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Signs and Symptoms of Early Menopause

The signs and symptoms of early menopause are the same as for natural menopause. The major concern with early menopause is that the estrogen levels are lower for a longer period of time in a woman’s life and that causes the risk of developing osteoporosis and heart disease to be higher.

The symptoms will be just the same only you will be experiencing them earlier than the average age of menopause. These signs of early menopause are hot flashes and or night sweats, these can occur at any time and any place without warning. Your body is changing due to fluctuating hormone levels. You may experience hot flashes when the temperature outside is below freezing and you are outside in the snow. Night sweats can be very uncomfortable and annoying. You may awaken in the middle of the night totally soaked and have to completely change your clothing. This will cause you to have interrupted sleep. Hot flashes and night sweats are the most common signs of early menopause.

Aches and pains are also a major complaint of many women that have experienced early menopause. The feeling of something crawling under your skin is also a common sign of menopause. This can be very uncomfortable and confusing to most women. Again, your body is changing and these are common signs of aging and of menopause.

If you have never been prone to headaches, be prepared for major headaches similar to migraines. Some women experience headaches on a daily basis during early menopause. Sometimes, they can be very extreme and you may need to rest to ease the pain. These headaches can even occur at around the same time each day. But, as with all symptoms, every woman is different as to how severe all of the symptoms are just like with labor pains.

Reduced sex drive can be a problem, this sign can be the result of mood swings associated with early menopause, fatigue brought on by not enough sleep due to night sweats, or even from vaginal dryness or painful intercourse. The lining of the vaginal wall becomes thinner during menopause and can cause dryness and painful intercourse. So, you may need to use lubrication or another product to help bring back your desire.

Other organs around the vagina are also shrinking and that can bring on frequency in urination and also bladder control problems. You may even begin to have more infections in your urinary tract, or bladder.

Mood swings similar to PMS has always been a sure sign of early menopause. These mood swings however, can come on quickly and end very quickly. Along with the mood swings you can experience irritability, depression, and lack of self esteem. Many women have also reported forgetfulness and or fogging thinking. Forgetting little things like turning off the eye on the stove after cooking a meal, or trying to remember a favorite saying that just slipped your mind are good examples of the forgetfulness.

Just remember if you are experiencing early menopause symptoms that you are not alone, every woman will go through this stage in their life. All women are different and will meet this stage at different ages and have a variety of signs. You can talk with several different women and they will all be able to tell you their experiences, but that does not necessarily mean that yours will be the exact same.