How to Spot the Early Symptoms of Menopause

13 Aug 2025

Menopause refers to a natural, biological process which marks the end to a woman’s reproductive years. This phase typically occurs between 45 and 55 years in most women, while some women might experience early menopause signs before the phase officially begins. These early menopause signs are often known as perimenopause, which is often mistaken or confused by most for other health issues. Read on this blog to find out what all goes on within your body during the phase of menopause.

Understanding Menopause and Perimenopause

Menopause is defined as having no menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months, typically occurring in midlife. It signifies the cessation of fertility and is caused by decreasing oestrogen and progesterone levels in a female body.

We can refer to the perimenopause phase as a transitional phase since it precedes menopause. It will typically take between some months to several years and during that time changes in hormones will be extreme, hence it will cause a series of symptoms.

What is the proper age for menopause?

Menopause typically occurs between ages 45 and 55, but the average age for menopause is 51 years. Moreover, this depends on your lifestyle, health conditions and genetics.

• Perimenopause: We can identify this phase as a transition phase since it ends up in menopause and generally occurs in your 40s. At this time, hormonal imbalances trigger irregular periods and produce early symptoms like mood swings and hot flashes.
• Early menopause: Very few women will experience menopause even prior to the age of 40, this usually occurs because of genetic reasons, diseases or chemotherapy treatments.
• Delayed or late menopause: Very few women will have menopause post the age of 55, hence it is regarded as delayed. Usually, it would lead to more health problems like uterine and breast cancer.

When a female does not have her period for 12 consecutive months in later stages of life, it is referred to as menopause. If you worry about your age, meet an experienced gynaecologist to receive personalised guidance and effective treatment to cope with your menopause.

Areas That Hurt During Menopause

Menopause will give you a few aches and pains because of changes in your hormones, especially the loss of oestrogen levels. Moreover, let’s consider the usual areas that ache during menopause:

• Joints and muscles: Many women experience joint pain and stiffness, which is commonly referred to as joint pain associated with menopause. Additionally, muscle aching and weakness are the most common ones, making movement painful.
• Head and Migraines: Hormonal changes will lead to recurring headaches or migraines, particularly for those who experienced them during menstruation.
• Breasts: Some women experience painful or tender breasts, similar to the symptoms of PMS, but without a regular cycle.
• Bones and back: With the decline in oestrogen levels, your lower back pain will be aggravated, which will raise the risk of osteoporosis. Bone weakening can lead to stiffness in joints and fractures in the long run.
• Pelvic area and vagina: Sexual pain will be triggered because of vaginal dryness and thinning of the tissues. Not many women will have pelvic pressure or pain due to changes in the reproductive system.

If your menopausal discomfort is interfering with your everyday life, discuss with your doctor about treatments like hormone therapy, exercise and dietary modifications to relieve your menopause symptoms.

Identifying Early Signs of Menopause

Let’s find out about the most common signs of menopause:

• Irregular periods: The most common noticeable sign of menopause is irregular periods when your period cycle starts getting shorter, longer, heavier or lighter.
• Hot flushes and night sweats: Unexpected heat waves with sweating will strike anytime. Most importantly, night sweats will disturb your sleep and lead to fatigue.
• Sleep disturbances: Some women severely experience insomnia or repeated wakefulness during the night because of hot flashes or hormonal changes.
• Mood swings and irritability: Hormonal fluctuations can lead to depression, anxiety or excess irritability, just like PMS but worse.
• Vaginal dryness: Low levels of oestrogen will cause insufficient vaginal lubrication, which will cause pain during sex and increase the risk of infections.
• Reduced libido: Some women experience decreased sex drive as a result of hormonal changes and dryness of the vagina.
• Weight gain and slowed metabolism: Hormonal changes will cause fat deposition, particularly around the mid-abdominal area, which can lead to menopause and weight gain.
• Hair thinning and dry skin: Oestrogen helps sustain hair and skin health; which is why when oestrogen starts to decrease; it will result in loss or thinning of hair, and a dry, itchy skin.
• Breast tenderness: Just like PMS, some women experience tenderness and swelling of their breasts, primarily caused by fluctuations in hormones.
• Urinary incontinence: Weak pelvic muscles and thinning of the lining of the urinary tract will lead to frequent urination or leakage while sneezing or laughing.
• Headaches and migraines: Worse or more frequent migraines will be experienced by women who are already more susceptible to headaches due to fluctuations in oestrogen levels.
• Muscle and joint pain: Oestrogen is anti-inflammatory, and as it decreases joint pain and stiffness, and muscle pain will occur.
• Brain fog and memory problems: Problems with concentration, forgetfulness and mental exhaustion are the most prevalent symptoms that occur during perimenopause.
• Digestive issue: Additionally, hormonal transformation will also impact your digestive health, leading to bloating gas and altered digestion.
• Menstrual flow alterations: You can experience changes in your periods such as it will get heavier or lighter and you might even skin months before they completely stop.

How does early menopause feel?

During early menopause, you will experience physical and emotional strain because of sudden hormonal changes. Those women will also feel symptoms like natural menopause, but more severe and surprising.

