Which symptoms are common?
Most women experience menopausal symptoms. Some of them can be quite troublesome and significantly affect daily life.
Some common symptoms are:
- Hot flashes: hormone levels contribute to the body's difficulty regulating temperature. The flashes are often followed by chills and shivering
- Night sweats
- Dry mucous membranes in the vagina and discomfort during intercourse: hormonal changes are also noticeable in the vagina and the mucous membranes become thinner, more fragile, and drier in many women
- Sleep disturbances: it is very common to wake up at night. This may be related to night sweats while anxiety in the body can make it difficult to fall asleep again
- Depression or anxiety: hormone balance can affect mood and it is not uncommon to feel more irritable than usual
- Decreased libido: results show that just over half have decreased libido since menopause and one in three women have not had sex at all in the past year
- Problems with memory and concentration
A very common problem during menopause that troubles many women is vaginal atrophy (dryness). Symptoms that appear with vaginal atrophy include, for example:
- Dryness
- Itching
- Burning sensation
- Irritation
- Irritated vaginal tissue
- Discomfort during intercourse
- Discomfort during urination
- Discomfort during physical activity.
You may experience similar issues during other phases of life as estrogen levels vary. It is common to suffer from vaginal dryness during breastfeeding, stress, and certain types of medication such as chemotherapy.
The problems that can arise with vaginal atrophy often negatively affect quality of life. But help is available.