GAME CHANGER

To mark World Menopause Day, we look at some of the lesser-known symptoms to help empower women to take ownership of their future

-  LISA BLAKE

Gone are the days when women had to suffer in silence as the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause appeared. Thankfully, it’s a topic now more openly discussed than ever before, but there’s still much to learn. Forewarned is forearmed, so the theme of this year’s World Menopause Day on 18 October is cardiovascular disease and how hormonal changes can impact our hearts.

Dr Paula Briggs, a menopause expert and consultant in sexual and reproductive health, explains that the hormone oestrogen prevents the build-up of a fatty substance called atheroma plaque and reduces inflammation around the heart. As oestrogen levels drop following the menopause, the risks of heart disease can increase.

But heart health is only one area affected by these hormonal changes. Some women develop incontinence problems – oestrogen supports your bladder and urethra, so a reduction can cause pelvic floor muscles to weaken – and ringing in the ears, as the hormone also plays a part in the auditory system.

Other symptoms include the well-known hot flushes, brain fog, insomnia and weight gain, as well as itchy skin, joint pain, skin pigmentation and changes in body odour. But it’s not all bad thanks to relief from period pain and other menstrual symptoms, a decrease in body hair and often a renewed zest for life.