatment and never try more than one treatment at a time.

Ugly Acne Scars During Menopause

The main issue with menopause acne is that if it is left uncontrolled it can become unsightly. For example, untreated acne can easily turn into a rash covering the face as well as becoming inflamed. Scars can result from this and the face can certainly become reddish in appearance and sore.

That's the bad news and it's not meant to scare you but simply warn you what could eventuate if acne is left untreated. Seriously though, who would leave it untreated? The good news is it can be very well controlled but you should not apply different treatments at the same time to find out what works best.

One thing you should always do is remove your make up before going to bed each night. Make up left on the face can encourage acne growth and it's not a good practice to leave it on. Many women with acne issues during menopause will replace their pillow case each night.

A fresh pillow case means you won't be sleeping over any dirt or make up particles from the previous night which could affect acne scars.

Can Lemon And Avocado Help Menopause Acne?

Just a couple of drops of lemon go a long way in this homemade recipe to help control menopause acne; Mash one medium avocado up in a bowl.

Add 1-2 drops of lemon juice and use the mixture immediately. Using a soft loofah sponge, gently apply liberal amounts of the face scrub onto your entire face.

Apply the mix using a small circular motion, and let it sit for 10 minutes and then rinse your face thoroughly with warm water. Using this recipe at least once a week will help to invigorate your skin, keeping it healthy, smooth and acne controlled.

Steam helps to open your pores, allowing them to dispel bacteria that cause menopause acne. The best way for this method to do the best job is to boil a large pan of water. Once it’s boiling, hold a towel over your head and bend your face over the pot of boiling water.

Breathe slowly and keep your face in the steam for 45 seconds to 1 minute. As soon as you take your face from the steam, wash it with a mild soap and rinse very thoroughly with warm water.

Finally, it is very important that you follow your wash with a cold water rinse for about 10 seconds. This helps to close your pores back up, protecting them from more bacteria entering and menopause acne being a problem.

How early is too early to learn about all facets of menopause? Truth is, it’s never too early even for women in their twenties.

Why?

Because the more you understand about one of the major changes in a woman’s life the less likely it is that you’ll be “caught on the hop” when it finally does “arrive at your place.”

You see, too many women consider menopause is a sign of old age – seriously… but the fact remains, symptoms of peri menopause can affect women in their twenties and thirties and is not just confined to those in their forties and beyond.

Handling the symptoms of menopause has a lot to do with how you prepare mentally. If you have absolutely no idea what the symptoms are or how they can affect your life then what hope have you got in firstly identifying them, and secondly knowing what treatment options are available.

Identifying Pre Menopause Symptoms

Did you know that just experiencing pre menopause symptoms doesn’t mean you actually have menopause.

One of the misconceptions about menopause is that once the symptoms start, many women consider they are into menopause. What you're more than likely experiencing is pre menopause and symptoms can occur years before the big "M" actually arrives.

The arrival of pre menopause symptoms will be different for most women. While 40 and beyond is recognized as the most likely time of a woman's life when she'll be affected by symptoms it's not uncommon for women to experience symptoms in their thirties.

There needs to be a distinction made between the symptoms you are currently experiencing and whether they actually are pre menopause symptoms.

For example, many women have reported menopause-like symptoms only to discover they are actually suffering from thyroid disorders. Thyroid disorders have the ability to mimic symptoms of peri menopause and the truth is, unless you are examined by your doctor telling the difference between the two can be almost impossible

Can You Predict When Menopause Will Affect You?

One rule of thumb is to know when your mother and even grandmother experienced menopause.

Symptoms Of Pre Menopause

1. Change in periods. This is probably the biggest tell-tale sign of pre menopause symptoms. Look for irregularity in your periods such as shorter or longer periods.

2. Hot flashes are another common symptom and have a spin off of effects which can play havoc with a woman's life. Hot flashes and night sweats affect sleep patterns which in turn affects mood and so on.

3. Mood changes are another strong sign. Mood changes can be as a result of lack of sleep due to hot flashes or as a result of estrogen changes.

4. Vaginal dryness affects a woman's sex life making sex painful which can in turn lead to decrease in sex drive and ultimately conflict with your partner.

5. Weight gain especially around the mid section is another in the basket of symptoms of peri menopause which means you'll need to re-consider your diet and exercise routine.

Menopause anxiety and depression have their origins in a hormone imbalance. You may begin to think you are on an emotional rollercoaster. Menopause anxiety can be rather multifaceted and may not directly answer to treatment, more so if you are not using HRT. It is accepted that natural supplementation is is a very effective approach for perimenopause, though a bit slower than the Hormone Replacement Therapy. Menopause anxiety and depression seem to go hand in hand, in most cases. For a small percentage of women, depression is very serious, and this can be accompanied by such things as headaches and body pain.

Menopause anxiety and depression are just a couple of symptoms of the changes in a woman's body, and they can be dealt with for most perimenopause. Many naturopaths believe that focusing on the basic forms of relief can help most women.

