Women's Health
You’re Not Alone: Understanding and managing menopause symptoms
Last Updated on September 2, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Hot flashes may be one of the better-known indicators of menopause, but women may experience a wide range of symptoms as they enter this stage of life. Consider these tips to provide support and relief, empowering women to take control of their menopause journey at every stage.
(Family Features) Hot flashes may be one of the better-known indicators of menopause, but women may experience a wide range of symptoms as they enter this stage of life. However, treatment options can ease, if not alleviate, most of these experiences.
Menopause signals the end of a woman’s reproductive years, beginning as early as their 30s for some women. This natural process results in the stop of menstruation with the shifting hormones also creating a list of physical and emotional symptoms.
Perimenopause, which commonly occurs in the mid-to-late-40s, lasts 4-8 years. This transitional stage is characterized by fluctuating ovarian activity, which can alter the frequency and duration of a woman’s period and disrupt estrogen production. Menopause is officially reached when the ovaries cease ovulation and a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual period.
Despite increasing conversations among peers, many women experience disruptive symptoms and have difficulty managing them, according to a Nielsen IQ Aging America Forecast. Additionally, 90% of women reported never having been taught about menopause in school, according to a study published in “Post Reproductive Health.”
Uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness and weight gain often begin during perimenopause and may continue through post-menopause – in some cases, for the rest of a woman’s life. The intensity and duration of these symptoms can vary from person to person.
With 45% of women in the U.S. currently experiencing some phase of menopause, per the Nielsen IQ Aging America Forecast, K-Y, is on a mission to provide support and relief where it’s most needed and empower women to take control of their menopause journey at every stage – because if you know, you know.
Beat the Heat and Soothe Hot Flashes
Prevention is one of the most effective ways to manage hot flashes – those sudden waves of heat that often affect a woman’s chest, neck and face, sometimes accompanied by sweating and redness. Identifying and avoiding common triggers such as caffeine, alcohol or spicy foods can make a difference. Calming exercises, like slow, steady breathing, can help bring a hot flash under control as can a cold drink, cool shower or portable fan.
Deal with Dryness to Restore Moisture
Hormonal changes can cause vaginal dryness, often leading to discomfort. To alleviate this discomfort, try a non-prescription product designed to add moisture, such as K-Y Liquibeads. Uniquely formulated and hormone-free, the vaginal moisturizer is designed to provide long-lasting relief to discomfort, caused by menopause and everyday activities, for up to three days.
Master Moods Caused by Hormone Changes
Fluctuating hormones during menopause can impact your mood, leading to unexpected emotional highs and lows. While some doctors prescribe hormone treatment, such as birth control pills, to help regulate hormone swings, you can also manage mood issues by doing activities that bring joy and minimize stress. Mindful exercise, like yoga or tai chi, can help manage your shifting moods.
Ease Your Headaches to Restore Your Day
If you’re susceptible to migraines, it’s important to know menopause can exacerbate them or even be the trigger that causes migraines to start. Knowing what sets off your migraines may be your best line of defense. However, if you’re unable to relieve the discomfort through self-care measures, consult with your doctor to adjust your current treatment plan or create a new one.
Nurture Lost Desire and Reconnect with Intimacy
As your libido fades, you may need to make a more conscious effort to maintain an active sex life. While factors like poor sleep, stress and depression can lower your interest in intimacy, maintaining regular sexual activity can support overall health, including minimizing problems with dryness and improving your mood. If comfort is a concern, a product like K-Y Ultragel lubricant can help supplement your natural lubrication. The unique water-based formula is non-sticky and non-greasy, so the natural feeling of enhanced intimacy is all you and your partner experience.
Quiet the Heat to Sleep in Comfort
Night sweats – hot flashes that happen at night – can be managed by wearing cool, cotton pajamas and using layers of covers you can easily shed. You may find extra relief from sleeping with a fan or using cooling pillows and sheets. Keeping your room cool and dark can also help promote more comfortable, uninterrupted rest.
Clear Acne and Take Control with Confidence
Pimples aren’t just for teens; they often make a return appearance as you’re walking through this new transitional stage of life. However, you’re likely more confident and better equipped to care for your skin this time around. To help prevent flare-ups, avoid oily products like sunscreens and cosmetics. Stick with oil-free options designed to keep pores clear. If necessary, talk with a dermatologist about a program designed for your unique skin care needs.
Find more information on the full menopause product portfolio at k-y.com.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
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K-Y
(Feature Impact) Menopause is a phase of life every woman knows will come eventually yet few are truly prepared for. Beyond stereotypical symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings, the other realities of menopause can be mysterious, taking women by surprise when their experiences differ from expectations.
