Like the first menstruation, the cessation of menstruation (menopause) is a major event in a woman’s life. It not only marks the basic abolition of the main functions of the uterus and the end of natural fertility, but is also accompanied by a series of health problems. As the years go by, it is better to escape than to face it, and it is better to complain than to adapt! Recognize menopause and work hand in hand with menopause. It is often said that a man’s 40th birthday is a hurdle, usually referring to his career. In fact, a woman’s 40th birthday is also a hurdle, especially physiologically. Although the monthly physiological phenomenon is still maintained, but the skin has been a little dull, the temper began to be irritable, the number of times to the hospital …… menopause, really is coming. Life is so marvelous, from a small fertilized egg to a croaking baby, and then to early childhood, youth, middle age, old age …… This is an irresistible law of nature. Human life is a process of constant change and constant adaptation. Menopause is an important part of a woman’s life and is something that every normal woman has to go through, so the best way to approach menopause is: adapt to it. As children who are still far away from menopause, they should also understand some characteristics of women in this stage, so as to understand her. So, when does a woman begin to enter menopause? What are the typical symptoms of menopause? It is generally believed that after the age of 40, if a woman’s menstrual period begins to be disturbed, it is a signal of the beginning of menopause. Perimenopause refers to the period from the decline of the ovaries to 1 year after menopause, which usually starts at the age of 40 and lasts for 10 to 20 years. As the target tissues of estrogen, the genitourinary, cardiovascular and skeletal systems undergo a series of changes, leading to corresponding symptoms, such as urinary tract infections, vaginal dryness or vaginitis, uterine prolapse, the development of cardiovascular disease, and bouts of hot flashes, irritability, and psychological abnormalities. These symptoms are collectively known as perimenopausal syndrome (formerly known as menopausal syndrome). According to statistics, in the period before and after menopause, 90% of women have perimenopausal syndrome, only that the degree of symptoms varies from woman to woman, and is greatly influenced by factors such as social environment and personality traits. The vast majority of women are able to adapt to and pass through this period through self-regulation and appropriate health care services. However, 10% to 15% of women have more serious symptoms, which may even affect their normal life and work. 1, menstrual disorders In perimenopausal syndrome, the earliest feeling or most women have to experience is menstrual disorders. In most cases, the menstrual cycle is gradually prolonged, the amount of menstruation is gradually reduced, and finally menopause occurs. In some cases, the menstrual cycle becomes irregular, with longer periods, heavier periods, or even heavy or continuous bleeding, and then gradually decreases until it stops. There are also a few women whose menstruation stops suddenly. Hot flashes and night sweating Hot flashes and sweating are the most prominent characteristic symptoms of perimenopausal women besides menstrual disorders, which is the manifestation of unstable vasodilatory function. Hot flashes usually start from the chest, surge to the head and neck, and then spread all over the body, and in a few women, they are limited to the head, neck and breasts. The skin in the area of the hot flashes becomes red, and the patient experiences a distinct burning sensation followed by an outbreak of sweating. The hot flashes and sweating can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes, ranging from a few times a day to 30 to 50 times a day, and are likely to occur at night or during times of stress, giving the person a feeling of being out of control. Hot flashes and sweating can last for 1 year, sometimes up to 5 years or even longer. Palpitation Palpitation is “panic”, which is also one of the common manifestations of menopause syndrome. When there is a sudden movement in the outside world, sometimes the movement is not big, but you will feel a panic, the heart rate instantly accelerated, and sometimes it takes a long time to regain calm. The results of electrocardiogram and even plate exercise test are often normal. 4, back pain back pain is also a common manifestation of menopausal women, is the early symptoms of osteoporosis. Early bone loss occurs in the spine, under the action of gravity, the vertebrae have a tendency to be compressed, hunching over seems to be more comfortable. However, people are used to lifting their chests and heads, which leads to a constant tension in the “erector spinae” muscle to counteract this tendency to compress. Continuous muscle contraction, over time will produce back pain. 5, osteoporosis If osteoporosis continues to develop, osteoporotic fractures (such as femoral neck fractures) may occur. In fact, osteoporosis due to the decline of ovarian function is the most devastating of the menopausal syndromes and the one that requires the most intervention. Osteoporosis is an important factor in the increased mortality and decreased quality of life of postmenopausal women. Sensory abnormalities Sensory abnormalities are also more common in menopausal women, including a feeling of floating and drunkenness when walking, and a feeling of vertigo or fear when ascending heights. Sometimes the skin may have abnormal sensations, such as ants or itching. Others may experience a foreign body sensation in the throat, which cannot be swallowed or spit out, but is actually an abnormal contraction of the throat muscles due to autonomic dysfunction. A few people will also have smell, taste, hearing abnormalities. Personality changes and abnormal state of mind are also more common in menopausal women. The most common symptom is paranoia, a personality trait that was not present in some women when they were younger but is very pronounced in menopause. Suspiciousness will seriously affect interpersonal relationships, bring distress to themselves, and make it difficult for people around them to understand. 7, sexual behavior change Sexual behavior change is also a common problem in menopause. With the increase of age, women’s reproductive ability gradually decreases. Although menopause is a signal of the end of reproductive ability, it does not indicate the end of women’s sexual demand and sexual response ability. On the contrary, when women realize that they are about to enter menopause, out of the desire to “catch the tail of youth”, some of them may have an increased libido, as the saying goes, “A man is like a wolf in his thirties and a woman is like a tiger in her forties”. Of course, there are also some women due to the decline in hormone levels or due to the existence of gynecological diseases, resulting in decreased libido. And after menopause can be due to vaginal folds and secretions reduce the pain of sexual intercourse, and thus tired of sex; there are also some women affected by the traditional concept of sexual behavior and childbearing, that the child has grown up, and then carry out sexual activities is very shameful and so on.