All the signs like hot flashes or sleep disorders are signs of menopause. The most common menopause signs include:
Irregular periods
They may get irregular, lighter or sometimes heavier. All these are quite common. One may face excessive bleeding for many days or even spotting between periods may also occur. However, one must consult the doctor if any of these gets troublesome.
Experiencing a hot flash is common in perimenopause. Due to this, the sufferer experiences heat in the upper part or all over the body. Besides this, face and neck also gets flushed. Red blotches may come out on the chest, back and arms.
It can be accompanied with heavy sweating and cold shivering. Flashes can be light as well as severe that it may be hard for the sufferer to sleep. Generally, they last for 30 seconds to 5 minutes. They are supposed to disappear within a few years after menopause.
Another among menopause signs is drying up and thinning of the genital area. It is due to the drop in the estrogen levels. It may lead to the painful sexual intercourse due to the dryness. One may also become prone to have infection in vagina. With the older age, one starts to experience urinary tract problems. It includes urinary tract infections, trouble holding urination when one sneezes, laughs, or runs. If someone faces any of these troubles, then it is strongly recommended to see the doctor.
Even if it is a year that one had periods, it is recommended to use birth control, if the intention is not to conceive. When the time of menopause is near, one may experience changes in the feeling about sex. It may be troubling for a woman to be sexually aroused due to hormonal changes, distress because of changes in the vagina or medicines one is having.
Feeling exhausted is also among menopause signs. It may be troubling for the sufferer to go to sleep, wake up early or getting back to sleep again after waking up in the middle of the night.
There may be certain link between changing in the estrogen level and the emotions around the time of menopause. However, other reasons for these mood swings may be stress, changes in family like children leaving home or feeling exhausted.
In the last, other visible menopause-signs may comprise gaining weight around the waist, loss of muscle mass, losing stretch in the skin besides other signs like headaches, memory related problems and joint, or muscle pain.