You may also find that you’re running to the bathroom all the time or suddenly experiencing incontinence. Many people also develop recurrent urinary tract infections, sometimes getting three or more times in a year, Dick-Biascoechea added. Once again, the dip in estrogen is to blame.
“These symptoms can affect their ability and desire to participate at work, travel, social gatherings, and even in their relationships with friends, family, and significant others,” Dick-Biascoechea said. This can, understandably, decrease quality of life, research suggests, and cause people to feel lonely, isolated and depressed.
Only half of menopausal women experiencing urinary changes will seek help, according to Dick-Biascoechea, which means the bladder issues persist and, in some cases, worsen. But the good news is that there are multiple strategies ― including diet and fluid intake changes, mild soaps and detergents, pelvic floor exercises, vaginal estrogen, prescription medications, and pelvic or vaginal surgery ― that can help.
If you have any of these symptoms, talk to a doctor such as your primary care physician or OB-GYN. Menopausal symptoms are notorious for impairing people’s quality of life ― but they don’t have to.
“There are highly effective treatments,” Dick-Biascoechea said. “And nobody should have to tolerate daily bothersome symptoms.”
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
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