Pre Menopause Symptoms: What are They?

Pre menopause symptoms start appearing 10 to 15 years prior to a woman's menopause. The stage in which you start experiencing symptoms related to menopause is called Perimenopause. Although it varies, Perimenopause can begin when a woman is in her early 40s until she is in her mid 50s. The frequency and severity of symptoms of pre menopause symptoms vary in each woman. There are some who do not experience pre menopause symptoms at all while there are those who find it difficult to cope with it. For the latter, they may have to undergo treatments such as hormone therapy to help them deal with Perimenopause. Various changes in the body and in the hormonal levels can cause these symptoms. Here are some of the most common pre menopause symptoms.

• Hot flashes are perhaps the most common symptom related to menopause. It is a feeling that is characterized as having a sudden feeling of warmth that spreads in the entire body particularly the neck and the chest. It usually last only for a few seconds although for some, it can last for minutes. Hot flashes is accompanied by night sweats. It is almost similar to hot flashes except that it happens, as its name suggest, at night. The woman may wake up feeling feverish and then suddenly sweat profusely. This can definitely disturb a woman's sleep. 
• Insomnia or difficulty in sleeping is another pre menopause symptom. As mentioned above, having night sweats can interfere with a woman's sleep. A lot of women tend to wake up in the middle of the night and are unable to fall asleep again. The loss of sleep can lead to depression in some menopausal women. People around them may also notice mood changes, anxiety and irritability.
  
• One of the most common pre menopause symptoms that women experience is vaginal dryness. In the phase leading up to menopause, the vaginal lining becomes thinner and this can lead to dryness and itch. The thinning of the walls is caused by the drop in estrogen levels. This is the reason why intercourse can become painful during menopause and this is the reason why they tend to lose interest in sex. In addition to this, women may also experience urinary tract infections due to the thinning walls. There are women who may even experience urinary incontinence.

There are women who may experience palpitations but if this is the case, it is best to consult your doctor. It is important to understand that these pre menopause symptoms are shared by other medical conditions as well. Your doctor should rule out the possibility of it being a symptom of an illness before you are diagnosed as pre menopausal.