Physical Symptoms of Menopause

Whichever way you arrive at menopause, it’s very possible but not inevitable, that alongside the better-known stars of menopause – hot flushes & night sweats, you may experience some unexpected physical symptoms that you hadn’t connected with your impending menopause. 

You may find joint pain creeps in, breast pain ramps up, tinnitus and dizziness kick in. Hormones are at play and once you’ve joined the dots, you can tackle your symptoms in a way that suits your experience, health history and lifestyle.

Find out more about some of the lesser-known physical symptoms of menopause.

Why do physical symptoms happen in menopause?

Approaching perimenopause as hormone levels go into flux, a wave of physical symptoms may strike seemingly from nowhere! Why?

Post-puberty, the body courses with reproductive hormones including oestrogen, that’s picked up by oestrogen receptors to keep the body and mind, healthy and well. These oestrogen receptors are found from the top of your head - in the brain - in organs, the cardiovascular system, bones and skin, essentially all over the body.

As those hormone levels start to go haywire, the receptors fail to detect a supply and the first physical signs that change is coming, months or years before menopause, may be experienced. No part of the body is excluded, whilst it’s unlikely that you’ll experience every symptom - periods change, headaches emerge, joints start to ache, breasts ache, ears ring and toes tingle - you may well notice odd things happening which you hadn’t linked with menopause.

Change may be slow for anyone going through a natural menopause but will be sudden if you go into menopause because of surgical or medical treatments

Who knew that oestrogen did so much? Find out how it can impact on different parts of your body and what you can do to deal with symptoms of your menopause.