The average age of menopause is 51 years old, but it can happen much earlier than this. No matter when it happens, you will likely have some symptoms that are very hard to avoid, such as night sweats and low libido. There are also some uncommon symptoms you may be having and not realizing they are due to menopause, three of which are listed below.
Depression or Anxiety
The emotional and physical changes caused by menopause can lead to depression or anxiety. This can be due to increased stress levels, fluctuating hormone levels, or feeling alone and that no one around you understands what you are going through.
If you are feeling depression or having anxiety, there are treatment options. Your doctor may prescribe a low dose of estrogen to help with your fluctuating hormone levels. They may also prescribe an anti-depressant if your depression does not get better. Make sure you get adequate sleep, attend support groups, do some relaxation techniques, and get enough exercise.
Itchy Skin
You may notice you skin is itchy. You may feel this itchiness on your entire body, and it will likely be worse at night. This problem is likely due to having lower estrogen levels. This is because this hormone stimulates the formation of skin oils and collagen, which helps smooth and keep the skin moisturized. Your body may also not be able to retain moisture. All of this can result in dry skin which results in itchy skin.
To treat itchy skin, add some smart fats to your diet, such as omega-3s, which can be found in things like eggs, walnuts and salmon. All of these things can produce a barrier to hold in moisture on your skin. Drink enough water to keep you and your skin more hydrated and use moisturizer on your skin.
Memory Problems
You may find that you start forgetting things or feel like your brain is foggy. If so, this can be associated with menopause. In many cases, this problem will happen when you first start going through menopause. You may notice that you are having problems keeping track of information or doing routine mental tasks. Again, this problem can be the result of having low estrogen levels.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and are going through menopause, you should see your gynecologist. They can do tests to confirm that you are in menopause and provide you with the proper treatment.
Share10 August 2016
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