Can Menopause Cause Dizziness?

The terms perimenopause (the years leading up to menopause) and menopause (i.e. when you have gone 12 months without a period) are sometimes commonly and collectively ‘menopause.’ Most of the symptoms associated with menopause actually occur during perimenopause and these symptoms include dizziness.

The reason you may experience dizziness during menopause (or more correctly perimenopause) is because of fluctuating hormones, specifically falling estrogen levels. Dizziness can also be caused by fatigue since menopausal changes include sleep disruption.

But let’s take a look at dizziness and other menopausal symptoms that might occur. First, though, let’s explain what is happening in your body during perimenopause and menopause.

Perimenopause and Menopause: What Are They? 

Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman's reproductive years. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 and is defined as the absence of menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months. During menopause, a woman's body stops producing eggs and her hormone levels, particularly estrogen, decrease.

Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause, which can start as early as a woman's 30s or 40s. During perimenopause, a woman's hormone levels begin to fluctuate, which can cause irregular menstrual periods and symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and difficulty sleeping. This transition can last anywhere from a few months to several years.

While menopause and perimenopause can be challenging for some women, they are a natural part of the aging process and there are many treatments and lifestyle changes that can help alleviate symptoms.

What Can Cause Menopause Dizziness?

Dizziness is a common symptom some women may experience during menopause or perimenopause. Some possible reasons for experiencing dizziness during this time may include:

Metabolism / Blood Sugar Levels

Changes in blood sugar levels can lead to lightheadedness or trigger dizziness.

Dehydration

If you’re sweating excessively (night sweats or hot flashes) you may become dehydrated and this may cause feelings of dizziness.

Headaches

Headaches and migraines during menopause can sometimes cause dizziness due to how they affect blood flow and blood vessels in the head. 

Extreme Anxiety or Stress Levels

Extreme stress or emotional distress can manifest in many physical symptoms. Sometimes it can lead you to hold your breath or to breathe more rapidly (hyperventilation.) Both may result in feelings of wooziness.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BBPV)

The inner ear is responsible for our sense of balance, and hormonal fluctuations during menopause can affect the function of the inner ear, leading to symptoms such as dizzy spells, vertigo, and problems with balance. Inner ear problems, such as vestibular migraines or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), can cause dizziness and balance issues.

Anemia Caused By Heavier Periods

As periods become infrequent, sometimes the lining of the uterus has more time to become thicker. This means that when your uterus sheds its lining, there will be a longer and heavier period. If periods become excessively heavy, you may be at risk of anemia (low iron levels), which can cause dizziness and lightheadedness.

Low Blood Pressure or Other Cardiovascular Conditions

Estrogen helps to keep blood vessels flexible and healthy, regulates cholesterol levels, and reduces inflammation in the body. As estrogen levels decline during menopause, these protective effects diminish, which can increase the risk of CVD. Cardiovascular conditions, such as arrhythmias or low blood pressure, can cause dizziness and fainting.

Medications, Including Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Medications, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT), can have side effects that include dizziness.

If you're experiencing dizziness during menopause or perimenopause, it's important to talk to your healthcare provider to determine the underlying cause and discuss treatment options.

Other Causes of Dizziness Not Necessarily a Menopause Symptom

Menopausal symptoms are a tangled web and it can be difficult to tease apart what might be happening due directly to menopause and what might simply be concurrent with menopause. While some of the items on this list are also associated with menopause, they can also happen outside of menopause and still make you feel dizzy:

• Low blood pressure or hypotension
• Inner ear disorders such as labyrinthitis or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
• Ear infection
• Dehydration
• Migraine symptoms
• Anxiety or panic disorders
• Medication side effects
• Neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis
• Cardiovascular problems such as heart disease or arrhythmia
• Anemia or other blood disorders
• Low blood sugar levels
• Cold, flu, or other viruses or infection
• Hyperventilation syndrome

Always Discuss Dizziness (and Other Menopause Symptoms) With Your Healthcare Provider

Dizzy spells you cannot easily explain (skipped meals or an excessively hot day) are worth a trip to the doctor. As we’ve seen, dizziness and fainting can be symptoms of menopause and perimenopause, but there may be other explanations for why you feel dizzy beyond menopause dizziness.

Considering the risks associated with dizziness (falling, hitting your head, etc.) it’s worth making sure you’re taking every precaution. And if your dizziness is not related to menopause (and even sometimes if it is!) there may be readily available treatments to help.

If feeling dizzy is accompanied by chest pain, please seek immediate medical attention.

Other Symptoms of Menopause

It's important to note that not all women will experience all of these symptoms, and some women may not experience any at all. Additionally, the severity and duration of symptoms can vary widely from woman to woman. Here are some of the other symptoms of perimenopause:

Skipped or Irregular Periods

During perimenopause, menstrual cycles may change drastically due to fluctuating hormone levels. Some women may experience irregular or less frequent periods, while others may experience spotting or heavier bleeding. It's important to track these changes to better understand the stage you're in and to seek medical advice if needed. Excessive bleeding may be a symptom of something else, such as anemia.