Rather than being a single event, menopause involves a gradual transition that happens as estrogen production changes – meaning symptoms can appear and evolve unpredictably. According to a survey commissioned by the National Menopause Foundation, 63% of U.S. women ages 35-54 experienced symptoms they believed may be related to perimenopause or menopause, yet nearly half (49%) said they weren’t prepared for the changes beforehand.
When women and their loved ones understand what they’re facing, they can approach this time with patience and compassion, which can make a real difference to the 71% of women who wished the people in their lives understood more about perimenopause or menopause. Consider these five facts to help fill in the menopause knowledge gap.
Perimenopause Can Start Years Before Menopause
The physiological transition to menopause can happen up to 10 years before a woman’s final menstrual period, although the average length of perimenopause is about four years. Symptoms may quietly begin in a woman’s 30s, 40s or 50s, and what might look like an isolated problem at first – like brain fog, a night of insomnia or an irregular monthly cycle – could be connected to broader hormonal changes.
Menopause Is More Than Just “Hot Flashes”
Since more than half of women surveyed were already aware of menopause symptoms like hot flashes, mood changes, anxiety and fatigue, these may not take them by surprise. Little-known symptoms are a different story – the majority of respondents didn’t anticipate menopausal issues like rage, inner-ear itching or reduced joint mobility. According to the National Menopause Foundation, women may also experience sleep disturbances, sweating, changes in libido, vaginal dryness, incontinence, weight changes and more.
Every woman’s experience is unique, so these symptoms could present in different combinations and intensities during menopausal years or may not appear at all.
Talking About Menopause Can Be Difficult
Even as women go through these physical and emotional shifts, many struggle to open up about their experiences. In fact, women rank menopause symptoms (17%) more difficult to discuss than hot-button topics like political views (13%), weight (13%) and religious beliefs (10%).
However, suffering in silence can lead to feelings of isolation, relationship misunderstandings and hesitation to seek help, which is why 66% of women said the lack of open discussion about menopause makes the experience worse.
Menopause Isn’t All Bad News
Although this season of life comes with challenges, there are joys to embrace as well. Women navigating midlife can come out the other side with more resilience, emotional awareness and a stronger sense of self. In fact, 44% of women surveyed said their outlook on life became more positive since their transition.
What Loved Ones Can Actually Do
Menopause is a highly individual experience, but that doesn’t mean women have to navigate it alone. Support from partners, families and friends can lift women up during difficult moments, and it can be as simple as taking the time to ask questions, listen and learn about how menopause is affecting their lives. With 30% of women in the U.S. labor force – approximately 15-16 million – in the age range corresponding to menopausal transition (ages 45-60), workplaces can also take steps to become more menopause friendly.
For more resources to help understand symptoms and discuss the transition with loved ones, visit nationalmenopausefoundation.org.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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(Feature Impact) Dry eye is one of the most overlooked symptoms of perimenopause, the phase of fluctuating hormones leading up to a woman’s final period, and menopause, the point in a woman’s life when she’s gone a year without a period.
In fact, 79% of women1 recognize hot flashes as a symptom of menopause, but only 14% recognize dry eye as a menopause-related symptom, according to the 2026 Bausch + Lomb (Peri)Menopausal Survey. What’s more, 78% of women1 were surprised to learn that dry eye is a symptom of perimenopause or menopause.
“Dry eye is still widely overlooked as a symptom of menopause, and many women think it’s just a minor nuisance, but the truth is it can significantly affect your daily life,” said Neda Gioia, OD, CNS, IFMCP, FOWNS, founder, Integrative Vision. “Early symptoms are often misunderstood or self-treated but it’s very important for women who experience symptoms to see an eye doctor and get an accurate diagnosis and treatment.”
During perimenopause and menopause, declining hormone levels can impact tear production, tear quality and tear evaporation, contributing to dry eye symptoms including redness, fluctuating vision and a gritty or tired feeling in the eyes, all of which can impact day-to-day comfort and quality of life. If left untreated, dry eyes may worsen over time, potentially impacting eye health and vision. Among peri-, menopausal and post-menopausal women who experienced dry eye, 80% said the symptom came as a surprise.
Respondents reported their dry eye symptoms caused difficulty reading (58%), difficulty using screens (53%), difficulty driving (26%) and reduced productivity (17%), underscoring the often-overlooked impact dry eyes can have on everyday life.1
However, there are a variety of products and treatment approaches available to help manage dry eye symptoms. For example, Bausch + Lomb offers a range of options designed to address the main causes of dry eye.
