Menopause is a natural stage in a women’s life and it’s mark the end of her fertile period. Normally, it occurs sometime after the female turns 40. However, some medical conditions can trigger it before that age and you should check with a doctor to find what could be wrong. Pay close attention to the following early menopause symptoms and be prepared to act fast.
Early menopause symptoms
Early menopause symptoms are a live warning. As the body starts to change to prepare for the end of its fertile life, signs start to appear as a consequence. You should pay close attention to these and visit a doctor as soon as you spot them to check what might be triggering the early arrival of this stage in a woman’s life. Besides, once you enter this phase you will need to watch out for other problems.
Irregular periods
Irregular periods are one of the first early menopause symptoms to appear. This one will be easier to spot if you have always been regular, either naturally or as an effect of taking a birth control pill.
You may miss your period on some months or it can come more than once in the same one. Due to this irregularity, you might even menstruate twice in a month with just a few days or weeks apart.
Irregular menstrual flows
Paired with the irregular menstruation symptom, you’re also likely to experience a change in your normal flow. Both an increase and a decrease usual. However, when this change is an early menopause symptom the most common occurrence is for overbleeding.
Other symptoms
Change to the menstruation regularity and flow are the two main symptoms of early menopause. Nevertheless, they are usually accompanied by a variety of other signs. Since these symptoms tend to be softer and easily attributed to other causes, you should look for more than one of these signs at the same time:
- Hot flashes
- Vaginal dryness (and pain during intercourse)
- Night sweats
- Mood swings
- Insomnia
- Decreased sex drive
What causes early menopause?
Causes of early menopause cannot always be determined. However, there are some factors that can definitely contribute to this body change.
Genetics: this is one of the causes hard to explain. Genetics are not determinant for you to suffer from early menopause, but you will have more chances to have it if your mother or other female ascendant did too.
Autoimmune diseases: the immune system can attack the ovaries or other reproductive organs provoking their failure.
Ovary removal: when ovaries are removed, women get immediately into the menopause but symptoms will only appear later, when the body readjusts the hormone balance.
Chromosome defects: normally, chromosome defects also mean underdeveloped or weaker ovaries. Women with defects in their chromosomes, either by lacking a second X chromosome or if one of them is incomplete for instance, are more likely to enter menopause earlier in their lives.
Besides these causes, having a bad lifestyle by smoking and having weight fluctuations can also increase the chances of early menopause. Likewise, heavy treatments around the pelvic area, such as chemotherapy to treat cancer, can also damage or weaken the ovaries.
How to treat early menopause symptoms
Once you spot the first signs of early menopause you should visit a doctor to determine what may be causing the ovarian failure. The goal is to find out if the underlying cause is pregnancy, changes to a regular menstruations or other health issue that requires attention.
Once that’s established, treatment is optional. Once menopause starts, it cannot be reversed. Nevertheless, if its symptoms are too uncomfortable or impeding to your daily life there are a couple of solutions you can resort to.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Oestrogen levels decrease with menopause causing many of the regular symptoms. Women can take a HT treatment to help balance the hormone levels once again. It is particularly effective in eliminating night sweats and hot flushes,
Nevertheless, there are a number of side-effects to these treatments. Headaches, vaginal bleeding and increased risk of cancer and blood clots are just some of them.
Other treatments
HRT is an all-round treatment for early menopause symptoms. Then you’ll have specific treatments or tricks for specific symptoms. These are simple things you can do at home and they don’t require a doctor’s prescription.
For instance, sexual lubricants and treatment gels can help with vaginal dryness. Keeping a healthy lifestyle, avoiding spice food, smoking, alcohol and caffeine as well as exercising can help with night sweats.
You’re not alone
If you’re going through early menopause and you feel alone, scared and if something is wrong with you, please visit a doctor in search of help.
Perhaps you’re going through hormonal imbalance and it doesn’t matter how hard you try and how willing you are to get out of the dark place you’re in; it won’t work because you’re not dealing with the cause.
In the following video, see the touching and emotional testimony of a woman who had to go through a hysterectomy before she was 40 years old. Maybe you’ll recognize the same situations and doubts she went through. Remember that, just because this is not a publicized issue, it doesn’t mean you’re alone
