Pre Menopause Symptoms

Pre menopause can be termed a transitional phase in a woman's life, which signals that she is approaching menopause, which is characterized by the final cessation of menstrual cycle. Menopause marks the end of the reproductive phase of a woman, where her monthly cycle or menstruation stops altogether. But, generally menopause does not start all of a sudden. Instead, the female body prepares itself for menopause for a considerable length of time, during which a woman can experience several physical and psychological changes. These are termed as peri menopause or pre menopause symptoms.

Generally the first sign of menopause is known as peri-menopause, where 'peri' means 'around'. The first sign of peri or pre menopause can start as early as 10 to 15 years before the occurrence of menopause. But, generally these symptoms are experienced by women in their 40s. Though, the average age for final menopause is 51 years, many women can have their last period even in their 40s.

Signs and Symptoms of Pre Menopause
Pre-menopause is characterized by a gradual slow down of the reproductive cycle and hormonal changes. The ovaries gradually lower the production of both the sex hormone, estrogen and progesterone. As a result, a woman can undergo a lot of mental, physical and emotional changes. The most important change that a woman experiences is irregularity in her menstrual cycle. The cycles can be short and frequent or they can be longer and less frequent. The periods can be lighter than usual or marked by heavy bleeding. In all, a lot of irregularities can be noticed in the menstrual cycle, due to skipped ovulation.

Other physical symptoms of pre-menopause are hot flushes or night sweats, vaginal dryness, weight gain, especially around the abdomen and hips, hair loss, dry eyes, breast tenderness, joint pain or stiffness, headaches or migraines, palpitation, water retention, osteoporosis, increased frequency of urinary tract infection, loss or decreased sexual drive and painful intercourse.

Hormonal fluctuations can also bring about mood disorders, irritability, forgetfulness, anxiety and depression in some women. One of the most uncomfortable pre menopause symptoms can be sleep disorders or insomnia. A woman going through this phase can have a really tough time getting enough sleep in the night. She may also feel the inability to handle stress and anxiety. However, every woman may not experience all the symptoms of pre menopause. The severity of the symptoms can also vary from woman to woman and the hence, the phase may not be so difficult and uncomfortable for all women. More on premenopausal symptoms.

Dealing with Menopause
Though menopause is an inevitable phase in a woman's life, it is possible to handle the symptoms that it produces, so that they do not cause major physical and mental stress. The key to manage menopause is the adoption of a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition and appropriate exercises can help a lot to deal with the pre menopause symptoms. Eating a balanced diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products, cereals and whole grains and less of fats and sugar can ensure general health and well-being of a woman. This would enable her to cope with the situation. If required, nutritional supplementation can also be taken along with eating a healthy diet.

Similarly, regular physical exercises can help to manage weight and improve both mental and physical well-being of an individual. This holds greater important for aging women, as it would help to strengthen the bones and muscles of their body. However, medications and treatment options like hormone replacement therapy may be required, if a large fluctuation in the level of hormones lead to heavy bleeding and other pre menopause symptoms. Therefore, if the pre menopause symptoms become unbearable, it is better to seek medical attention.

Menopause is no doubt a tough phase for women. Understanding the phase and the pre menopause symptoms are therefore, very essential for a woman, so that she can prepare herself to cope with the situation better and maintain her physical and mental health and well-being.