Understanding Electric Shocks during Menopause

Electric shock sensations may be one the rarer menopause symptoms, but sufferers find them equally uncomfortable. Just as with other symptoms, therefore, it's important to learn all there is to know about electric shocks in order to find the proper treatment. Learn more about the causes of electric shocks and how best to manage symptoms.

Its Causes Are Complex

As one of the lesser-studied symptoms of menopause, the causes of this condition are still not fully understood. Common consensus among most researchers, however, points to hormonal imbalance as the leading reason for electric shock sensations in menopausal women.

Estrogen plays an important role not only within the reproductive system, but also in the brain. It is thought that when estrogen levels dip during menopause, messages between the nervous system and other parts of the body can be misconstrued, leading to misfiring neurons and thus a prickly feeling underneath the skin.

It's Unpredictable

Just as its true causes remain a mystery, the frequency and intensity of electric shock sensations are difficult to pinpoint. Episodes can appear suddenly and without warning, whether through places on the head or through extremities. In some menopausal women, this energetic surge directly precedes a hot flash and can itself act as a warning for the latter symptom. These occurrences can range from a minor annoyance to a severe interruption of daily activities, requiring treatment to control.

Women Can Experience it Differently

Different reports exist of how exactly electric shock sensations feel, and symptoms can vary from woman to woman. Some women describe a surging impulse just under or across the skin, as if a current of electricity were passing through. Others describe it as a zapping feeling between the layers of skin and muscle, like the snapping of a rubber band. For the majority, however, each event takes place overwhelmingly around the head, arms, or hands.

It's Treatable at the Source

Despite the current lack of hard, scientific evidence for this condition, several treatment options do exist to help reduce recurrences of electric shock sensations. Lifestyle changes toward a balanced diet and regular aerobic exercise allow the body to perform its functions at optimum efficiency and lessen the severity of all menopause symptoms. Stress reduction techniques such as yoga and acupuncture are also recommended.

If these simple changes to daily life prove insufficient, natural herbal supplements can also help to treat hormonal imbalance by supporting hormonal production within the body.

As the old saying goes, knowledge is power - and learning as much as possible about electric shock sensations can lead to finding just the right solution to the problem. Talk to a medical professional today about your symptoms to come up with the best plan for you to find relief.