Physical signs:

• Unpredictable periods: Your monthly cycle will be irregular or cease right away.
• Hot flashes: Rapid heat sensation, discomfort and profuse sweating.
• Fatigue: Persistent tiredness and lack of energy.
• Sleep disturbances: Frequent night wakefulness or insomnia resulting from night sweats.
• Vaginal dryness: Feeling severe pain during intimacy and more infections.
• Weight gain: Especially around the region of the belly which will lead to menopause and weight gain.

Emotional signs:

• Mood swings: Irritability, feeling unexplainedly sad or being nervous.
• Depression: Difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness or inability to make decisions.
• Loss of libido: Because of hormonal changes, you won’t feel like being intimate.

Early menopause aggravates the risks of heart disease, osteoporosis and fertility issues. Once you start experiencing these signs, see a healthcare provider at once for effective treatment including lifestyle changes or hormone therapies for smooth management of this transition of your life. As this sudden change typically occurs during menopause, it is quite normal to go through both physical and emotional strains. This is why it is crucial to deal with these challenges effectively with proper care and treatment.

Does menopause have a relief?

Relief from menopause is centred on controlling symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes, sleep disturbances and night sweats. Modifying one’s lifestyle, hormone therapy or alternative treatments can help to alleviate the process.

A balanced diet containing sufficient vitamin D, calcium and phytoestrogen from flaxseeds and soy will significantly help in hormonal balance and relief during menopause. Adequate hydration and cutting down on spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol help prevent hot flashes, and offers relief during menopause. Regular exercise such as yoga and strength training improves mood, bone density and the quality of sleep, and also yields menopause relief.

In addition, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a key player in menopause relief, but never forget that it must be administered only under medical supervision. In simple words, drugs significantly aid in the management of hot flashes and menopause relief.

Mindfulness, meditation and deep breathing can ease stress, facilitate menopause relief and improve emotional health. Getting good sleep, controlling your stress levels and keeping your weight healthy are very important for overall wellbeing and menopause relief. Even counselling and support groups have a significant role in coping with this turning point in life.

Seeking out healthcare professionals ensures an individualised treatment for menopause relief, treating symptoms while preserving long term health.

Are weight gain and menopause related?

Yes, Menopause can contribute to changes in body fat distribution and metabolism, which, along with ageing, may make weight management more challenging. During this stage, oestrogen will decrease, causing your metabolism to slow down and leading to menopause and weight gain, particularly around the waistline. Lower oestrogen also causes the body to store fat differently, transferring it from the thighs and hips to the abdomen. Additionally, decreasing oestrogen levels will lead to insulin resistance, which will easily cause you to gain weight, and you will struggle to lose the weight.

Even ageing itself takes a big part, since muscle mass naturally declines with age. Muscles burn more calories than fat, and losing muscle slows down the metabolism, leading to menopause and weight gain. Stress and poor sleep are the usual problems that occur during menopause, elevated levels of cortisol due to stress induce fat storage, and inadequate sleep will impact hunger hormones and spike the cravings for junk food.

For weight gain and menopause management, a balanced diet containing fibre, lean proteins and healthy fats is important. Moreover, regular exercise and strength training help in maintaining muscle mass and promoting metabolism. Besides, prioritising sleep and managing stress can create a significant difference.

In short, menopause makes weight management extremely challenging, but healthy lifestyle patterns can help maintain a healthy weight and overall wellbeing.

How to deal with early signs of menopause?

Lifestyle modifications:

• Balanced diet: Attempt to consume whole grain foods, lean proteins and healthy fats.
• Get regular exercise: Yoga, cardio and strength training exercises can help balance hormones.
• Stay hydrated: To prevent bloating and keep your skin healthy, drink adequate water.
• Get good sleep: Follow a regular sleep schedule to improve your sleep quality.

Medicines:

• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): Help balance oestrogen and ease symptoms.
• Vaginal oestrogen therapy: Decreases vaginal dryness and discomfort.

Whenever you find that your symptoms are turning serious or interfering in your everyday life, or menopause starts before 40 years of age, visit a private gynaecologist in London for advice and to receive effective treatment.

Will I experience periods after menopause?

No, after menopause treatment, you will never have your periods. As we stated earlier, Menopause is confirmed when you have gone 12 consecutive months without a period. From this time onwards, your ovaries will not release eggs, and Your oestrogen and progesterone levels will remain at lower levels, which means your menstruation does not reappear.

In rare case, if you bleed after menopause, it may be caused by:

• Hormonal changes (such as treatment with hormone replacement therapy)
• Vaginal dryness or thinning of tissues (leading to spotting)
• Uterine fibroids or polyps (non-cancerous growths)
• Endometrial hyperplasia (where the uterus lining thickens)
• More severe complications like uterine cancer

If you observe yourself bleeding even after menopause, consult a doctor right away to figure out the original problem. While a few such cases may be harmless, others need prompt medical attention. 

Conclusion

Menopause is among the natural phenomena occurring in women’s lives, but its premature symptoms can be really perplexing and disturbing. Learning about what to anticipate and how to cope with symptoms can make this transition period easier and less painful. Furthermore, premature or early menopause may result because of some disease, genetic factor or lifestyle choices like smoking. When experiencing much discomfort, never hesitate to seek medical counsel. Also, remember that menopause is not the end, it is just a new beginning – so learn to welcome that part of your life. Contact South Kensington MD to see our expert GPs and specialists if you want further help with menopause.