Menopause Symptoms That May Surprise You

Menopause can be one of the most trying times in a woman’s life. Your physical, mental, and emotional health is impacted and the turbulence of your hormones can wreak havoc.

Women are familiar with most of the common symptoms of menopause such as fatigue, hot flashes, muscle aches, joint pains, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, weight gain, irritability, changes in sex drive, and recurrent UTIs i.e., urinary tract infections, amongst others.

However, menopause symptoms can vary from one person to another, and there are certain surprising symptoms that you would not have expected.

However, menopause symptoms can vary from one person to another, and there are certain surprising symptoms that you would not have expected.

To keep you apprised, in this article, we discuss some surprising symptoms of menopause that most people don't know about but aren't abnormal either.

Dental Issues

Menopause can trigger a dry mouth due to reduced levels of estrogen, and consequently lower bone density, weaker jaws, and the lack of saliva in the mouth to wash away bacteria.

These factors can contribute to gum disease, receding and bleeding gums, tooth decay, loss or loosening, bad breath i.e., halitosis, sensitivity, and pain.

There are simple self-care tips that can help with these issues such as consuming plenty of fluids to keep your mouth moist and sucking on sugar-free candies, gums, or ice cubes to help with salivation.

If these natural remedies don’t work, try using dentist-recommended products like mouth gels, sprays, or oral rinses to help with dry mouth.

Formication

This term refers to the feeling of insects crawling on your skin or under your skin. It is a type of tactile hallucination that is a consequence of hormone changes during menopause.

The sensations on your skin alter mostly due to a dip in estrogen and are sometimes accompanied by itching.

These sensations are most common during perimenopause i.e., the transition period to menopause, but they aren’t experienced by most women.

Dryness and itching are more prevalent. Formication could also be a result of collagen breakdown in the skin or changes in blood flow patterns.

Bad Odors

The drop in estrogen and subsequent rise in testosterone levels in the body during menopause and menopause transition can cause you to sweat much more in the form of hot flushes or night sweats.

The hypothalamus gland is deceived into prompting more sweat production as it receives messages of overheating of the body. Excess sweat causes bad body odor and can also lead to bacteria accumulation in your groin and armpits.

Vaginal odors, similar to those in yeast or bacterial infections can also occur due to thrush infections for example.

To counteract these symptoms try using medical-grade deodorants as recommended by your doctor, use loose and breathable fabrics for clothing, and avoid heat-inducing foods such as onion, red meat, garlic, and alcohol.

Cold Flushes

Yes, you heard that right! As common as hot flushes are, some women experience cold flushes as well.

The hypothalamus gland in the brain has a very volatile time during menopause, trying to regulate the messages of overheating and simultaneously being confused by other signals. This is why women often have cold flushes right after a hit flush.

They will experience chills and shivering, which can be worsened by clothes that are damp from sweat after an episode of hot flashes. Cold flushing can also occur spontaneously. You can try adding some extra layers of bedding, like an extra blanket, for when you have a cold flush, and wear fabrics that dry off fast.

For a more permanent solution, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), can aid the process of balancing out your hormones so managing flushes is easier.

Tinnitus

This condition is often described as a ringing in the ears, or roaring/clicking/buzzing sounds that have no external source of underlying causative illness.

It can be due to ear damage from whiplash or very loud noises, but in this case, it is probably due to imbalances in hormone levels.

If the condition causes anxiety, disturbs your sleep, or affects your concentration, you need to consult a doctor. Self-care practices at home include exercising, avoiding loud noises, and practicing relaxation exercises like meditation.

Sensations of Electric Shocks

This sensation feels like a painful jolt of electricity through your body, usually just before a hot flush/flash. This issue occurs since the drop in estrogen disorders the nervous system, the change can cause a misfiring of neurons that causes this shock sensation.

The best way to handle this sensation is to ease stress as much as possible and also cut back on possible triggers such as alcohol.

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS)

This symptom feels like your tongue has been scorched by a hot beverage. Mainly characterized by a burning or tingling sensation on the tongue, this feeling may also spread to the inner cheeks, lips, and the roof of your mouth.

This symptom could be a result of damage to nerve cells around your taste -buds, oral thrush infections from hormone imbalances, or vitamin deficiencies due to menopause.

This symptom may also include a metallic taste in your mouth, dryness, and pain/soreness. Some foods may also taste different as a secondary symptom.

Other Interlinked Symptoms

Some other symptoms that may have an impact on one another, and don’t show up as frequently as the common symptoms of menopause include −

• Dizziness, lightheaded spells or vertigo due to altered hormone levels and changes in the nervous and cardiovascular systems, fatigue from sleep deprivation, and tinnitus

• Brittle nails due to lack of moisture retention; this can be addressed with hand creams/lotions and general nail hygiene like using gloves while cleaning

• Disorientation or alterations in awareness or perception of space can occur due to lower vision focus, which in turn can cause clumsiness

• Vaginal pain associated with vaginal atrophy i.e., the drying, inflammation, and thinning of the inner lining of the vagina.

• Sore breasts and loss of fullness, along with tenderness and burning that can be mitigated by switching to comfortable bras and upping Vitamins B and E intake.

Conclusion

We hope this article has clarified some unforeseen symptoms of menopause, so that if and when you face them, you will not be alarmed. The more you know and understand about your menopausal experience, the more calmly you will be able to cope with it.