Three out of four women experience symptoms of menopause but do not receive treatment. Many women feel as though their legitimate concerns and experiences are being gaslit or invalidated. This can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening for women who are already dealing with the physical and emotional challenges of menopause, according to a UK based survey.
Common symptoms of menopause include changes in your period, hot flashes, bladder control issues, sleep issues, shifts in your vaginal health and sexuality, mood changes and a general feeling that your body feels different.
While these symptoms are well known, researchers found that nearly 75% of women report atypical symptoms that are not widely associated with menopause such as:
- joint pain – discomfort, swelling or warmth in a joint
- dry eyes – eyes don’t make enough tears to stay wet, causing a dry, gritty or burning sensation in the eyes
- heart palpitations – pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly
- issues with hair loss and thinning – hair feels exceptionally dry, noticeable thinning and hair falls out easily
“Half the time women don’t even realize their symptoms relate to menopause,” shares Maryon Stewart, author of Manage Your Menopause Naturally. “For example, many women often don’t associate common symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia or brain fog with menopause. They simply feel it’s part of the aging process or the result of stress.”
“According to a Mayo Clinic Survey in 2019 only 7% of doctors and gynecologists feel adequately educated to help women going through menopause,” Stewart continues. “Women often get fobbed off with antidepressants or sleeping pills or are simply told it’s part of the aging process.”
It is not uncommon for women experiencing symptoms of menopause to feel unheard or dismissed by the medical system. It is important for medical professionals to take women’s menopause symptoms seriously and to provide appropriate care and treatment. This includes listening to women’s concerns, conducting thorough assessments, and offering a range of options for symptom management.
If a woman feels as though her medical provider is devaluing her medical concerns she should find a new provider immediately. Women should never feel as though they are being dismissed or ignored when seeking medical help for menopause symptoms.
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