8 Unusual Signs of the Menopause
Menopause expert Dr. Katie Hodgkinson shares the menopause symptoms such as cold flushes, gum disease, electric shocks, tinnitus, a burning tongue, itchy skin (formication) and altered spatial awareness that often get undetected or incorrectly attributed to other health conditions.
You can listen to real women discussing symptoms of menopause in highlights of our Menopause Roundtable, hosted by Sarah Parish, and hormone health expert Dr. Hodgkinson explains these and other less common menopause symptoms.
Early Signs of Menopause
The years leading up to and including the menopause is a time of great hormonal change. Periods usually stop between the age of 45 to 55 but this can occur earlier or later than this. The transition into menopause (the perimenopause) where the balance of hormones starts to shift is generally several years before menopause, and in some cases as long as 14 years before.
Some women may experience surgically induced menopause, often prompted by a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) or oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries). This can happen to women at any age and can sometimes be more intense than menopause as the body doesn't have time to gradually adjust to declining hormonal levels. Learn more about surgical-induced menopause.
You may be interested in our blog 'Get menopause ready in your 30s' or exploring our Menopause Hub.
Free nutritionist advice: Create your Diet Profile.
As a result of changes in hormone activity and altered hormone levels a variety of symptoms can occur. On average women will experience 10 symptoms of menopause, and 25% of women will experience debilitating symptoms that can affect their quality of life. Others on the other hand will sail through the menopause with the blink of an eye! Read more in 'The 10 most common symptoms of menopause'.
Some of the more well-known symptoms of the perimenopause and menopause for which supplements and treatments are available include mood changes, weight gain, brain fog and hot flushes. A consumer survey by DR.VEGAN of over 1,000 women during March 2022 highlighted the impact of menopause on mental health, as shown here:
Read more on the mental health effects of menopause.
8 Unusual Menopause Symptoms
Here are examples of the lesser known or more unusual menopause symptoms which can occur during the menopause. (There may be other potential causes of these symptoms and it is advisable to have them checked out if they persist or worsen):
1. Feeling of insects crawling on the skin (formication)
The itchy skin sensation is a tactile hallucination which means that there is a physical sensation but with no physical cause. This menopausal hallucination can be annoying, and may present with a painful or mild to severe itch. Learn more in 'Survey exposes shocking effects of menopause'.
2. Burning tongue
This can present with symptoms of a metallic taste, dryness, tingling and a soreness. A burning tongue can sometimes be a severe menopause symptom where the mouth is scalded, causing great discomfort. It is thought to be as a result of activation of pain-sensitive nerve cells surrounding the taste buds in the tongue that can occur as a result of lowered oestrogen. The discomfort can also occur in specific areas such as the roof of mouth or lips, or be widespread around the mouth.
3. Altered spatial awareness
A consumer survey by DR.VEGAN showed that up to 20% of women can be affected by altered spatial awareness. Changes in the perception of depth of vision can occur, which can affect the awareness of surroundings. This can lead to clumsiness or being more accident prone. Dry eyes and reduced concentration at this time can also contribute to this.
4. Body odour
Hot flushes and night sweats can result in odour developing as the bacteria on the skin comes in contact with the sweat. A change in vaginal mucus as a result of declining oestrogen can alter the balance of friendly microbes in this area. This can alter the consistency, volume and smell of any discharge. There is an increased likelihood of vaginal infections, such as thrush which can smell. However there can be a heightened sense of smell in the menopause, and so the odour you can detect may not be anything that anyone else would notice!
A lack of oestrogen is also the main cause of vaginal atrophy (VA) which commonly occurs after perimenopause or menopause - learn more in 'What is vaginal atrophy'.
5. Tinnitus and menopause
This is the sensation of hearing sounds that aren’t actually present, such as ringing, whooshing or clicking. This can range from being a mild annoyance to being profoundly disturbing.
Fluctuations in the severity of tinnitus may be linked to the rise and fall of hormone levels. It is possible that hormonal changes in the lead up to menopause may have an impact on the start of tinnitus, although a direct cause and effect link is yet to be established.
6. Electric shocks
These mild to severe jolts of pain commonly occur just before a hot flush but can be at other times too. They can feel like a shock of electricity passing through the body. Although the cause of these shocks is not completely understood, they are thought to be down to neurons misfiring in the nervous system which can be as a result of hormonal change.
Hear more on how electric shocks and other symptoms can affect you in highlights of our 'Menopause Roundtable' - real women discussing menopause and helping #BreakTheTaboo.
7. Gum disease
A drop in oestrogen can result in a dry mouth and reduced saliva. When there is less saliva to wash away the bacteria in the mouth, then gum disease as well as tooth decay may occur. Gums may bleed more easily or become very sensitive.
8. Cold flushes
While many women will report hot flushes, some will experience cold flushes or shivers. Hormonal changes in the perimenopause and menopause can alter the function of the hypothalamus. This is the part of the brain that regulates body temperature.
Cold flushes can occur spontaneously or after a hot flush, and symptoms such as feeling chilled and shivering can be exacerbated by wearing damp clothes from sweating. Hot flushes are among the 12 most common symptoms of menopause.
Conclusion
These are just some of the unusual but not completely uncommon symptoms of menopause which can be alongside the more common symptoms of menopause. If you are experiencing them, you're not alone so you don't need to be unduly alarmed, and if you are concerned or find symptoms worsening or persisting, consult your healthcare practitioner or GP.
Your diet can also help support you and ease symptoms through menopause - read our blog 'Nutrition for menopause'.
You may also enjoy 'The mental health effects of menopause' and 'How gut health changes during menopause'.
Dr. Katie Hodgkinson is a GP specialising in lifestyle medicine and in particular the effects on hormones on the body.
*Based on a UK survey conducted by DR.VEGAN® of 1026 women, nationally representative, during March 2022. All customer survey findings reflect our own efforts and have not been influenced or verified by any external organisations or third-party entities.
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