Hot Flashes / Night Sweats

Hot flashes (aka hot flushes) are characterized by a sudden feeling of warmth or heat that spreads throughout the body, often accompanied by sweating, rapid heartbeat, and flushing of the skin.

What can trigger hot flashes? A variety of things, including hormonal changes, stress, alcohol consumption, spicy foods, and caffeine. They can vary in duration and intensity, with some women experiencing only mild hot flashes that last for a few seconds, while others may have more severe hot flashes that last for several minutes or longer.

Night sweats are episodes of excessive sweating during the night that can drench the bedding and clothing, leading to discomfort and interrupted sleep.

Other Symptoms

Sorry to be a bearer of potentially bad news, but the list of other menopausal symptoms is quite long. The good news is not all perimenopausal women experience these symptoms. And they may be less intense for some. The list includes:

• Nausea: Fluctuating estrogen levels can result in feelings of nausea.
• Mood swings & anxiety: Any fluctuation in hormones can have a knock-on effect on your mood. Many report feeling more anxious or having sudden flashes of rage.
• Weight gain: Sudden changes in weight or digestion can also point to perimenopause. If your diet, nutrition, and exercise levels are fairly stable and you find yourself experiencing weight gain, that may be a symptom of perimenopause.
• Vaginal dryness: Vaginal or endometrial atrophy occurs in some women after menopause. The body produces less estrogen after menopause, which can lead to the thinning, drying, and inflammation of the vaginal walls. During perimenopause this process can begin, resulting in dryness.
• Changes in sexual desire or satisfaction: Some women report changes in sexual desire and arousal due to fluctuating hormones.
• Insomnia and sleep troubles: Apart from night sweats, general sleep can become unpredictable during perimenopause and beyond. It can also be hard to fall asleep, with some experiencing insomnia.
• Bone loss: With declining estrogen levels, your bone density may decrease as you start to lose bone more quickly than you replace it. For some, this can increase the risk of osteoporosis — a disease that causes fragile bones in women.
• Bladder problems: Low estrogen levels may also make you more vulnerable to urinary or vaginal infections. Loss of tissue strength may contribute to urinary incontinence.
• Memory problems or difficulty concentrating: Memory problems or difficulty concentrating are common symptoms caused by hormonal changes. Other factors like stress, sleep disturbances, and mental health conditions can contribute to these symptoms. 
• Joint and muscle pain: Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining joint and bone health. As estrogen levels decline during perimenopause, women may experience a loss of bone density and joint cartilage, leading to joint and muscle pain
• Headaches or migraines: The exact cause of headaches during menopause is not fully understood, but hormonal changes are believed to play a role. As levels of estrogen and progesterone fluctuate during menopause, some women may experience changes in blood vessels that can lead to headaches. Other factors, such as stress, lack of sleep, and certain foods or drinks, can also trigger headaches during menopause.
• Changes in skin and hair, such as dryness or thinning: Estrogen plays a key role in maintaining skin and hair health. It promotes collagen production, which helps keep skin elastic and firm, and also helps maintain healthy hair follicles. As estrogen levels decline during menopause, collagen production decreases, and hair follicles may become less active, leading to thinner, less elastic skin and hair.

If you're experiencing symptoms that are interfering with your daily life, talk to your healthcare provider about your options for managing them. Most of these symptoms will subside in postmenopausal women.

Wondering If You’re in Perimenopause? Take Our Quiz

The symptoms of perimenopause are numerous, and they can also be easily confused with other things going on in our bodies. In real-life situations where you’re juggling all the world throws at you, they can easily become confusing. Perimenopausal women may also wonder:

• Am I just stressed (work, world events, family life, etc.)
• Am I just run down?
• Maybe I’m coming down with the flu/cold/COVID?
• Maybe my body is just a little out of whack?
• Have I let my healthy habits slide a bit?
• Perhaps I’m just PMS-ing!
• Am I pregnant?

This means it can be difficult to say decisively if one is experiencing perimenopause or something else. And the situation can be even more confusing if you’re typically prone to an irregular menstrual cycle. It might be hard to spot the differences.

To help you navigate these uncertainties, we’ve devised a little quiz. Check it out here…

Considering Hormone Replacement Therapy to Help Manage Your Menopausal Symptoms?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment option that can be used to alleviate symptoms of menopause and perimenopause including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood changes, and sleep disturbances.

Hormone therapy involves taking medication that contains either estrogen alone or a combination of estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are taken orally or through a patch, gel, or spray, and work to replace the hormones that are no longer being produced in the body.

HRT can be effective in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. It may also help to improve mood and sleep quality. Additionally, hormone therapy can help to prevent bone loss and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

However, like all medications, HRT has potential risks and side effects. It may increase the risk of blood clots, stroke, breast cancer, and other health conditions, especially when taken for a prolonged time. Therefore, it's important to discuss the potential benefits and risks of HRT with your healthcare provider to determine if it's a suitable option for you.

We hope you found this post informative — but remember: we’re not doctors and this post is not medical advice! While all posts are fact-checked and well researched, we always recommend you chat with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have regarding a medical condition. We’re here to support and educate, but never with the aim of disregarding professional medical advice you’ve been given. Phew, now that that’s out of the way, you can go on living unapologetically free.