What are the symptoms before menopause?

When a woman reaches a certain age, her menstruation will change, from normal to abnormal, and finally to amenorrhea. Generally, women around the age of 50 no longer have menstruation. There are some symptoms before amenorrhea, and women should know more about this. So what are the symptoms of premenopause? I believe everyone knows that women have menopausal syndrome, and this is also a phenomenon before menstruation stops, which actually represents entering the old age stage.

1. Menstruation becomes irregular

The menstrual cycle becomes irregular, and the duration and menstrual volume increase. If abnormal uterine bleeding occurs during this period, you must go to the hospital for examination in time to prevent the occurrence of endometrial cancer. Specific manifestations of menstrual disorders include:

(1) Prolonged menstrual period

Before menopause, the menstrual cycle will gradually lengthen or become irregular, and intermittent amenorrhea will occur. The time interval between two menstruations will become longer and longer, from the normal 20 to 30 days to two to three months, or even longer, until finally menstruation stops.

(2) Changes in menstrual volume

The menstrual flow may be normal or less than before. Sometimes the menstrual period may be prolonged or become continuous vaginal bleeding with constant spotting. It is also possible that heavy vaginal bleeding occurs suddenly, and then the menstruation stops and menstruation no longer occurs.

(3) Changes in menstrual blood color

The color of menstrual blood becomes lighter, pink, or even black, with blood stasis mixed with small blood clots or fiber fragments. This is due to the menstrual blood accumulating in the uterus for too long.

(4) Sudden menopause

A small number of women have had normal menstrual periods in the past, but suddenly enter menopause after the age of 50; others have normal cycles, with only a few periods when the menstrual flow gradually decreases, and then menstruation suddenly stops.

2. Hot flashes

Hot flashes are the most common symptom in premenopausal women. Hot flashes are a sudden, temporary feeling of a flow of heat throughout the body, especially in the chest, face and head, accompanied by flushing of the face, followed by sweating and chills.

3. Palpitations and discomfort

Some women experience hot flashes before menopause accompanied by palpitations and anxiety symptoms. They usually do not last long, usually a few seconds to a few minutes. In mild cases, they occur several times a day, and in severe cases, they occur more than ten times or more.

4. Mood swings

Women before and after menopause often have greater mood swings, are easily agitated and angry, or are depressed and suspicious, and often cannot control themselves.

5. Changes in the urinary and reproductive system

The vulva skin becomes dry and wrinkled, the subcutaneous fat becomes thinner, the vagina becomes dry, the wrinkled walls become flattened, and the elasticity decreases, often causing pain during sexual intercourse; the breasts become atrophic and sagging. The urethra is shortened, the mucosa becomes thinner, the sphincter is relaxed, urinary incontinence often occurs, and recurrent bladder inflammation is prone to occur.

6. Osteoporosis

With the arrival of menopause, women's bone absorption rate is faster than bone formation, which causes bone loss to become porous. Bone compression can eventually lead to physical degeneration and in severe cases, it can easily lead to bone loss.

7. Postmenopausal bleeding

Some women suddenly experience uterine bleeding after a period of amenorrhea. This is because the ovarian function has not completely disappeared after menopause and still secretes a small amount of estrogen, causing the endometrium to proliferate, which causes endometrial shedding and bleeding to a certain extent.

What is the age of menopause?

Generally speaking, the age of natural menopause in women varies from person to person and is related to factors such as living environment, nutrition, and personal health status. According to statistics, the average age of natural menopause in women is around 47 to 55 years old.

Data show that the average menopause age for women in different regions varies. It is 52 years old for women in Europe and the United States, 50 years old for women in Asia, and 48 years old for women in Africa. In addition, the average menopause age for women in dry and cold areas is earlier than that for women in warm and humid areas; the average menopause age for women in high-altitude areas is earlier than that for women in low-altitude areas.

Generally speaking, women who are short, underweight, and malnourished will reach menopause 3-4 years earlier than women who are strong, well-nourished, and of moderate weight; women with chronic wasting diseases, endocrine abnormalities, and metabolic disorders will reach menopause earlier than healthy women of the same age; women with disharmonious sex lives, unhappy marital relationships, and long-term depression will also reach menopause relatively early.