The menopause is often accompanied by menopausal complaints. From hot flashes to osteoporosis, it's all possible. We have listed the most common complaints for you and explain what you can do to limit those complaints as much as possible.
Typical menopausal symptoms
- Hot flashes
Hot flashes are one of the most common complaints in menopause. The duration and number of hot flashes during the day can vary greatly and are different for every woman. You suddenly have a heat attack, which often causes your face, neck and chest to turn red. This can be accompanied by sweating, palpitations, tingling, nausea and pain in the limbs. (Flush Redux: 911 in hot flushes)
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Gloomy feelings
Do you suddenly start crying? Then you should not worry, because that is completely normal during the menopause. You can experience feelings of loneliness, depression and irritability due to your hormones.
- Take care of your skin
No skincare routine yet? Then it is urgent that you work on it. The amount of estrogen changes during menopause, which can make your skin drier and weaker. This can cause wrinkles. In addition, your skin becomes more vulnerable to external influences such as dirt particles in the air.
- Scalp hair
In addition to the skin, it is also important to take good care of your hair. You have a chance that your hair will become thin and limp if the blood flow of the small blood vessels is not stimulated. Massage the scalp so that you have good blood flow.
- Body hair
Women produce both female and male hormones. However, during menopause, women produce less female hormones, but still the same amount of male hormones. As a result, you can have more hair growth on the legs, upper lip or chin.
- Weight fluctuations
The metabolism in your body slows down as you get older. As a result, you can gain some kilos and it can sometimes be interesting to pay extra attention to healthy and complete food.
- Change of the breasts
The connective tissue becomes weaker and your breasts become less firm, because your mammary gland and fat tissue change.
- Dry and irritated eyes
You have less tear fluid due to the reduced amount of estrogen and can therefore suffer from dry and irritated eyes.
- Vaginal complaints
The mucous membranes of the vagina and urethra can become dry, fragile and thin due to the reduced amount of estrogen in the body. Infections can develop more quickly and sex can give a painful and burning sensation. In addition, the balance in the vagina no longer recovers so quickly, so you have to pay extra attention to your hygiene. (Fem Xtr for vaginal dryness during menopause)
- Elevated blood pressure
Women are less likely to have elevated blood pressure than men, which is partly due to menstruation. Menstruation is a kind of bloodletting and that disappears during menopause, which can cause blood pressure to rise.
- Changing sleep pattern
Menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, perspiration and gloomy thoughts can affect your sleep pattern. In addition, you need less sleep as you get older.
- Osteoporosis or osteoporosis
About ¼ of women have osteoporosis or osteoporosis during the menopause. Your body produces bone tissue throughout your life and then breaks it down again, but after you reach the age of 45 you no longer produce bone tissue and the final breakdown begins. Menopause speeds up that process, which is why your bones become more brittle as you age. Therefore, try to eat calcium-rich foods, exercise enough and not smoke.
- More trouble with urine loss
The bladder can prolapse because the pelvic floor muscles and supporting tissues relax. Women in menopause are more likely to suffer from a bladder infection because the mucous membranes of the urinary tract become thinner. Result? You can no longer hold your urine for so long and urine leakage can occur when you cough, sneeze or exercise.
Non-typical menopausal symptoms
Non-typical menopausal complaints are complaints that women often experience during the menopause, but which are not a direct result of hormonal fluctuations.
Examples of non-typical menopausal complaints are:
- palpitations
- weight gain
- constipation
- joint complaints
- headache
- insomnia
- mood swings
- …
