Health Tip: Symptoms of Menopause

ByABC News
October 15, 2008, 10:35 AM

Oct. 16 -- (HealthDay News) -- Menopause is the normal time in a woman's life when the monthly menstrual cycle stops, usually between ages 45 and 55.

Here are common symptoms of menopause, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

  • No menstrual period for the last 12 months, without surgical or other biological cause.
  • Differences in the pattern of your period -- shorter or longer, lighter or heavier, more or less frequent.
  • Hot flashes or night sweats.
  • Vaginal dryness.
  • Moodiness, irritability or crying frequently.
  • Difficulty concentrating or focusing, or confusion.
  • Thinning hair, or the appearance of more facial hair.