Menopause history and symptoms

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Rahmah Al-Edresi, M.D.[2]

Overview[edit | edit source]

The hallmark of menopause is amenorrhea. The most common symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, headach, palpitations, dyspareunia, stress incontinence, urgency, frequency, dysuria, anxiety, sleep disturbance, depression. Less common symptoms of menopause include loss of concentration, and loss of self confidence.

History[edit | edit source]

Obtaining a patient's history is an important aspect of making the diagnosis of menopause. It provides an insight into precipitating factors and associated comorbid conditions. A complete history will help determine the correct therapy and helps in determining the prognosis. Specific histories about the symptoms (duration, onset, progression), associated symptoms. Specific areas of focus when obtaining the history, are outlined below:

• Onset, duration, and progression of symptoms especially ( Hot flashes, urinary symptoms, joint pain).
• History of the menstrual cycle
• Associated symptoms such as depression, sleep disturbance.
• History of Co-morbid conditions such as  Hypertension, Heart disease, Diabetes Mellitus.
• Medications
• History of smoking and tobacco.

Symptoms of Menopause[edit | edit source]

The menopausal symptom happens in the menopausal transition period. The most common symptom is the increasingly erratic menstrual period together with these symptoms the woman may also have.^[1][2]

Vasomotor symptoms:^[3]

• Hot flashes are a sudden feeling of heat in face and neck may with red blotches on the chest, back, and arm that are happened three to four minutes associated with sweating. Hot flashes are the most common symptom and most women have hot flashes for 6 months to 2 years, but some women may experience them for 10 years or longer.
• night sweats
• palpitations
• migraines

Urogenital symptoms:

Vaginal symptoms^[4]

• Pruritus
• Dryness
• Irregular bleeding
• Dyspareunia (painful intercourse)

Urinary symptoms^[5]

• Polyuria
• Urgency
• Stress incontinence
• Dysuria

Sexual dysfunction symptom^[6]

• Decreased libido
• Problems reaching orgasm
• Dyspareunia

Skeletal symptoms:

• Osteoporosis gradually developing over time.^[7]
• Joint pain, muscle pain
• Back pain

Skin, soft tissue symptoms:

• Breast atrophy
• Skin thinning
• Decreased elasticity

Psychological symptoms:^[8]

• Mood disturbance
• Sleep disturbance
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Poor Memory: as a result of depression and loss of sleep but not due to deficiency of estrogen hormone.
• Depression
• Loss of concentration
• Loss of self-confidence

A cohort study found that menopause was associated with hot flushes, joint pain, muscle pain, and depressed mood. Menopause was not associated with poor sleep, decreased libido, and vaginal dryness, and happens of these symptoms in the late menopausal transition years.

References[edit | edit source]

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