If you have gone 1 year without a period or any spotting in between, perimenopause has ended, and you have reached menopause. The end of perimenopause might cause symptoms to subside or worsen for some people.

Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause, which you officially reach once you haven’t had a period for a year.

Perimenopause can last anywhere from 2 to 8 years. The average length of time spent in perimenopause is 4 years.

It can be hard to tell if you’re approaching menopause since the time spent in perimenopause varies for everyone. Here’s what to know.

Not having a period for 1 year (and not having any spotting) is the only official way to know that perimenopause has ended and you have entered menopause.

In the later stages of perimenopause, your periods may occur more than 60 days apart. Your last period may be lighter or heavier than usual, but even this can differ for everyone.

It can help to track your periods and any other symptoms you may experience because your periods will be irregular, with longer gaps between them during late perimenopause.

You can bring this information to your doctor or a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) for their expert knowledge on symptom management and coping techniques.

During the early stages of perimenopause, your hormone levels, especially your estrogen levels, are up and down.

This hormonal fluctuation contributes greatly to the symptoms you might experience, besides irregular periods, such as:

As you get closer to menopause, your hormones begin to stabilize at lower levels. This may cause the symptoms listed above to ease up or subside.

However, because everyone’s perimenopause experience is different, some may also see symptoms that intensify or worsen.

Many people still see that some symptoms last into postmenopause. An MSCP may be able to provide support and guidance on symptom treatment options.

Estrogen may help slow the natural breakdown of bone.

But over the course of perimenopause, your estrogen levels will be lower than when you started, so your bones won’t receive as much support from this hormone.

As such, you might notice more joint stiffness, pain, or discomfort. Your risk for osteoporosis also increases after menopause.

Speak with your doctor or an MSCP if you have concerns about your bone health. They can assess your fracture or osteoporosis risk with a bone density scan or physical examination.

Some symptoms may be more likely to subside or occur less frequently than others. But urogenital symptoms may persist.

“Urogenital” means it involves the urinary tract or vagina. Bladder incontience and vaginal dryness are two common urogenital menopause-related symptoms.

Others include:

These may also occur because of the role that estrogen plays in sexual and vaginal health.

Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) may help with urogenital symptoms, especially vaginal estrogens or DHEA.

Nonhormonal treatments for urogenital symptoms might include:

Your doctor or an MSCP can provide more information and help develop a treatment plan that works for you.

A note on hormone testing

Your hormone levels fluctuate constantly. Having your levels tested only gives you and your doctor a snapshot of where they lie at that moment in time. A hormone test can’t definitively tell you where you are in the menopause timeline, so doctors won’t use it to determine if you’re close to menopause. But it can give you a better idea of your hormone health as they relate to bodily functions.

Healthline believes that you shouldn’t have to just “deal with” your menopause symptoms.

You can connect with a menopause specialist to discuss your symptoms and treatment options at any time, but especially if they get in the way of your daily activities.

While MHT is often touted as the most effective treatment for common physical symptoms like hot flashes, many more nonhormonal and natural options are available.

Regardless of the severity or frequency of your symptoms, consider setting aside some time to speak with a menopause expert to learn how to take care of yourself during this stage of life.

It might also help to bring a list of your questions, a symptom or period tracker, and have an idea of what you want to get out of treatment.

A period that has been absent for 1 year is the main sign that perimenopause has ended and that you have entered menopause.

In the late stages of perimenopause, you might also notice that your symptoms (if any) subside or worsen, your joints feel stiffer, or you have more urogenital issues.

Care is never too far away, however. Consider speaking with a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner to get started on finding relief from your symptoms of menopause.