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Symptoms of Menopause
As most women approach menopause, their menstrual periods become irregular — they happen closer together and/or further apart.
Other common signs include:

achy joints
difficulty in concentrating
headaches
insomnia
early wakening
mood changes
night sweats
conditions commonly associated with PMS
changes in sexual desire
frequent urination
vaginal dryness

A woman may have one, some, or none of these signs. But the ones she does have can be so unpredictable and disturbing that she can feel like she's "going crazy." A woman's experiences during menopause may also be influenced by other life changes:

children leaving home
changes in domestic, social, and personal relationships
changes in identity and body image
divorce or widowhood
retirement
increased anxiety about aging and death
loss of friends, loved ones, and financial security
increased responsibility for aging parents
anxiety about loss of independence, disability, or loneliness

Increasing numbers of perimenopausal women also have young children to care for. Whatever the cause or circumstance, the conditions women experience before and after menopause are very real and sometimes very serious. While 10-15 percent of American women experience no signs of menopause, another 10-15 percent become physically or emotionally disabled for various periods of time by these conditions.

Menopause is Unpredictable

Peri-menopause may begin as early as 35. It starts about two years earlier for women who smoke than for women who don't. Women reach menopause at different times. The timing is not related to race, class, pregnancy, breastfeeding, fertility patterns, the birth control pill, height, age of menarche (first period), or age at last pregnancy. The average age for menopause is 51. If menopause is reached naturally or surgically before the age of 40, it is called early menopause. Estrogen levels drop very abruptly during surgical menopause—especially when both ovaries are removed at the same time. This often intensifies the conditions associated with menopause and may lead to major physical and emotional changes, including depression. It is somewhat reassuring to remember that peri-menopause is just a phase—that all these symptoms are temporary. For most women it will last two or three years, though for some it lasts as long as 10 or 12 years. It is important to remember that all women need regular checkups—whether or not they are menstruating.

Sweating and Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are sudden explosions or mild waves of upper body heat that last from 30 seconds to five minutes. They are caused by sudden changes in hormonal levels in the blood. Hot flashes often start with a tingling sensation in the fingers. The tingling is followed by fast rises in skin temperature from the chest to the face and rapid heart palpitations. Seventy-five percent of women have hot flashes during peri-menopause. Fifty percent of women have one each day. Twenty percent have more than one a day. Ten percent have them up to five years after menopause. They are very uncommon after that. Hot flashes often include drenching sweats that can soak the bedding when they happen at night. Some Tips for Relieving Hot Flashes: Try regular exercise, biofeedback, cold showers, decreased stress, and cooler rooms. Reduce intake of tea, alcohol, hot beverages, and spicy foods. Wear thin layers of all-cotton clothes that can be removed. Keep a hot-flash diary to learn what triggers them. Women who have hot flashes generally weigh less than women who don't.

Traditional and Alternative Therapies

There are many therapies for the conditions associated with menopause.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) works for millions of women. But the hormones used in HRT may pose risks as well as benefits. Many women avoid those risks by choosing alternatives, including: homeopathy, Chinese medicine, herbal treatments.
Alternative therapies may also have undesirable effects. It is best to consult a skilled, experienced practitioner to determine the remedy, dose, and treatment schedule for whatever therapy is chosen.
Hormone Replacement Therapy — HRT uses pills, patches, implants, and vaginal creams to restore estrogen and other hormones lost during perimenopause and menopause. Testosterone is sometimes used to increase sexual desire.

Non-Hormonal Treatment—Over-the-counter creams without estrogen are also available.

Homeopathy—Homeopaths use minute doses of medicines that in larger doses cause symptoms like those of the condition being treated. For example, a remedy made from onions is used to treat colds with symptoms like runny nose and teary eyes.

Herbal Treatments—Herbalists use herbal extracts, capsules, and infusions, especially those rich in phytosterols—plant estrogens and progesterone's.

Chinese Medicine—Chinese medicine practitioners use acupuncture and herbal treatments to harmonize a person's life energy or Qi (chee).

Many women also benefit from counseling during mid-life changes.

Up to 20 percent of menopausal American women use HRT because they believe the benefits outweigh the risks. It is believed that prolonged use of estrogen replacement reduces the risk of heart attack by nearly 50 percent. Women base their decisions on their individual and family medical histories.

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Some Conditions That May Affect the HRT Decision

Breast Cancer—Only one out of 2,500 women under 20 develops breast cancer. The rate rises every year after that. By 50, the rate soars to one out of every 41. At 60, one out of every 28 women develops breast cancer. It is widely believed that using HRT for 10-15 years increases a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer by 30 percent.

Heart Disease—Before they turn 50, women have three times less risk of heart attacks than men. Ten years after menopause, when women are about 60, their risks increase to equal men's risks. Women can protect themselves against heart disease by not smoking, eating a healthy diet, and getting exercise. Estrogen replacement therapy is likely to offer protection as well

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