Hot flashes, migraines, fibroids and unpredictable periods are just a few symptoms women suffer from when going through menopause.

The degree to how women are affected by these symptoms varies from person to person. During the menopausal stages of a woman's life, she needs to be aware of changes and make adjustments to meet her body’s needs.

When it comes to menopause, women need to realize that the varying stages are a biological change in their bodies and not a medical illness. When in doubt, women should go to their doctor about any concerns they may have.

Hot flashes. What is menopause without a hot flash. Most women experience sudden moments of body intense heat during menopause. During the night, this can cause sleep problems. In turn, irritability and mood swings may begin to surface. Fluctuations of mood change also come from hormonal change in the body.

Hormonal changes in the body may cause vaginal dryness. During menopause, when estrogen levels are lower, women are more susceptible to urinary or vaginal infections.

Incontinence can be a problem for women in mid-life, especially after having children. Loss of muscle tone contributes to urinary leakage. Prescriptions medicines are available to help with this problem. These medicines block unusual bladder contractions.

During menopause as hormone levels go up and down, women may notice a change in their menstrual cycle. At some point, women may notice a change in their periods. Some things to report to your doctor are heavier bleeding and/or clotting, pain, or periods that are three weeks or more apart.

Before and during menopause, the production of hormones by the ovaries begins to slow down. Some women may notice that their periods are shorter or totally irregular and that their bleeding is lighter.

Eventually, hormone levels fall to a point where periods stop altogether. Until a woman reaches a full year without a natural period, she may want to use contraception to avoid an unwanted pregnancy.

Another effect of menopause is the loss of bone. For some women, more bone is lost than is replaced, increasing their risk of osteoporosis. Once women have osteoporosis, they are more susceptible to broken bones and injuries.

Whatever symptoms women experience during menopause, being informed may help them go through it with more ease. Women need to put aside any hesitation to seek help or advice from a physician.

After years of raising children or taking care of family members, now is the time for women to put themselves first and take care of any health issues and concerns they may have.