Menopause symptoms have their origins in when the ovaries begin to slow down their production of different hormones, not the least of which is estrogen. These hormone fluctuations can be the source of the physical and emotional changes within a woman’s body. Menopause symptoms are going to be completely different for every woman So basically, menopause is the result of a gradual (or even sudden loss) of the female hormone, estrogen. This is why it is different for everyone, because the beginning of menopause symptoms may be either gradual or sudden, or anywhere in between, depending on the individual.

will greatly reduce depression and stress. It provides a sense of refreshment and reduces stress by altering the levels of serotonin and endorphins, primary chemicals that affect how you feel. Here's some tips: Go for a walk, or do similar movements that cause your heart rate to raise for a period of time. The opposite is true, however. Putting off this kind of exercise can contribute to the symptoms of menopause and depression.

By getting out there and doing something, it stimulates endorphins and boosts serotonin. Serotonin is a "neurotransmitter," a chemical that sends messages from one nerve cell to another. Exercise sends signals that reduce anxiety and menopause.

Before we finish, I want to highlight what I said about HRT in the opening paragraph. Many doctors talk about hormone therapy to offset menopause weight gain, which can reduce the risk of heart disease. However (and a big HOWEVER), hormone therapy has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Traditional medicine may say this is still inconclusive. Hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are hormonal chemicals that exert a potent influence on several areas of the body . In the perimenopause phase, lower and lower levels of these hormones are produced.

The incidence of premature menopause affects only a small percentage of women and there are varying reasons why it occurs.

Obviously, the instance of women undergoing surgical procedure where one or both of their ovaries are removed will bring on early menopause symptoms and this is possibly the only known reason why a woman may go through it. Apart from this, the reasons are relatively unknown.

Also known as premature menopause, it will affect women before their fortieth birthday. Menopause symptoms are not usually expected until a woman is well into her forties on most occasions and the term early menopause is given to those who experience it before 40 as a benchmark.

Aside from the removal of a woman's ovaries through surgery, early menopause symptoms are basically the same as they would be for a woman at normal age for menopause. It's also been known to affect teenagers and women in their twenties although these are rare examples and the majority of early menopause will occur sometime in a woman's thirties.

Early Menopause Symptoms

So what are the symptoms. Well try these on for size:

- night sweats
- hot flashes
- weight gain
- sleep deprivation
- mood swings vaginal dryness and lower sexual urge
- itchiness in the skin
- aches and pains

As you can see, they are no different than a woman experiencing menopause in her forties.

Menopause Treatment

As compared to the times when our mothers had only one way to deal with premature menopause(as well as normal menopause) symptoms, which was to bear the symptoms in silence, today there are many more options available including taking prescription drugs as well using natural products.

In fact, you could even try out the popular and tested means of treating all forms of menopause by undergoing hormone replacement therapy or HRT in which women are given drugs as well as medicinal preparations that help to restore the balance of estrogen (a hormone) to their proper levels.

The use of hormone replacement therapy is the surest way to ease the symptoms of menopause although it's certainly had it's fair share of bad publicity. Side effects related to the use of HRT include cancer risks and bleeding and many women are turning to more natural treatment today.

However, dismissing HRT completely as a treatment should not be made hastily because it does have it's benefits. Used in conjunction with a natural treatment may be a better alternative but this is something you should definitely discuss with your doctor.

One thing for sure, and that is that there is no known reason why women develop early menopause symptoms though doctors do believe that hereditary reasons could be one reason.

Other causes such as heavy smoking, too much stress and even a poor diet can bring on the condition. If you also consume too much of alcohol you could also risk developing early menopause.

The good news is that provided you treat your premature menopause in good time and with the proper treatment method, it will not cause too many problems, and through hormone replacement therapy you could even regain your lost sex drive.

So how important is learning about menopause before it even becomes a factor in your life? Well, the short answer is very important. Too many women treat menopause as something which relates to aging and ignore it or simply don't want to discuss it.

This can be a big mistake and comes back to haunt them when mother nature eventually deliver menopause into their lives. Learning about symptoms of menopause should almost be compulsory simply because mental preparation is key in dealing with it's symptoms when it's in one's life.

About Menopause

It's not just about the symptoms. Things such as hot flashes, mood swings and depression or what treatments are available. There are symptoms which mimic menopause but are actually related to other conditions and quite often these are mistaken for the big "M."

It's essential though to know what treatments are available. A visit to your doctor can answer many of your questions such as whether hormone replacement therapy is best or whether it's a better course of action to head the natural treatment route.

Or, you need to know the benefits of using HRT in conjunction with natural treatment. Learning about menopause treatment well before you should even worry about symptoms of menopause becoming part of your life can answer these questions. HRT is still the most effective treatment when you're needing a speedy relief option to menopause symptoms.

Natural treatments take a lot longer to feel the benefits from so a treatment program initially which involves both methods is an excellent option.

Other Menopause Relief Options

Looking at a combination of relief methods to treat menopause means knowing the importance of diet and exercise in combating things such as menopause weight gain.

