What are the clinical characteristics of menopause in women?

Perimenopausal syndrome, also known as menopausal syndrome, refers to a group of syndromes characterized by autonomic nervous system dysfunction and accompanied by neuropsychological symptoms caused by fluctuations or decreases in sex hormones before and after menopause in women. Menopausal syndrome in women often occurs between the ages of 40 and 60. It is a series of clinical symptoms caused by physiological and psychological changes, with common symptoms including hot flashes, sweating, irritability, palpitations, insomnia, or depression and forgetfulness.

The most typical symptoms of perimenopausal syndrome are hot flashes and flushes. It mostly occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. Most women may experience symptoms of varying severity. Some people begin to experience symptoms during the menopausal transition period and continue for 2 to 3 years after menopause. For a few people, the symptoms may not be alleviated or disappear until 5 to 10 years after menopause. Women who undergo artificial menopause often experience perimenopausal syndrome 2 weeks after the operation, which peaks 2 months after the operation and can last for up to 2 years.

1. Menstrual changes

Changes in the menstrual cycle are the earliest clinical symptoms of perimenopause and are divided into three types:

(1) The menstrual cycle becomes longer, the menstrual volume decreases, and finally menopause occurs.

(2) Irregular menstrual cycle, prolonged menstrual period, increased menstrual flow, even heavy bleeding or continuous bleeding, which then gradually decreases and stops.

(3) Sudden cessation of menstruation is less common. Because the ovaries do not ovulate, estrogen levels fluctuate, making endometrial cancer more likely to occur. For patients with abnormal bleeding, a diagnostic curettage should be performed to rule out malignant transformation.

2. Vasomotor symptoms

The clinical manifestations are hot flashes and sweating, which are manifestations of unstable vasomotor function and the most prominent characteristic symptoms of perimenopausal syndrome. Hot flashes start in the chest, move to the head and neck, and then spread throughout the body. In a few women, hot flashes are only confined to the head, neck, and breasts. Patients experience burning sensation and redness of the skin in the area of ​​the flush, followed by explosive sweating. The duration varies from a few seconds to several minutes, and the frequency of attacks ranges from several times to 30 to 50 times a day. It is easily triggered at night or under stress. This vascular instability can last for 1 year, sometimes up to 5 years or longer.

The most common diseases in female menopause are menstrual symptoms and psychological symptoms. Many menopausal patients also experience insomnia, palpitations, night sweats and other problems, but when treating these symptoms, patients often ignore the role of diet therapy. In fact, food can effectively alleviate the symptoms of female menopause. At the same time, being in a good mood is also very important.