10 ways to overcome menopause symptoms

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor II Huynh Thi Hien - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

Menopause is a transition to a new phase of life that begins when the menstrual cycle ends. Menopause is not a health problem, but the hormonal changes and other factors involved can be uncomfortable. So how do you overcome the symptoms of menopause?

During the body's transition into menopause, changing hormone levels can affect your menstrual cycle and cause symptoms like hot flashes and trouble sleeping. During perimenopause, a number of other symptoms may accompany such as pain during sex, urinary problems, and menstrual irregularities.
Menopausal symptoms are varied and may include:
Hot flashes: This is the most common menopause symptom. As many as three-quarters of women experience hot flashes during menopause, and many even start having hot flashes during perimenopause. Hot flashes are sudden sensations of heat in the upper body including the neck, face, chest, back, or arms. Menopausal women may also sweat profusely after hot flashes. Hot flashes usually last about 1 year after menopause, but the latest research shows that there are cases where these symptoms last 10 or even 14 years after menopause. Vaginal and urinary problems: Vaginal dryness is the most common symptom. Low estrogen levels cause the vaginal lips to become dry and thinner, causing itching, burning, pain, and discomfort. This reduces sex drive as well as increases the risk of certain STIs. Irregular menstruation: During menopause, menstruation may appear later or earlier and last for many days.

Difficulty sleeping: Many women going through menopause have difficulty getting a good night's sleep and often wake up in the middle of the night. This happens because progesterone levels during menopause drop suddenly. Besides, low estrogen levels cause hot flashes that make women sweat a lot during sleep, disrupting sleep. In addition, urinary problems during menopause also cause them to wake up many times at night. Difficulty concentrating, impaired memory: Up to two-thirds of women experience problems with concentration or memory during menopause. Menopausal hormone therapy does not appear to be effective in treating or preventing memory loss or brain diseases including Alzheimer's. In some recent studies, memory problems have been linked to depression and insomnia but not to estrogen levels. Urinary system problems: Many women experience bladder and urinary system problems during menopause. Low estrogen levels weaken the urethra, leading to urinary incontinence. Menopause urinary problems are not a normal aging process and need to be treated. Emotional disturbances: Women may feel irritable or have mood swings during menopause. This is due to feelings of stress as well as fatigue. Depression and anxiety: The risk of depression is higher during menopause. This happens due to hormone changes, menopausal symptoms, or both. They may become depressed because of a loss of fertility or a decreased sex drive. In many cases, women with depression need the intervention of a psychologist.

Changes in sexual feelings: Some women feel more comfortable with their sex drive after menopause while others may experience a decrease or loss of sex drive as it makes them feel pain and discomfort. comfortable as the vagina is drier and thinner.

Some menopause symptoms make women feel uncomfortable, even depressed. So what can be done to minimize the impact of these symptoms? Here are 10 tips to help you figure out how to get over your menopausal symptoms:
Track your hot flashes: Carry a small notebook with you and get in the habit of recording the occurrence of hot flashes and watch for what's likely to worsen the symptoms of hot flashes, such as caffeine, alcohol, high temperatures, or stress. When you feel a hot flash, try to take slow, deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Night sweats: During sleep, hot flashes lasting 3-5 minutes can cause you to sweat a lot and disrupt sleep. However, there are ways to alleviate this situation. Using a cooling pillow, covering the bed with a thin blanket, and turning on a fan to help circulate the air can be helpful methods in this case. Improve sleep quality: Aerobic exercises, yoga or meditation can help you fall asleep easily. Absolutely do not use alcohol, caffeine or other stimulants before going to bed, instead with a glass of warm milk. Milk helps the body relax and fall asleep easier.

Improve quality in sex: Hormonal changes make the vagina thin and dry leading to pain during sex. However, there are many products that can assist with this process. Some types of vaginal lubricants or moisturizers are recommended by doctors during menopause. Increasing the quality of sex can help a woman reduce stress, thereby reducing other symptoms of menopause. Increase sex drive: Spend more time in the sexual process. Increasing the time for foreplay, changing the style of dress... can increase sex drive. Improves mood: Menopause can make a woman feel irritable and upset. Therefore, improving your mood by practicing yoga or participating in recreational activities with family or friends is essential during this period. Headaches: Migraines can get worse around the time of menopause. Track headaches as they happen and see what factors make them worse, that way you can control and take steps to reduce them. If hunger is the cause of your headache, divide your daily meal into several small meals. If the cause of your headache is lack of sleep, try to get in the habit of taking a 30-minute nap. You may also need medication to treat headaches. Thin and sparse hair: Hair may thin and fall out faster during menopause. Besides, hair will also grow in unwanted places like the chin or cheeks. You can use some waxes, hair removal creams or simply spit them out. Acne: Many people think that acne only develops during puberty, but acne is also very common. in women who are going through menopause. The best method to reduce acne during this stage is to use moisturizers, sunscreens, cleansers and cosmetics that are gentle on the skin. In particular, the above products must not contain oils because they will clog pores and make acne worse. Lack of concentration and memory impairment: Menopausal women often lose concentration and memory decline. This can be improved by learning something new like a new hobby or language while minimizing stress. Studies have shown that prolonged stress is linked to memory problems during menopause.

Hot flashes, trouble sleeping, memory loss or frequent distractions are typical symptoms of menopause. These symptoms can cause a woman a lot of trouble as well as discomfort in life. You can apply the 10 tips outlined above to overcome the symptoms of menopause. However, in case the symptoms become more and more severe, you need to seek medical advice and early treatment to avoid possible complications.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital is providing pre-menopausal health examination and counseling package. When registering for an examination package, customers will be examined and consulted with a specialist in Gynecology; Perform tests to assess hormone status. When registering for the premenopausal health care package and consultation, customers will receive:
Gynecological specialist examination Gynecological examination, breast examination Transabdominal ultrasound of uterus and ovaries Take specimens as a smear Cervical-vaginal cytology Mammogram (2 sides) Osteoporosis Measure other tests to detect pre-menopausal conditions, if any.

References: webmd.com, womenshealth.gov