Hello ladies! Have you been facing mood swings, hot flashes, and irregular periods lately? Do not brush this off as just another phase of the phases of the menstrual cycle, these could be signs of early menopause.
While menopause is a natural process that every woman goes through, it is not always something that happens when you are in your 50s. In fact, some women may start to experience symptoms of menopause as early as in their 30s or 40s – which is also known as early menopause.
Now, this can happen due to a number of reasons and factors such as medical treatments, lifestyle choices, and even genetics. Regardless of the cause, early menopause can have a significant impact on a woman’s physical and mental health.
So, in this blog, we will dive into the topic of signs of early menopause and will discuss the common signs, symptoms, and treatments to manage menopause. Let’s dig in.
Table of Contents
What is Early Menopause?
Early Menopause happens when a woman’s periods stop before the age of 45. It can happen naturally, or as a side effect of some treatments. For a lot of women, menopause starts between the ages of 45 and 55.
What is the Difference Between Premature Menopause and Early Menopause?
The difference between premature menopause and early menopause is when it happens. Menopause is not a process, rather it is a point in time where the menstruation ends.
- Early menopause is when the menopause occurs before the age of 45.
- Premature menopause is when menopause happens before the age of 40.
Read Male Menopause to explore more
What Causes Early Menopause?
Many of the causes of premature menopause can also be the signs of early menopause. Some of the common reasons behind early menopause include cancer treatment, surgery, or other health conditions. But a lot of times, the cause is unknown. Anything that damages the ovaries or stops the body from making estrogen can cause menopause.
Early and premature menopause also share many of the same symptoms as menopause.
Some causes of early or premature menopause are:
- Surgery that removes your ovaries
- Getting your first period before the age of 11
- Surgery that removes the uterus (hysterectomy)
- Surgery that removes your ovaries
- Chromosomal abnormalities like Turner’s Syndrome or Fragile X
- Autoimmune diseases like Thyroid disease, Crohn’s disease, and Rheumatoid arthritis
- Having HIV or AIDS
- Infection with mumps
So, these are the answers to ‘what causes early menopause’.
How Do You Know If You Are Starting to Have Signs of Early Menopause?
You may start having irregular menstrual cycles for a few years prior to your last menstrual period. Long or short menstrual cycles, changes in vaginal bleeding, spotting between periods, or changes in vaginal bleeding are often the first signs of menopause.
If you have irregular periods, gynecologists at Doctors Hospital say that it is best to consult with your healthcare provider.
The other signs of premature and early menopause can help you in identifying the starting process include:
- Night sweats
- Frequent urge to pee
- Difficulty sleeping
- Racing heart
- Headaches
- Breast tenderness
- Dry skin, dry eyes, and mouth
- Muscle and joint aches
- Weight loss and gain
- More frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Emotional changes (depression, anxiety, and mood swings)
- Hot flashes
Read Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes to explore more.
How do Doctors Test for Early Menopause?
If you begin to have signs of early menopause before the age of 45, your healthcare provider can perform several tests and ask questions to help in the diagnosis of early menopause. Dr Rabbia Ashraf who is one of the top gynecologists in Pakistan says that diagnosis of early menopause can include:
- Discussing family history of menopause at an early age
- Asking questions about the regularity of menstrual periods
- A physical exam
- A blood test to look for hormones
- Finding other conditions that might be contributing to symptoms like thyroid
With all this scrutiny, people who have not had a menstrual cycle in the last 12 months and are not on medication that stops menstruation, may have reached menopause.
Read Things to Know About Menopause and signs of early menopause to explore more.
How is Early Menopause Treated?
Treatment of early menopause can really depend on why menopause started earlier than normal. Given the health risks that come with early menopause, the doctors recommend hormone replacement therapy unless there is a reason hormone therapy is unsafe i.e. if you have breast cancer. A study suggests that it is an efficient tool for the primary care management of menopause.
Hormone replacement therapy is used to replace the lost hormones in your body. This helps in reducing the symptoms and side effects of the menopause. It also decreases your risk of health conditions caused by premature menopause.
Doctors of gynecology typically prescribe HRT when you are above the age of 51., the time when most women reach menopause.
So, make sure to discuss the pros and cons of this procedure to treat signs of early menopause before you dive into it.
How to Reduce the Risk of Early Menopause?
The answer to ‘what causes early menopause’ tells us that most of the factors are beyond your control. But smoking cigarettes is the only lifestyle factor that may cause early menopause. So you can reduce your risk of menopause by quitting smoking. The other causes like several health conditions, and treatments, for cancer are very unpredictable.
Healthwire is Here to Help
If you are someone that is going through this challenging phase of menopause, or you are experiencing signs of early menopause, you must visit a doctor. Book an appointment with the best female doctor near you by contacting Healthwire.
