There has been a drastic increase in the number of negative opinions people have regarding the menopause.
That’s according to a study conducted by digital women’s wellness magazine, Living 360. The majority of the statistics collected from the research reveal that women would like to be better informed about the menopause so that they will know any palliative measures they can take to alleviate any symptoms they may experience. These can include experiences hot flashes and night sweats which can leave them experiencing sudden feelings of heat and tingling on their face, neck and chest.
According to the results of the investigation, nearly all those who took part in the survey were unsure of what to expect if they had a sudden onset of menopausal symptoms. This can cause delays in them looking to acquire medical care when they really need it. Just under three quarters of those who took part were unclear of what to expect if they went out to seek medical attention which could leave them in a precarious position when they don’t know if the treatment, they have received is adequate or not.
KEY FACTS
• 90% of pre-menopausal women report wanting to know more about menopause before it starts and, overall, 95% of women believe education and awareness of menopause needs to be improved for those yet to go through it.
• 70% of pre-menopausal women feel uninformed about the changes and symptoms to expect.
• Over 60% of women feel uninformed about the healthcare choices available during and after perimenopause, with women in perimenopause and post-menopause continuing to not know (63.1% and 64.2% respectively).
• Feelings of negativity towards menopause increase while going through it, with research revealing negativity rises from 28% to 61% in perimenopausal women and 22% to 37.9% in postmenopausal women.
• Young women today feel more negatively about menopause than those before them, as 54.1% of pre-menopausal women reported feeling negatively about this stage of life, in comparison to 22% and 28%, as detailed above.
Other symptoms that women can experience if they suffer from the menopause include:
Anxiety
Changes in mood – such as low mood or irritability
Changes in skin conditions, including dryness or increase in oiliness and onset of adult acne
Difficulty sleeping – this may make you feel tired and irritable during the day
Discomfort during sex
Feelings of loss of self
Hair loss or thinning
Headaches or migraines
Hot flushes – short, sudden feelings of heat, usually in the face, neck and chest, which can make your skin red and sweaty
Increase in facial hair
Joint stiffness, aches and pains
Loss of self-confidence
Night sweats – hot flushes that occur at night
Palpitations – heartbeats that suddenly become more noticeable
Problems with memory, concentration and ‘brain fog’
Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), such as cystitis
Urge and stress incontinence
Reduced sex drive (libido)
Tinnitus
Vaginal dryness and pain
People who experience any of the above symptoms are strongly encouraged to speak to their GP who will be able to easily confirm whether or not they are going through the menopause.
Living360 editor Mattie Lacey-Davidson says: “The fact that women can go through perimenopause, which often lasts years, and still come away feeling uninformed about the healthcare choices available to them is shocking. The government and the NHS need to be doing more to help women.”
Mattie says: “It’s a missed opportunity that the NHS Health Checks available every five years to anyone aged 40 to 74 (without certain pre-existing conditions) fail to mention menopause.”
The NHS Health Checks consist of a few basic measurements: height, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol; and lifestyle questions that can contribute to poor health such as smoking, drinking and exercise.
Mattie concludes: “Menopause is often compared to puberty but, in fact, it’s much more of a drastic change than that. There’s no other time a person in the UK would be expected to deal with such a variety of serious physical and mental health symptoms without regular medical support.”