A doctor-recommended, clinically proven once-daily soft gel supplement that targets the key root causes of dry eyes, Blink NutriTears supports healthy tear production and provides lasting, continuous relief.* § As part of a comprehensive approach to dry eye management, the supplement can be used with Blink Triple Care Preservative Free Lubricant Eye Drops, which are designed to directly address tear evaporation, one of the leading causes of dry eye, and provide instant and long-lasting symptom relief.
An eye care professional can help determine the approach that’s right for each individual. To learn more about dry eye and products to help combat it, visit JustBlink.com.*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
12026 Bausch & Lomb (Peri)Menopause Survey via Suzy, n=402; Women ages 30–80+ who are perimenopausal, menopausal, or post-menopausal
§Based on a clinical study
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Bausch + Lomn
Women's Health
From Pregnancy to Parenthood: How Medicaid Supports Women Across the Maternal Health Journey
When women are planning, expanding or raising families, access to healthcare is a vital source of physical and mental support. For millions of women and families across the U.S., Medicaid provides that support, enabling parents and children to access the reproductive, maternal and pediatric healthcare they need to thrive.
(Feature Impact) When women are planning, expanding or raising families, access to healthcare is a vital source of physical and mental support. For millions of women and families across the U.S., Medicaid provides that support, enabling parents and children to access the reproductive, maternal and pediatric healthcare they need to thrive. It’s there for anyone who needs it, from working adults to families navigating unemployment or disability.
To learn about how Medicaid supports growing families through every stage of the parenthood journey, consider this information from the maternal health experts at Community Catalyst.
Making Family Planning Possible
When people are able to plan and prepare to welcome children into the world, it can remove a lot of stress, uncertainty and complication from their journeys. Medicaid family-planning coverage may include reproductive health counseling, pre-pregnancy screenings, many forms of FDA-approved contraception and other preventive services. Comprehensive access to birth control allows women and couples to make their own decisions about pregnancy timing or spacing between siblings.
Supporting Healthy Pregnancies
Pregnancy is no small endeavor, and a woman with a healthcare team at her side is better prepared to face whatever challenges may arise. Pregnancy often requires frequent appointments for ultrasounds, laboratory testing and monitoring – all of which are made possible and affordable through Medicaid. Since 1 in 4 Medicaid recipients are women ages 15-49, this care can make a difference during their childbearing years.
Covering Labor and Delivery Costs
Labor and birth can be unpredictable, but being able to afford them shouldn’t be. Without Medicaid, which finances approximately 41% of U.S. births, based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics, the cost of hospitalization and delivery could be financially devastating to young families. Coverage for labor, delivery and NICU care, if needed, gives parents the ability to focus on their new babies instead of overwhelming medical bills.
Providing Postpartum Care
The need for maternal healthcare doesn’t end when mother and child are discharged from the hospital. Physical recovery takes time, especially if there were any complications during the pregnancy or delivery. Beyond that, postpartum women may need mental health support, treatment for chronic conditions, contraception renewals and other health services that Medicaid can provide. Currently, 49 states plus Washington, D.C. have extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, which helps new mothers get continuous care without worrying about insurance lapses.
Caring for Growing Kids
Nearly half of all Medicaid recipients in the U.S. are children ages 0-18 – and sometimes kids qualify for Medicaid even when their parents don’t. The program can help new parents stay up to date with well-child visits for infants, immunizations and ongoing preventive care throughout childhood.
To learn more about access to essential services at every stage of life, visit communitycatalyst.org/maternalhealth.
Filling Gaps in Pregnancy and Postpartum Care: Kayla and Tru’s Story
When Kayla found out she was pregnant at 24 years old, she had no idea how she was going to afford all the costs that were coming. Despite having part-time employment and primary insurance through her mother, she faced gaps in coverage for pregnancy care.
Qualifying for Medicaid changed everything. Not only did it cover Kayla’s prenatal visits, labs, ultrasounds and delivery, but once her son Tru was born, both mother and baby required an extended hospital stay. Medicaid made it possible for Tru to get the care he needed in the NICU while Kayla recovered from birth complications.
Afterward, the program continued to cover Kayla and Tru for follow-up appointments and well-child visits. She’s grateful it was there during her time of need and has one simple message to share: If you qualify for Medicaid, apply.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” she said. “I didn’t expect to be in the hospital as long. I didn’t expect for him to be where he was. But it was definitely needed and helpful.”
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (mother leaning over hospital bassinet)
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