Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDurationTreatmentCopingNext in Menopause GuideSymptoms of Menopause
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Duration
Treatment
Coping
Next in Menopause Guide
Menopause is the natural process that marks the end ofmenstrual periodsand your reproductive years. In most cases, this happens roughly between the ages of 45 and 55. It is also possible to have premature menopause or induced menopause due to surgery or an injury to theovaries.
Menopause occurs when you have not had a period for 12 consecutive months. The transitional period—startingpremenopauseand continuing withperimenopause—usually lasts about seven years but can be as long as 14 years.
Symptoms of menopause transition can vary from person to person, but it’s common to experience lighter and less frequent periods,hot flashes, and weight gain. Treatments may be prescribed to ease specific symptoms.
This article looks at the symptoms, causes, and treatment of menopause. It also offers tips on how to cope with the physical and emotional changes you might experience.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
Symptoms of Menopause
Menopause happens when your ovaries stop producing the hormones (estrogenandprogesterone) that regulate your menstrual cycle. The hormonal fluctuations that happen prior to and during this time can cause various symptoms.
People experience the transition into menopause differently. Some may have very severe perimenopausal symptoms, while others will barely have any complaints.
The most common symptoms include:
Postmenopausal BleedingIf you experience significant bleeding during menopause, call your healthcare provider. This may be due to the thinning of the lining of thevaginaoruterus(womb) or, conversely, the thickening of the uterine lining (endometrial hyperplasia). It may also be due tocervical or uterine polyps.
Postmenopausal Bleeding
If you experience significant bleeding during menopause, call your healthcare provider. This may be due to the thinning of the lining of thevaginaoruterus(womb) or, conversely, the thickening of the uterine lining (endometrial hyperplasia). It may also be due tocervical or uterine polyps.
Hyperthyroidism Symptoms in Females
There are three different ways your body can enter menopause:
Duration of Menopause
The transition to menopause can start at different ages and differ in how long it takes for menstrual periods to stop a full 12 months.
At What Age Does Menopause Start?
Menopause usually happens around age 52 but is perfectly normal between the ages of 40 and 58.
There are many factors that can influence when menopause starts, including:
When Does Early Menopause Happen?
How Long Does Menopause Last?
As with the onset of menopause, the duration of the perimenopause can vary, lasting anywhere from seven years to 14 years.
While many of the factors that influence the age of onset also influence the duration of perimenopause, the one factor that appears the most influential is the age of menarche.
How to Tell If You’ve Reached Menopause
Despite the symptoms it can cause, menopause is a normal process and doesn’t need to be treated unless the symptoms are disrupting your quality of life and well-being.
Medical options include:
Home Remedies
Menopause symptoms can also be managed with simple lifestyle changes and home remedies, including:
Menopause Diet: Foods to Support Changing Hormone Levels
Coping With Menopause
The age at which you approach menopause is an age that often coincides with many personal changes and stresses. You may be seeing your kids off to college, dealing with the death of a parent, taking on a leadership role at work, or worrying about your finances.
The added stress of menopause, including sleep deprivation and anxiety or depression, can add to the overall demands on your life.
To better cope with menopause:
Managing Emotional Changes That Occur With Menopause
Summary
Menopause marks the end of menstruation and your reproductive years. Symptoms include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood swings.
Menopause normally occurs around age 50 but can happen earlier due to autoimmune diseases, medical treatments, and other causes. The transition to menopause tends to last for around seven years but may be as long as 14 years.
Estrogen replacement therapy, vaginal estrogen, improved nutrition, routine exercise, and mind-body therapies can help you better cope with the physical and emotional challenges of menopause.
