13 Surprising Menopause Symptoms

Finally, we're talking about it: all of the strange symptoms that can start happening to women around age 40 and beyond. This is the time when most women start dealing with perimenopause symptoms caused by changing hormones – and as you ride this hormonal rollercoaster towards peak menopause, these symptoms can linger, and you can experience plenty of new ones that you may not realise are connected to your hormones.

Things like hot flushes and night sweats are talked about all the time when it comes to menopause, but lots of other changes occur during this time, and they might feel random or even confusing, since they're not talked about as often.

In need of relief from your menopause symptoms? Experts share some lesser-known, surprising menopause symptoms, plus what you can do to feel better.

What Is Menopause?

First, we have to talk about perimenopause – this is the phase leading up to menopause, when many women start to experience symptoms as their hormones begin to change, such as a plummet in oestrogen, explains Dr Sherry Ross, an obstetrician-gynaecologist and women's health expert. Menopause is when you naturally stop having periods, which brings hormonal changes such as an even steeper drop in oestrogen production.

Surprising Symptoms of Menopause

Understanding what's happening in your body during menopause is one key to healthy ageing and feeling your best during this time. If your symptoms are interfering with your day-to-day or you're just uncomfortable, it's important to talk to your doctor. Whether or not they're related to menopause, there may be treatment options available to help, and it's ideal to get personalised advice.

Dry Skin

That drop in oestrogen can impact your skin's ability to retain moisture and produce collagen and elastin (two factors that help give skin a youthful appearance), causing dry skin, explains Dr Ife Rodney, a dermatologist. "Your skin also produces less sebum (or oil), which can also lead to dryness," she says.

Washing with a mild cleanser and applying a moisturiser with hyaluronic acid or glycerin after a bath or shower, and throughout the day, can be helpful, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Sleep Issues

A decline in the hormone progesterone in menopause, as well as hot flushes, can disrupt sleep, says Dr Lauren Streicher, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynaecology. Following a set bedtime routine, keeping your bedroom at a comfortable temperature and getting regular exercise may help, too, according to the US National Institute on Aging.

Muscle and Joint Pain

Because oestrogen helps support joint and muscle health and can help control inflammation, you may notice that your muscles and joints hurt when oestrogen declines, says Dr Streicher. While Dr Streicher says that menopausal hormone therapy can help, she also suggests doing your best to maintain a healthy weight, as this takes some load off your joints – low-impact exercises can help with both weight maintenance and joint issues.

Breast Changes

There are oestrogen receptors in your breast tissue, which means a drop in oestrogen can lead to breast changes, Dr Streicher says. "Some people get increased breast tenderness and fullness during perimenopause," she says. While there's not much you can do about this symptom, hormone therapy may counteract some of it.

Dry Mouth

Many women may have a drop in saliva flow in menopause, causing dry mouth, says Dr Streicher. What's behind this? The mouth and salivary glands contain oestrogen receptors, and those can be impacted by the drop in oestrogen that naturally comes with menopause, Dr Streicher says. Doing your best to stay well hydrated may help, she says.

Changing Taste Buds

Fluctuating hormone levels can mess with your taste buds, and so can dry mouth, Dr Streicher says. One small study even found that significantly more women who had been through menopause couldn't identify the taste of sugar at low concentrations, as well as some bitter tastes, compared with women who hadn't been through menopause. This is another symptom that hormone therapy may be able to mitigate.

Body Odor

If you notice a change in the way you smell, new body odour may tell you something about your health – in this case, that you could be in menopause. "We have oestrogen receptors in the skin, including in sweat glands," Dr Streicher says. That means your natural scent may change as your levels of oestrogen drop. "You also have people who are sweating more due to hot flushes – and that can lead to body odour," Dr Streicher says. Outside of hormone therapy, wearing layers that can be removed when you're hot may help, although that's not a perfect solution.

Brittle Nails

Dropping oestrogen levels can impact the production of keratin and collagen, proteins responsible for nail strength, Dr Rodney says. Thyroid issues are also common in menopause, and those can impact the strength of your nails, Dr Streicher says. Internal and external hydration (for example, lathering up with a good hand lotion) is just one tip that can help strengthen nails. Dr Rodney adds that you may also want to make sure you're loading up on foods for strong nails. Talk to your doctor for personalised advice on this.

Dizziness

Dizziness can be a sign of a lot of different health issues, which makes it important not to dismiss it as 'just' being due to menopause, Dr Streicher says. But it can also be a symptom of this life phase, thanks to changes in oestrogen levels and insomnia, she says. "If you have severe dizziness, I would make sure that nothing else is going on," Dr Streicher underscores. In other words, call or visit your doctor.

Numbness or Tingling

Hormonal changes in menopause, such as the drop in oestrogen, can lead to a numb, tingling feeling in some areas of the skin – also known as paraesthesia – Dr Streicher says. Oestrogen supports healthy nerve function and, when levels drop, you can become vulnerable to nerve issues. Like dizziness, this symptom is one of many that could be attributed to other causes, and is best discussed with your doctor if it persists.

Vaginal Dryness

Your vagina is full of hormone receptors, and they're under-stimulated when you go through menopause, Dr Streicher says, which can trigger vaginal dryness. That can lead to symptoms like pain during sex, and burning or irritation. In addition to hormone therapy, using hormonal and non-hormonal vulval and vaginal creams may help, she says. Just keep this in mind, as Dr Streicher notes: "A lot of women do require a prescription product." So, talk to your doctor if this one is an issue for you.

Brain Fog

This is more common in perimenopause and early menopause, Dr Streicher says. "You have oestrogen receptors throughout the brain," she says. Going through the hormonal changes linked with perimenopause and menopause can impact your ability to think clearly as a result, she says, resulting in frustrating brain fog. "This can be treated with hormone therapy, and is a huge reason why many women take hormone therapy," Dr Streicher says.

Changes in Bowel Habits

There are a few reasons why you may notice a change in your bowel habits. For one, "there are oestrogen receptors throughout the gut," Dr Streicher says, so changes in oestrogen levels in your body may impact your bowel habits. But there also may be changes to your gut microbiome over time, she says. The best way to try to combat this is to focus on eating a healthy, varied diet that contains plenty of high-fibre foods, Dr Streicher says.

Treatments for Menopause Symptoms

While there are individual things you can do for each symptom, doctors stress that hormone therapy, previously known as hormone replacement therapy, can help with many of them. "Hormone replacement therapy is most effective in treating disruptive hot flushes, insomnia or any menopausal symptoms negatively affecting a woman's quality of life," Dr Ross says. Hormone therapy helps to raise the levels of oestrogen, or oestrogen and progesterone, in your body.

Dr Streicher agrees. There are different forms of hormone therapy, including oral and topical formulas, she points out. If you're interested in trying hormone therapy, it's best to talk to your doctor about next steps.