Dr. Jessica Rachel StarrEndocrinologists at HSS share their insights with new york times About the different effects this midlife transition has on your body and what you can do about it. Menopause can cause hot flashes, dry mouth, heart palpitations, and recurrent urinary tract infections.
Although only a handful of symptoms get a lot of attention, there are more than 20 known symptoms during menopause and perimenopause, the symptoms just before and after the last menstrual period.
The symptoms are so diverse because the ovarian production of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone, which have played an important role in all kinds of physiological processes since puberty, is reduced. The biggest factor is estrogen. When estrogen decreases, tissues in many parts of the body dry out, bone density decreases, and other changes occur in the body.