How to Support Partners During Menopause
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute on Aging.What is menopause?Manson JE, Kaunitz AM.Menopause management–getting clinical care back on track.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(9):803-6. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1514242Santoro N, Roeca C, Peters BA, Neal-Perry G.The menopause transition: signs, symptoms, and management options.J Clin Endocrinol Metab.2021;106(1):1-15. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgaa764National Health Service (UK).Postmenopausal bleeding.Okeke TC, Anyaehie UB, Ezenyeaku CC.Premature menopause.Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2013 Jan;3(1):90-5. doi:10.4103/2141-9248.109458Seconsan C, Balint O, Pirtea L, Grigoras D, Balulescu L, Ilina R.Surgically induced menopause—a practical review of literature.Medicina (Kaunas).2019 Aug;55(8):482. doi:10.3390/medicina55080482Ceylan B, Ozerdogan N.Factors affecting age of onset of menopause and determination of quality of life in menopause.Turk J Obstet Gynecol.2015 Mar;12(1):43–9. doi:10.4274/tjod.79836Paramsothy P, Harlow SD, Nan B, et al.Duration of the menopausal transition is longer in women with young age at onset: the multi-ethnic Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation.Menopause.2017 Feb;24(2):142–9. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000736Silva TR, Oppermann K, Reis FM, Spritzer PM.Nutrition in menopausal women: a narrative review.Nutrients.2021 Jul;13(7):2149. doi:10.3390/nu13072149North American Menopause Society.Herbal remedies for hot flashes.National Council on Aging.5 ways to manage your menopause naturally.National Health Service (UK).Things you can do: menopause.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute on Aging.What is menopause?Manson JE, Kaunitz AM.Menopause management–getting clinical care back on track.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(9):803-6. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1514242Santoro N, Roeca C, Peters BA, Neal-Perry G.The menopause transition: signs, symptoms, and management options.J Clin Endocrinol Metab.2021;106(1):1-15. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgaa764National Health Service (UK).Postmenopausal bleeding.Okeke TC, Anyaehie UB, Ezenyeaku CC.Premature menopause.Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2013 Jan;3(1):90-5. doi:10.4103/2141-9248.109458Seconsan C, Balint O, Pirtea L, Grigoras D, Balulescu L, Ilina R.Surgically induced menopause—a practical review of literature.Medicina (Kaunas).2019 Aug;55(8):482. doi:10.3390/medicina55080482Ceylan B, Ozerdogan N.Factors affecting age of onset of menopause and determination of quality of life in menopause.Turk J Obstet Gynecol.2015 Mar;12(1):43–9. doi:10.4274/tjod.79836Paramsothy P, Harlow SD, Nan B, et al.Duration of the menopausal transition is longer in women with young age at onset: the multi-ethnic Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation.Menopause.2017 Feb;24(2):142–9. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000736Silva TR, Oppermann K, Reis FM, Spritzer PM.Nutrition in menopausal women: a narrative review.Nutrients.2021 Jul;13(7):2149. doi:10.3390/nu13072149North American Menopause Society.Herbal remedies for hot flashes.National Council on Aging.5 ways to manage your menopause naturally.National Health Service (UK).Things you can do: menopause.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute on Aging.What is menopause?Manson JE, Kaunitz AM.Menopause management–getting clinical care back on track.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(9):803-6. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1514242Santoro N, Roeca C, Peters BA, Neal-Perry G.The menopause transition: signs, symptoms, and management options.J Clin Endocrinol Metab.2021;106(1):1-15. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgaa764National Health Service (UK).Postmenopausal bleeding.Okeke TC, Anyaehie UB, Ezenyeaku CC.Premature menopause.Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2013 Jan;3(1):90-5. doi:10.4103/2141-9248.109458Seconsan C, Balint O, Pirtea L, Grigoras D, Balulescu L, Ilina R.Surgically induced menopause—a practical review of literature.Medicina (Kaunas).2019 Aug;55(8):482. doi:10.3390/medicina55080482Ceylan B, Ozerdogan N.Factors affecting age of onset of menopause and determination of quality of life in menopause.Turk J Obstet Gynecol.2015 Mar;12(1):43–9. doi:10.4274/tjod.79836Paramsothy P, Harlow SD, Nan B, et al.Duration of the menopausal transition is longer in women with young age at onset: the multi-ethnic Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation.Menopause.2017 Feb;24(2):142–9. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000736Silva TR, Oppermann K, Reis FM, Spritzer PM.Nutrition in menopausal women: a narrative review.Nutrients.2021 Jul;13(7):2149. doi:10.3390/nu13072149North American Menopause Society.Herbal remedies for hot flashes.National Council on Aging.5 ways to manage your menopause naturally.National Health Service (UK).Things you can do: menopause.
National Institute on Aging.What is menopause?
Manson JE, Kaunitz AM.Menopause management–getting clinical care back on track.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(9):803-6. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1514242
National Health Service (UK).Postmenopausal bleeding.
Okeke TC, Anyaehie UB, Ezenyeaku CC.Premature menopause.Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2013 Jan;3(1):90-5. doi:10.4103/2141-9248.109458
Seconsan C, Balint O, Pirtea L, Grigoras D, Balulescu L, Ilina R.Surgically induced menopause—a practical review of literature.Medicina (Kaunas).2019 Aug;55(8):482. doi:10.3390/medicina55080482
Ceylan B, Ozerdogan N.Factors affecting age of onset of menopause and determination of quality of life in menopause.Turk J Obstet Gynecol.2015 Mar;12(1):43–9. doi:10.4274/tjod.79836
Paramsothy P, Harlow SD, Nan B, et al.Duration of the menopausal transition is longer in women with young age at onset: the multi-ethnic Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation.Menopause.2017 Feb;24(2):142–9. doi:10.1097/GME.0000000000000736
Silva TR, Oppermann K, Reis FM, Spritzer PM.Nutrition in menopausal women: a narrative review.Nutrients.2021 Jul;13(7):2149. doi:10.3390/nu13072149
North American Menopause Society.Herbal remedies for hot flashes.
National Council on Aging.5 ways to manage your menopause naturally.
National Health Service (UK).Things you can do: menopause.
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