Okay, maybe not. Weight gain, hot flashes, and night sweats get all the press, but believe it or not, these other symptoms can all accompany perimenopause and menopause, too. And they may be more common than you realize. Here’s what you might want to know.
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Dr. Erica Montes, MD, notes that estrogen is involved in the production of natural oils that keep skin moisturized. “The lack of collagen and natural oils can cause your skin to become thin and itchy,” says Dr. Montes, an OB/GYN in Scottsdale, Arizona an advisor for pH-D Feminine Health.
Systemic hormone therapy can help with the flagging hormone levels that are the root cause, according to Dr. Jordan. However, you could also try applying thick moisturizers or ointments or medicated creams to your skin. In some cases, a steroid ointment like hydrocortisone or a topical estrogen cream could provide some relief, too.
Ear itchiness is not a super common symptom, but it does happen. “I’ve seen it, and I’ve seen it respond beautifully to hormone therapy,” says Dr. Jordan.
Diabetes? No. Circulation issues? Also no. But the beginning of the pain matched up with the onset of menopause, and Dr. Tahery had an idea. “We put her on estrogen, saying, ‘we don’t know exactly why this happens, but if it’s hormonal, it will get better,” says Dr. Tahery. “And sure enough, we put her on hormones, and she got better.”
3. Joint pain
Dr. Tahery also hears several patients complaining about joint pain. Sometimes it’s specific pain, but often, it’s generalized joint pain, often accompanied by fatigue.
According to Dr. Davidson, joint pain is increasingly being recognized as a component of menopause. In fact, it’s now being called “musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause.”
Research recently conducted by a team from Duke University suggests a possible link between a drop in estrogen and frozen shoulder. Their research found that menopausal women who received hormone therapy were less likely to develop adhesive capsulitis, which suggests that hormone therapy could be protective against adhesive capsulitis in menopausal women.
Related: The Test You Still Need to Get After Menopause, According to OB/GYNs
Other Symptoms You Might Not Associate With Menopause
But of course, other changes can occur that you may or may not associate with the hormonal decreases that occur during perimenopause and menopause.
You might not make the connection between psychiatric changes and hormonal changes, either. Hormones like estrogen and progesterone affect neurotransmitters in the brain, and fluctuations in these hormones can affect your memory and your executive function.
The drop in hormones can also cause changes in your mood. As a result, you’re at a much greater risk of developing anxiety or depression.
Doctors urge women to pay attention to new or changing symptoms and talk to their healthcare providers about them.
Hormone therapy may be an option to consider. “I think the thing that people don’t realize is that estrogen is so important for every organ system in our bodies, so when it declines, our overall health can decline along with it,” says Dr. Montes.
Related: I'm a Dermatologist—This is the One Treatment That Can Turn Back the Clock on Dry, Itchy Menopausal Skin
Sources:
Can menopause cause foot problems? Podiatry Centers of MarylandDr. Amberly Davidson, MD, OB/GYN with HerMDDoes risk for anxiety increase during the menopausal transition? Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), MenopauseFrozen shoulder, American Academy of Orthopaedic SurgeonsIs hormone replacing therapy associated with reduced risk of adhesive capsulitis in menopausal women? a single center analysis, Orthopaedic Journal of Sports MedicineDr. Kathleen Jordan, MD, chief medical officer at Midi HealthDr. Barbara Levy, MD, OB/GYN and medical officer at Visana HealthDr. Erica Montes, MD, an OB/GYN in Arizona an advisor for pH-D Feminine Health.Dr. Tami Rowen, MD, an OB/GYN with UCSF Obstetrics and Gynecology and medical expert for RoonSex hormones affect neurotransmitters and shape the adult female brain during hormonal transition periods, Frontiers in NeuroscienceDr. Michael Taherym MD, an OB/GYN and urogynecologist in Los Angeles Read More Details
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