Menopause self‑check
15 short questions, about 2 minutes. The symptom questions come from the Menopause Rating Scale, a validated questionnaire used in clinical studies worldwide.
The check measures symptom burden. It does not diagnose menopause, identify the cause or choose a treatment.
8 in 10 women with hot flushes have them stopped completely by standard-dose hormone therapy. A consultation shows whether it suits you.
How is the menopause self-check scored?
Each of the 11 symptoms scores from 0 for none to 4 for very severe, so the total runs from 0 to 44. The Menopause Rating Scale groups the symptoms into three areas and uses these bands for the total score (Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 2004):
| Total score | Symptom level |
|---|---|
| 0 to 4 | None or little |
| 5 to 8 | Mild |
| 9 to 16 | Moderate |
| 17 or more | Severe |
The three areas are physical symptoms (hot flushes, heart discomfort, sleep, joint pain), mood and energy (low mood, irritability, anxiety, exhaustion) and vaginal and bladder symptoms (sexual problems, bladder, dryness). The pattern can help structure a consultation, but no score alone determines the diagnosis or treatment.
What the check does not do
The check measures how much symptoms bother you, not what causes them. Thyroid disease, anaemia, low mood, sleep apnoea and some medicines cause the same symptoms. Bleeding after 12 months without a period, and menopause symptoms before 40, always need a doctor’s assessment.
What comes after the check?
- Hot flushes and night sweats: HRT patches and oestrogen gel or HRT tablets.
- Vaginal dryness and bladder symptoms: vaginal oestrogen.
- Periods still coming: perimenopause treatment.
- HRT not an option: non-hormonal menopause treatment.
- All options: Menopause & HRT Clinic Dubai.
Dr Felix Happich is a German-trained physician licensed by the Dubai Health Authority and sees every patient himself at Dubai Healthcare City.