Author: Maria Alfano
Ever find yourself thinking, “Why do I feel so weird during menopause?” Welcome to the new you and the unusual symptoms menopause brings with it.
You recognize the well-known issues of the 3 phases of menopause – hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, problems sleeping…As if these aren’t enough, there’s more.
The hormone changes and imbalances that arise as you waltz through the various stages of perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause create a flurry of unwanted and yet unstoppable symptoms. Some women experience stronger more intense sensations lasting for longer periods of time. Others claim to sachet through each phase without a single issue. Or, do they??
The common symptoms may not be the only ones you are experiencing and you likely don’t associate the others with the “change.” BEWARE of the menopause monsters lurking in the closet.
12 Unusual Menopause Symptoms They Never Told You About
Enquiring women want to know. Can peri-menopause cause weird symptoms? The answer is yes. Everyday health issues that never existed before are suddenly rearing their ugly heads. And, this is mostly due to the downward spiral your hormones have taken.
Some uncommon symptoms of menopause
While these unusual menopause symptoms could very well be related to this next phase of your life, if they get progressively worse contact your primary physician immediately.
1 – Burning Palms
Unbeknownst to me, my very first symptom of perimenopause manifested itself in my mid-30s. Out of nowhere came this heat emanating from the palms of my hands. It felt like the fire was below the skin trying hard to push itself out. The only thing that helped was holding ice cubes.
The sensation didn’t last long but it was frequent and came at the most inopportune times.
2 – Tinnitus
The incessant ringing in your ears that just won’t stop, is called tinnitus (pronounced: tin-it-us). Some days the ringing is almost inaudible and other days it’s so loud it seems to drown out the rest of the world around you.
So many times I used to ask my hubby to put his ears to mine and tell me what he could hear. The ringing is in your head, literally, caused by age-related hearing loss or poor circulation.
Tinnitus produces sounds like
- buzzing
- clicking
- roaring
- hissing
- humming
At this time there is no cure for tinnitus, but I found that having white noise around me, especially at night, helps to cancel out these weird noises in my head.
3 – Vertigo
Loss of balance, clumsiness, spinning head – sound familiar? Perimenopause can make your head feel weird without warning. Getting out of bed too quickly, turning around too swiftly, riding an elevator, or looking up too high can all trigger vertigo.
Rollercoasters used to be my favorite amusement park ride. Today, I can’t even look at them without feeling like my head is going to swirl right off my shoulders.
You can do simple exercises like closing your eyes before you turn around. Sit up in bed and count to 10 before putting your feet on the ground. If you need to look up, try to be a little distant from the object you are looking up at so that your neck is bent too far back.
4 – Itchy skin
Nothing is more irritating than having an itch you can’t reach to scratch. Your lack of estrogen and lack of hydration makes your menopause skin so much more susceptible to dryness. It feels the only thing that will help to get rid of this itchy scratchy feeling is a box grater.
There are creams and lotions that provide temporary relief. The best and most effective ones that help have menthol in them. The soothing feeling of peppermint and the fresh scent relax both the dry skin and your mind.
5 – Vision Problems
Are you finding that your arms aren’t long enough for you to hold that piece of paper far out in front of you to be able to read what looks like ‘fine print’ on the entire page? You could swear that yesterday you were able to read this page – no problem. Surely, it’s your arms that are shrinking!
Hormonal changes cause issues with your eyes. Tear production diminishes and dry, itchy eyes that many folks associate with allergies are now a problem for menopausal women. Without any allergies, your eyes can still feel insatiably itchy. In addition, these hormone changes can lead to poor vision.
6 – Dry Mouth
Waking up with the feeling of sand in your mouth is pretty uncomfortable. The sand pouring down your throat gives you trouble swallowing or even breathing. A dry mouth is not fun.
Some folks taking daily medications can experience this as a bi-product of the meds. But, if you are not taking any prescription pills, and you are having dry mouth syndrome, then you are likely in one of the stages of menopause and you don’t realize it.
There are temporary solutions like toothpaste and mouthwashes, chewing gum, and lozenges that will help relieve these symptoms found at your favorite drug store or online retailer.
7 – Dental problems
Receding gum lines, more cavities, losing a tooth – these are related not only to poor hygiene but also the dry mouth syndrome and the hormonal challenges faced by menopausal women.
Brushing, flossing, and rinsing all are helpful in delaying the decay process. Now is not the time for poor dental habits!
8 – Burning Tongue
The sensation of constantly drinking something so hot that your mouth feels like it’s burnt is known as a burning tongue. This sensation could make your lips feel like they are constantly chapped even though they aren’t. Some women have a metallic taste in their mouths.
For those who choose to do hormone therapy, this symptom may be short-lived.
9 – Chills
So you are overheating and sweating profusely is your body’s way to regulate your body temp. Now your clothes are wet and the air around you is cool and voila! you are cold. Hot, cold, hot, and cold. Your body will not only experience hot flashes, now you have the chills on top of that.
HRT will help with the common menopause symptoms. But in the meantime, you may want to wear layers (weather permitting) so you can remove the sweaty underlayer at work and still look good on the outside. The layers allow you to regulate your temperature and minimize the impact of hot flashes.
10 – Body Odor
Out of nowhere, you suddenly stink! Where is this coming from? Mostly from the constant change in your body temp. You are sweating in places you didn’t know could perspire. Your boobs stink, your armpits smell funky, and even the back of your legs have an unusual odor not to mention your lady bits are leaving something to be desired.
Estrogen was your friend and took good care of you in your younger days. Without it, you’re on your own sister. Thankfully, there are some amazing natural products that can be used all over your body to help control the sweating and funky scents.
11 – Hair Loss
That darn lack of estrogen is at it again. If you are finding that your once luscious, thick head of hair is a little lackluster these days, then it may be due to the changes in your hormones.
If you’re like me, I get clumps of hair in my hand every time I shower. I shed constantly. It feels like there is more hair on my clothes and around the house than there is on my head.
Biotin is a good supplement source to help strengthen both hair and nails.
12 – breast Pain
Almost 1/3 of women over the age of 50 experience breast pain. Your ever-changing hormones cause your milk ducts to dry up and your breasts to sag. Stretched ligaments will give you pause. The side effect of some medications is breast pain. Also, the wrong bra will cause you unwanted pain.
Wearing a full support wireless bra is the first place to start. Comfort over beauty at your age. The good news is there are many beautiful full support bras on the market today.
Natural supplements like primrose oil have been found helpful to reduce breast discomfort.
Can Menopause Cause Body Aches
Joint and muscle pain is common but not commonly recognized as a menopause symptom. The rapid decline in hormones can cause osteoporosis in women. The bone density and muscle mass are significantly reduced and therefore, ladies, you may experience aches and pains.
In Summary
Menopause symptoms are many and they range from the very common to the weird and unusual. The good news is there is help for these unusual menopause symptoms. Whether you decide on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), over-the-counter medications, or natural remedies, relief is on its way.
If you experience symptoms that keep worsening, then don’t delay in contacting your doctor to seek their medical advice before it may be too late.
We would love to hear from you. What is your weird and wacky menopause symptom?