If you believe that you might be going through menopause, you need to find a gynecologist to talk about what to expect and what you should do during this time. You may wonder, are there tests for menopause? Yes, there are tests that use urine to test for specific hormones. This can show a woman that she is going through menopause before the official diagnosis comes. It is standard for the menstrual period to be gone for one year before the condition is actually diagnosed in patients.

So, at what age can a woman start menopause? It is normal for it to start anywhere from age 40 and up. At what age does a woman start going through menopause? The average time for a woman to start menopause is anywhere between the ages of 45 and 55. At what age does menopause usually start? The average age for it to begin is 51. If it starts before a woman is 40, it is considered to be premature menopause. Your doctor may suggest that you use hormone replacement therapy to help with some of the side effects that occur during menopause. These can include vaginal dryness and having sudden hot flashes.

Actress Kim Cattrall, best known for her role as Samantha Jones on Sex and the City, aimed for realism when she had to portray the symptoms of menopause, including a hot flash, on screen. She even talked to her doctor about what the process might feel like.

But just a few years later, Cattrall is now experiencing the phenomenon for real.

“I remember so clearly getting ready for a date, and suddenly I felt this burning sensation and felt like I was in a vat of boiling water, and slowly but surely saw my face turning bright red. And I thought, ‘I guess this is my first hot flash,’” she told Fox News Health host Julie Banderas on Sept. 28.

Each day, about 6,000 women reach menopause, a phase of aging that involves lowered levels of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Hot flashes, perhaps the best-known symptom, affect about 80% of menopausal women. But other symptoms include vaginal dryness and pain during sex, trouble sleeping, urinary tract infections, skin and hair changes, and depression or mood swings. Bone loss leading to osteoporosis also affects some menopausal women.

Managing Menopause

Menopause can be a difficult time to tackle, especially since women’s symptoms may vary and responses to treatment can differ from person to person.

“One size does not fit all in menopause. There is a lot of fear. It’s a very intimate issue, a lot of women don’t want to share it, it’s very uncomfortable — and it was for me to a degree,” Cattrall said.

As part of her campaign to raise menopause awareness, Cattrall has teamed up with pharmaceutical company Pfizer. Cattrall is asking that women visit TuneInToMenopause.com to find their “menopause style.” For each completed quiz, Pfizer will donate $1 to nonprofit Dress for Success, which is dedicated to empowering women in the workforce.

Cattrall also advised that women remember they’re not alone, and said they shouldn’t be ashamed to seek support from family and physicians alike.

Hormone replacement therapy is considered to be the standard medical treatment for menopause. But many women are concerned that the risks are too great, opting instead for natural remedies and lifestyle changes that can help manage symptoms.

The most important thing, Cattrall said, is to raise awareness and make women more comfortable talking about their struggles with aging.

“I feel very fortunate being involved in a show like Sex and the City because I have a platform to talk about things that are happening to me and that I am really passionate about,” she said. “And one of those things is menopause.”