To mark World Menopause Day, we look at some of the lesser-known symptoms to empower women to take ownership of their future
Gone are the days when women had to suffer in silence as the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause appeared. Thankfully, it’s a topic now more openly discussed than ever before, but there’s still much to learn if women want to fully own this stage of their lives. Forewarned is forearmed, so the theme of this year’s World Menopause Day on 18 October is cardiovascular disease and how hormonal changes can impact our hearts.
Dr Paula Briggs, a menopause expert and consultant in sexual and reproductive health, explains the hormone oestrogen prevents the build-up of fatty substance atheroma plaque and reduces inflammation around the heart. As oestrogen levels drop post-menopause, the risks of heart disease can increase.
Heart health is only one area affected by these hormonal changes. Some women develop incontinence problems – oestrogen supports your bladder and urethra, so a reduction can cause pelvic floor muscles to weaken – and ringing in the ears, as the hormone also plays a part in the auditory system. Other symptoms include the well-known hot flushes, brain fog, insomnia and weight gain, as well as itchy skin, joint pain, skin pigmentation and changes in body odour. It’s not all bad, thanks to relief from period pain and other menstrual symptoms, a decrease in body hair and often a zest for life.
Knowing what is to come can help women prepare mentally for menopause. Exercising and eating healthily can help the mind and body adjust on their own but, for many, hormone replacement therapy may be the answer. Ask a GP for advice. HRT can be either a combination of hormones – oestrogen, progesterone, and in some cases testosterone – or oestrogen only. Most of those who use it report a return of their “old self ” within three to six months.
Here, intimate health expert Dr Shirin Lakhani describes five of the 34 widely recognised symptoms, which may surprise you.
1 ALTERED FACE SHAPE AND EYE PROBLEMS
Women’s skin can lose up to a third of its collagen during the first five years of menopause, making it less firm and more wrinkled. This, with hormone changes, can cause bone to be reabsorbed, altering the face’s shape and leading to jowls and thinner lips. Many skincare products aim to tackle this loss by boosting collagen production. A drop in the androgen hormone can affect the amount of tears produced, so eyes may feel dry, itchy or gritty, an
