Menopause is the time in a woman's life when she stops having her menstruation cycle. For most women this occurs between the ages of 48 and 55. Perimenopause is a transitional time before actual menopause when women begin to experience some of the symptoms associated with menopause although they are still menstruating.



Perimenopause can begin up to five years before menopause. While the woman is still experiencing menstruation, it may become irregular with many months passing between periods. For many women it may take a while to realize that perimenopause has given way to menopause. Medical professionals can now administer tests that determine the stage of menopause currently being experienced and is a viable option for women who want to know if they are indeed going trough menopause or simply suffering from the perimenopause stage. The presence of certain symptoms can also assist in knowing whether or not menopause has set in. The purpose of this article is to discuss the various symptoms experienced by perimenopausal and menopausal women.

Hot flashes are by far the most common symptom for menopausal women, affecting nearly three-fourths of women during perimenopause and menopause. The occurrence of hot flashes can begin during perimenopause but generally become more severe with the onset of actual menopause. Hot flashes feel like an ultra hot flushing through out the face, neck and sometimes the limbs.

Often hot flashes are accompanied by:

headaches

nausea

heart palpitations

sleeplessness and insomnia

urinary incontinence

burning while urinating

discomfort during sexual activity

changes in vaginal appearance and/or discharge

These symptoms are generally attributed to the changes in levels of estrogen in the bodies of women going through perimenopause and menopause. The inconveniences caused by these symptoms can understandably cause moodiness and grumpiness in menopausal women. Social relationships can become strained while the family and friends of these women find it difficult to understand and sympathize with the mood swings and other hormone-induced negativity common in women going through menopause.

There are other symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause that pose greater health risks to women going through these stages of life. These symptoms include the loss of bone density, a rise in bad and total cholesterol levels, and a thinning of the skin. However it is difficult to determine how much of these symptoms are the result of the menopausal stage or simply causes by the natural aging process.

While all of the previously mentioned symptoms can make life uncomfortable or downright miserable for women experiencing perimenopause or actual menopause, there are treatments that can help. Your doctor, medical professional, or pharmacist should be able to recommend several of the treatments available to cope with the symptoms of menopause. Treatments should be thoroughly researched before use and should not be disregarded because they are "natural", "herbal" or "alternative" treatments according to the FDA.