Menopause is a natural life transition for women. While there are a few benefits that come with it that many women look forward to (i.e, an end of menstruation), there are certainly several symptoms that many women find uncomfortable, and even a few that they may not expect. These symptoms can begin in perimenopause, which generally begins several years before full menopause and marks a time when the ovaries gradually begin to produce less estrogen.

Here are a few of the overlooked symptoms of menopause:

1. Itchy skin and rashes
Lowered estrogen causes lowered lubrication throughout the body, which can lead to dry skin, chafing, and uncomfortable reactions to different perfumes and other chemicals. It’s important to keep your skin moisturized while staying hydrated to minimize the impact of these menopause symptoms.

2. Sensitive breasts
Having sensitive breasts is something that many women become used to during and around their menstrual cycles, but it is also a symptom that can occur with menopause and perimenopause. In addition to being sensitive, the breasts may also be swollen due to a buildup of fluid that is caused by spikes in hormones.

3. Weight gain
The changes that occur in the body during menopause can have a big impact on how women metabolize energy, which can lead to weight gain. The areas that fat is likely to accumulate in are the hips, thighs, abdomen, and buttocks. This is what some women refer to as the “middle-age spread”.

4. Headaches
Headaches are often a symptom that goes away after a woman has finished menopause, but it can be very uncomfortable until they reach this point. You are likely to experience these headaches or migraines if you experienced them before your menstrual cycles and during. Medicine like acetaminophen can often help to reduce this symptom along with avoiding bright light or loud sounds.

5. Worsening allergies
If you already had allergies before you began going through menopause, there is a chance that they will get worse during this time. This is because the production of histamine is increased during perimenopause and menopause. In addition to worsening allergies that you had before menopause, you may find that you have new ones as well due to this increase in histamine production.

6. Problems with digestion
There are a lot of things that can lead to issues with digestion during your life and the dramatic changes that take place during menopause in relation to menopause can certainly cause a lot of problems. These digestive issues are generally related to the levels of cortisol in your body as the chemical is impacted by the reduction of hormones.

7. Heart palpitations
Some of the common issues related to menopause and the heart are palpitations and an irregular heartbeat. These are usually precipitated by the hot flashes that so commonly accompany menopause. While it may be frightening to experience these menopause symptoms, they are usually not a sign of heart disease.