Here’s how to keep the aches and pains at bay.
We’ve all heard of, experienced, and/or complained about the more common or stereotypical menopause side effects: Hot flashes that keep you up at night, vaginal dryness that makes sex uncomfortable, and stress you thought would subside at this stage of life. But those don’t paint the whole, colorful picture of menopause — which, we’d like to point out, isn’t all bad. But, we’d be doing you a disservice if we didn’t warn you of some of the low-profile menopause symptoms.
Joint pain during menopause, otherwise known as “menopausal arthralgia,” is a lesser-known symptom. In fact, it’s not even mentioned as a main symptom by the Mayo Clinic — and yet half of women experience it, according to a study in Maturitas, an international journal on midlife health.
Unfortunately, this lesser-discussed manifestation can be every bit as annoying as the more well-known ones.
We asked Katie’s personal OB-GYN, Rebecca Brightman, MD, aka Dr. B., for some insight into why menopause wreaks such havoc on our joints, and what you can do to alleviate the misery.
Why does menopause cause joint pain?
If you’re wondering why your joints start to ache during that oh-so-special time in your life, Dr. B says it likely has to do with estrogen.
“Estrogen binds to receptors in muscles and joints,” Dr. B explains. “In doing so, it protects their structure and function.”
During menopause, though, as you might already know, your estrogen levels drop. For that reason, doctors believe your increase in joint pain is directly connected to the decrease in estrogen production in your body.
“In observational studies, women who use menopausal hormonal therapy have fewer joint aches and pains,” Dr. B notes, as further evidence of her point.
Women also experienced a resurgence of joint pain and stiffness upon discontinuation of hormones, she says. This is yet another strong indicator that joint pain is connected to estrogen loss in menopause.
How to prevent joint pain and stiffness during menopause
Unfortunately, there’s no magic eight ball (at least not yet) to cure you of the brutal symptoms of menopause. But Dr. B does have a few very practical tips and tricks up her sleeve, which might help alleviate the sneaky discomfort that comes with body ache.
“To prevent joint pain and stiffness, women should strengthen the muscles and ligaments surrounding their joints,” Dr. B says. “Resistance training, pilates, barre, and yoga are ideal.”
Another easy way to fight the aches is to stretch as often as you can. “Stretching is really important and helps to facilitate flexibility and prevent injury,” Dr. B explains.
You might also want to consider a hormonal supplement as well. There are an almost dizzying amount of options available to you on the market, so it might be helpful to tap your doctor’s shoulder on this one for a recommendation. Oh, and for most joint pain supplements, you have to take them for weeks before you start feeling the benefits, so it’s one of those sooner-is-better-than-later situations, if you’re looking for relief.
The information provided on this site isn’t intended as medical advice, and shouldn’t replace professional medical treatment. Consult your doctor with any serious health concerns.
