The signs and symptoms of menopause most times present in a dramatic way particularly on women that are ignorant of the subject; menopause. Pre menopause stage is vividly evident in an experience of a certain 51 year old CEO of a company who suddenly developed hotness of the upper part of her body, restlessness with intermittent sweating, which are all signs of menopause.

This made her think she must have been bewitched and went in search of spiritual solutions. At last, she came to terms that she was only experiencing the signs and symptoms of menopause.
That's a clear example of what ignorance can do to most women when it comes to issue regarding menopause, its signs and symptoms and how to live with it.

Menopause is an eventful period in every woman's life. There are both physical and psychological signs and symptoms that characterize the onset of menopause (pre menopause) as well as post menopausal period.
Before we talk about these sign and symptoms of menopause in details, let's look at the three major stages of Menopause. The stage one of menopause is referred to as perimenopause which is characterized by irregular periods and spotting. Perimenopause sometimes last for a period of 2 to 5 years, with that of some women stretching up to an additional ten years. The second stage of menopause is the menopause proper, while the third stage is known as the post menopause, characterized by reduced menopause symptoms.

The signs and symptoms of menopause are as detailed below:

Hot Flushes:
Hot Flushes is a very disturbing pre menopause sign. It is characterized by sweating, redness of the skin, internal heat and restlessness occurring mainly on the upper part of the body. Hot Flushes brings about serious concern to some women. The latter group sometimes requires estrogen therapy in addition to reassuring them.

Genital/Breast Atrophy:
This is one of the signs and symptoms of menopause that follow menopause (post menopausal signs).
Genital/Breast Atrophy manifests with

*Vaginal Dryness
*Weakening and shrinking of the muscles of vagina and the womb
*Falling and dryness of the breast.

The weakening of the muscles and ligaments holding the womb and vagina in position sometimes leads to a protrusion of the womb or vagina outside of the vagina, a condition known as Genital Prolapse. All these result from decrease in the estrogen level as well as the devastating effects of free radicals.

Irregular Menstruation:
One of the pre menopause signs of menopause is irregular menstrual flow. Sometimes, the menstrual period may come on the 21st day, others 26th, 30th etc. Sometimes also, a menstrual period of two or three months may elapse before the menses reappears.

Amenorrhea:
This is a classical sign of menopause whereby there is no menses. Ceasation (stopping of menstrual flow) for at least six 6 months in a woman above 40 years, without evidence of pregnancy, confirms attainment of menopause. During this period, most women especially those that still desire pregnancy, may assume they are pregnant. If such woman has fibroid, she will comfortably tell you that she can feel the kicking of her baby. This sign and symptom of menopause explains the biological phenomenon known as mysterious pregnancy.

Dyspareunia:
This simply means painful sexual intercourse. Dyspareunia occurs as a result of vaginal dryness. When the vagina loses its lubricating property, it becomes dry, leading to pains and sometimes bleeding during sexual intercourse.

Infection:
Urinary tract infection is usually a common sign and symptom of menopause. This could manifest with any of the following symptoms further;

* Pains during or after urination
* Vaginal Discharge
* Vaginal Itching
* Sometimes Fever

Infection as a symptom of menopause has been found to be due to the narrowing of the gap between the vagina and urinary opening (urethra). This makes the orifices, i.e. that for urine and vagina closer leading to infection from either way. In some cases, a menopausal woman may the husband of unfaithfulness following such infection which may result from poor hygiene.

Urinary Incontinence:
This is the lack of urine or inability to control urine flow. Estrogen plays a key role in maintaining the function of a woman's vagina and surrounding tissues, uterus, urinary bladder, and urethra. After menopause, however, all of these organs may weaken or shrink. When these changes occur in the bladder and urethra, they can lead to the involuntary leakage of urine, infection or painful urination. Some women have problems with bladder control at post menopause stages. This happens because the muscle surrounding the bladder that hold the urine inside it become weak when estrogen levels are low. Fortunately, simple exercises known as kegel exercises can strengthen these muscles and may even enhance sexual pleasure. Taking estrogen can also help maintain the tone or strength of pelvic muscles.

Bone Loss:
Bone formation is completed by the age of 25 in women. After which, the bone gradually begins to reduce in size; an effect masterminded by hormone called Parathyroid Hormone. Parathyroid Hormone causes bone resorption (thinning of bone), thereby weakening the bones. This gradual process continues throughout life. As the level of estrogen decreases during menopause, the rate of bone loss increases remarkably. This leads to thinning of the bones, bending forward of the backbone as could be seen in some old women and sometimes breakage of bone with little or no trauma (pathological fracture).

Skin Changes:
During menopause, the skin gradually loses its shinny properties due to estrogen reduction. Skin changes as a sign of menopause contributes to wrinkling of the skin as seen mainly in post menopausal women.

Memory Problems:
Women entering menopause sometimes report that they feel fuzzy or are losing their mental sharpness. It is not clear to what extent menopause affects memory, or whether this is a consequence of normal ageing.