Diet is extremely important. Understanding the diet you should follow before, during and after its occurrence will impact how you handle the symptoms associated with it. Usually, a low fat intake and a high calcium diet are recommended. If you do all these, you will minimize the often times stressful symptoms which signify menopause.

It is also of great importance to learn about symptoms of menopause and its medical facts. You have to be armed with much knowledge about menopause to help you solve the problems that go alongside with it.

No, we're not suggesting you need to do a course on the subject and become a renowned expert but just learn enough to get by.

If you have prepared yourself enough, then it would be easy to deal with your menopausal problems. As much as possible be prepared for it mentally and physically. You'll see the importance of preparation once you get to meet that change in your life.

The term early menopause is also sometimes referred to as premature menopause. There are a number of reasons why women will experience early menopause symptoms.

Basically, it means going through the symptoms of menopause before the recognized time and it could affect a women even in her 20s.

What Causes Early Menopause?

There are a number of factors which can contribute to early menopause symptoms such as premature ovarian failure or it can be induced by surgical procedures or certain treatments such as chemotherapy.

Yes, it sounds a little frightening if you are reading this and experiencing symptoms which relate to menopause. Let's take a look at some of the factors which cause early menopause symptoms.

Premature Ovarian Failure

This sounds like a pretty scary title and many women may be a little frightened by it but it's worth understanding a little more. One of the more common reasons why premature ovarian failure can occur is due to autoimmune disorder.

In a nutshell, autoimmune syndrome is a freak of nature where your body is being overly protective and actually turns on itself but by mistake. Antibodies are dispatched to various areas and these could include areas which regulate ovulation. In a sense, your reproductive system is under attack and the function of the ovaries can be severely hampered.

This will cause early menopause symptoms and can be related to a history of autoimmune disorder within a family.

Another issue which is less likely is what's known as chromosone irregularity which relates to defects being present on a particular chromosone within a woman's body which in turn can affect egg production.

Surgical Menopause

This is simply related to early menopause symptoms being brought on by surgery. Removal of the ovaries, fallopian tubes or uterus can bring on premature menopause. A total hysterectomy may be required for a number of reasons and will bring on immediate menopause.

It doesn't matter what age you have this surgery and because it's brought on suddenly, the symptoms experienced can be more severe.

Other Causes Of Early Menopause

These include cancer treatments such as chemotherapy. Excessive doses of chemotherapy have the ability to impact and damage the ovaries and bring on early menopause symptoms.

Other culprits of early menopause symptoms can relate to family history. It's been suggested daughters will mimic their mothers in some instances and go into menopause symptoms at about the same age.

Infections can also be a culprit. This relates to any infections which a mother has during pregnancy and impacts the baby's ovarian development.

If you have taken the advice to understand menopause and it's symptoms then you'll have a good idea about what the signs of menopause are. The problem is, most women will turn their noses up at the mention of the "M" word during a conversation and want to talk about something a little more pleasant.

It's a phenomenon known as "menopause deflection" because many people have decided the subject should only relate to older women. In other words, it's a sign they're getting old and they are not ready to discuss it.

The issue here is when menopause finally arrives, they are simply not ready for it and the area it affects them most is mentally. The truth is, menopause is not about feeling old; there is always a right time to discuss it because the better prepared for it you are then the better you'll be able to cope with it when it "comes a knocking at your door."

So what are the symptoms of menopause? Well, they are numerous. One of the issues with the symptoms of menopause is that sometimes you may get a "false start." That is, thyroid issues could be at play and these can mask themselves giving a woman a false impression that menopause may be at play.

You should always go and see your doctor at the first sign of menopause or what you think maybe menopause and have it either confirmed or denied.

10 Signs Of Menopause

In this article, we will list ten of the more common symptoms of menopause. There are definitely more than ten but the reality is, most women will only ever experience some of the symptoms on the list.

Some experience symptoms others don't but there are at least a dozen or so signs which most women can identify with. Let's take a look at some of the signs.

1. Hot flashes is always at the top of the list. It's a condition all on it's own and there wouldn't be too many women experiencing menopause who have experienced hot flashes.

2. Night sweats like hot flashes are very common and extremely uncomfortable. In fact, other signs of menopause can be directly related to both hot flashes and night sweats.

3. One of these is irritability. Lack of sleep due to the above symptoms will leave a woman feeling tired the next day and the result of this is feeling irritated.

4. Lack of sleep makes the top four and is a direct result hot flashes or night sweats.

5. Mood swings is another "biggie." Again, it can be as a result of the above symptoms.

6. Irregular periods is another one of the more common symptoms. In fact, it probably should be higher up the list and if your periods have been irregular for any length of time don't ignore them, see your doctor.

7. Emotional stress such as breaking into tears for seemingly no reason at all or feeling depressed or getting feelings of apprehension or serious self doubt.

8. Lack of libido. This doesn't really need to be explained.

9. Lack of energy. Fatigue is another major symptom and one of the more common symptoms of menopause and again, can be directly related to some of the above symptoms.

10. Dry vagina is another common symptom of menopause.