One of the many joys of being menopausal is the arrival of muscle and joint pain, which can suddenly appear out of nowhere, sometimes annoyingly in the middle of the night, and even though you may only be in your 40s and 50s, you feel more like you are 150.
There is a scientific reason for this, research has shown that the onset of menopause results in a significant decline in the body’s production of oestrogen. It is this hormonal decline that causes many of the symptoms of menopause. As oestrogen is the hormone that helps to keep our bones and cartilage healthy and strong, its decline is naturally going to impact our joints and bones.
When I was perimenopausal, I was advised by my GP to try HRT. I did a lot of reading about it and decided to give it a try. I had the patches. I managed about six months but sadly for a variety of reasons they weren’t for me but I have also met a number of women my age and younger who swear by it and found it really helped to prevent some of the most challenging menopausal symptoms. So I had to rethink. A combination of a lot of research and a long conversation with my GP led to me trying to make a few changes to try and help myself to manage. Muscle and joint pain were among my most challenging symptoms and luckily, as menopause is no longer a tabooed subject, there is lots of help and advice out there.
Try some natural remedies
When muscle and joint pain are something that you suffer with on a daily basis, you may not always want to reach for prescription painkillers although it is important to talk to your GP or pharmacist about long term pain management if needed. However, they may be some natural remedies or solutions that could be beneficial such as a muscle and joint pain relief cream that uses natural ingredients and promotes healing with relief from symptoms.
In addition, there are recommendations that a variety of supplements that may help reduce muscle and joint pain. Omega 3 is a popular choice and offers other general health benefits too. Many people take a magnesium supplement as this is said to help with the night time joint pains and helps to promote sleep. Personally, I take a collagen supplement and after about three months, I have seen an improvement in my joint pains and it has the added benefit of improving the condition of my hair and skin too.
You can also consider natural joint support formulas such as the Relief Factor supplement, which includes ingredients like Fish Oil Omega-3, turmeric, and other plant-based nutrients known for their anti-inflammatory properties. These types of formulations may help ease everyday stiffness and discomfort, offering gentle support for muscles and joints during menopause.
Change the exercise you do
One of the things that I was determined to was to exercise more. Around the time I stopped using HRT, I joined a gym and I try to exercise regularly and although not an overly active person, I try to keep myself if reasonably good shape. Exercising is fine but research has showed me that you may need to rethink the exercise that you do during menopause. It is important to keep exercising, it is easy when your muscles and joints are aching to give up and become more sedate, but movement can help. However, the recommendations point to doing exercise that help with muscle tone and bone density such as yoga or Pilates and that this type of exercise might also help to ease any joint and muscle pain.
Higher impact exercise is still good for you, not only does it help with to keep your muscles and joints strong but it also helps aid heart health, manage stress and anxiety and helps with sleep.
Think about your nutrition
Healthy eating in general is a given when it comes to growing older healthily, but this is another area that can reap benefits during menopause. Many of the supplements that are recommended for muscle and joint pain, can be found naturally in a diet containing oily fish (Omega 3), chicken (collagen), virgin olive oil (inflammatory reduction), nuts (inflammation-fighting), leafy greens and colourful fruit and vegetables. It is also a good idea to try and maintain a healthy weight as any weight gain at this time will put extra pressure on your joints and muscles.
So, if the increasing muscle and joint pain is starting to get you down during menopause, there are lots of things you can do to counteract it. I would recommend that you seek medical advice and support, but a few small changes to your lifestyle can make a big difference.
