Most Common Menopause Symptoms and Top Tips to Manage Them

An estimated 85% of post-menopausal women have experienced menopause symptoms in their lifetime. While the symptoms are not dangerous, they can interrupt and negatively affect your daily life.

Menopause is the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle and usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. You may also undergo a period of hormonal changes called perimenopause, which can start as early as ten years before you reach menopause.

The compassionate primary care team at Summit Primary Care in Colorado offers the following tips and treatment options for managing the most common menopause symptoms.

Common menopause symptoms

You may not experience all menopause symptoms at the same time, but the most common menopause ones include:

Night sweats
Irregular periods
Missed periods
Periods lighter or heavier than your usual
Hot flashes
Flushing (red or hot face)
Difficulty sleeping
Incontinence
Vaginal dryness
Mood swings
Depression
Anxiety
Thinning hair
Increase of facial or body hair
Difficulty remembering things
Frequent headaches
Joint pain
Loss of breast mass
Dry skin, eyes, mouth

If you have several common symptoms and are within the age range for menopause, you’re probably entering this phase of life. If you’re younger than 45, you could have an underactive thyroid or be starting the transition to menopause called perimenopause.

How to manage menopause symptoms

Most menopause symptoms are temporary, and some people successfully reduce the discomfort with lifestyle changes and home remedies, including:

Increase sleep

Take steps to improve the quality of your sleep, such as avoiding caffeine, limiting alcohol, and exercising daily.

Cool down

If hot flashes are a problem, dress in layers so you can remove them when you’re overheated. Drink cold glasses of water, or avoid hot flash triggers like hot beverages, alcohol, stress, or being outside in hot weather.

Use lubricants

Decrease vaginal discomfort with over-the-counter, water-based lubricants. Staying sexually active helps increase blood flow to the vagina, which also helps with vaginal discomfort.

Quit smoking

Smoking can increase hot flashes and menopause symptoms. It can also increase your risk for stroke, cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

If at-home remedies don’t provide enough relief for your menopause symptoms, schedule an appointment at Summit Primary Care for diagnosis and treatment.

Treatment for menopause symptoms

While many women don’t need treatment, and menopause symptoms gradually go away on their own, others find that their menopause symptoms interfere with their quality of life. The compassionate team at Summit Primary Care can help find a treatment that works for you.

Common menopause treatment options include:

Low-dose birth control
Menopausal hormone therapy
Over-the-counter products
Topical hormone therapy

Learn more about your menopause treatment options. Call the office nearest you in Denver, Pueblo, or Colorado Springs, or use the online scheduling tool to book an appointment today.