Although it’s most common to have your final menstrual period in your fifties, menopause can actually happen at any time in your adult life. If you’re wondering whether you’ve started menopause and what to expect, read our expert guide for the facts.
Find what you need quickly
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What is menopause?
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What are the most common menopause symptoms?
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Perimenopause – symptoms before your periods stop
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Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) – menopause under 40
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Early menopause – menopause between 40 and 45
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Menopause – periods stopping between 45 and 55
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How long does menopause last?
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Final word
What is menopause?
Menopause happens when your menstrual cycle slows down and eventually stops. This is caused by hormonal changes in the brain and the ovaries which result in a dramatic decrease in the amount of estrogen your body produces.
Erratic and decreasing estrogen levels are responsible for most of the common menopause symptoms like hot flashes, poor sleep, and mood changes.
You are in menopause when you have had your final menstrual period (FMP). However, you don’t know when your FMP has happened until you haven’t had a period for months. It is assumed that your FMP has occurred when you haven’t had another period for 12 months. The symptoms caused by hormonal changes can often span five or more years before and after this single point in time. The time before menopause is called perimenopause.
Some choose to use hormone therapy (HT) to ease symptoms. It is the most effective treatment available for menopause symptoms and works by supplying the body with the estrogen it no longer produces.
Learn more about which HT is right for you.
What are the most common menopause symptoms?
Menopause can cause a whole range of symptoms, from itchy skin to mood swings. Some of the most common are:
- Hot flashes. You may have sudden feelings of heat and sweat, especially on your face, neck, and upper chest. These episodes usually last just a few minutes but can be distressing as they’re often not predictable or controllable
- Night sweats. This is where you wake up drenched in sweat at night. You might also wake up feeling hot or cold throughout the night
- Insomnia. It’s common to have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep once menopause begins – and night sweats don’t help!
- Mood swings. These can range from uncontrollable anger and rage to feeling low and tearful
- Vaginal changes. It’s very common to experience dryness, itch, pain, uncomfortable sex, recurrent urine infections, and needing to pee more often. This group of symptoms is collectively known as genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), although you might also hear it called atrophic vaginitis or vaginal atrophy
These are just a few examples of the many different ways that hormonal changes that start before your FMP and continue through menopause can affect you.
Want to learn more? Read about the 34 symptoms of menopause.
Perimenopause – symptoms before your periods stop
Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause when you’ll experience the first symptoms of hormonal changes.
During perimenopause, you might get irregular or unusual periods. These could be more or less frequent, heavier, or lighter than usual. You could also start to notice symptoms of menopause, even if they’re pretty mild at first. Many people opt to begin taking HT during perimenopause.
Read more about the stages of menopause.
Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) – menopause under 40
Premature ovarian insufficiency is the medical term for menopause before the age of 40. It’s also known as premature ovarian failure or premature menopause.
This can happen for a variety of reasons. Premature menopause is sometimes caused by cancer treatment or having surgery that remove your ovaries. Family history and your general health can also play a part while for others there will be no obvious cause.
One in every thousand women between the ages of 15 and 29 will go through POI. For those aged 30-39, the number rises to one in every hundred.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any symptoms that you think could be related to menopause, even if you’re under 40. If you do go through menopause at this age, starting HT may be a very important part of your treatment plan as it helps to preserve your bone density and reduce your cardiovascular risk.
Read our essential guide to early and premature menopause.
Early menopause – menopause between 40-45
Early menopause occurs if you go through menopause before the age of 45.
Just like with premature ovarian insufficiency, this can be caused by surgery or medical treatment. It can also be associated with other medical conditions or family history – but is sometimes unexplained. If you think you are experiencing menopause before age 45, your healthcare provider will need to rule out several other problems that can cause similar symptoms, like thyroid disease or elevated prolactin.
Menopause – periods stopping after age 45
Menopause most commonly happens between the ages 45 and 55. The average age at menopause is 51 in the US. This means that the average person has their last period at 51, but will almost always experience menopause symptoms for a few years either side of this date.
Those who avoided experiencing symptoms during their perimenopause will sometimes get them at this time, which can be an unwelcome surprise!
How long does menopause last?
The duration of menopause symptoms can vary – it could be a few months for one person, but more like a decade for another.
It is impossible to predict how long your menopause symptoms will last. Speak to your healthcare provider about your treatment options if you’re struggling with your symptoms. There are a wide range of hormonal and non-hormonal treatments – as well as lifestyle changes – that can help.
Final word
It’s most common to go through menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, although it will happen earlier for some. If you experience menopause symptoms below the age of 45, you should speak to your healthcare provider as this could be early or premature menopause.
Whatever your age, see your healthcare provider if you are struggling with menopause symptoms.
- Fenton AJ. Premature ovarian insufficiency: Pathogenesis and management. J Midlife Health. 2015;6(4):147-153
- Megan McNamara, Pelin Batur, Kristi Tough DeSapri. Perimenopause . Ann Intern Med.2015;162
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