Many woman suffer with the menopause in the forth and fioth decades of their life. The early symptoms include:
Hot flushes, insomnia, confusion, anxiety and joint pain. The joint pain is cause by Oestrogen that affects cartiledge, ligaments and can boost inflammation. What are the best ways to deal with this condition?
Like all joint issues, it;s not just about the inflammation in your joints but how your body is responding to the issue. If you are carrying extra weight that is not going to help, but you should also consider if your diet is helping?
Could you reduce your intake of highly refined, high sugar foods that are likely to promote inflammation?
Is there scope for increasing leafy greens right in omega 3 fatty acids that are likely to reduce inflammation?
Some people suffer worse than others because they have poor joint stability that has developed over a lifetime of low exercise and poor conditioning. In this case establishing an exercise regimen may have long-term benefits for joint pain, Although walking is good general exercise, it does little to inprove core strength and you really need to work muscles in your arms and legs and back to reap any rewards.
If you see your Doctor they will probably recommend non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or other over the counter pain killers. These may give you some local relief and be helpful when it is particularly bad, but not a great long term solution. Quite often if the joint pain is significant , it is associated with some of the other menopausal symptoms, in this case it is worth having a discussion about HRT with your GP, just so you know what your options are. There are some side effects but there are also costs if the symptoms are affecting the quality of your life significantly.
Can Osteopathy help? It certainly can’t change the hormonal processes that are occuring in your body, but it may be able to improve your underlying , mechanics in a way that reduces the symptoms. Particularly if you are aware that there are areas of your body that are not as flexible as they used to be. Restoring function allows your body to distribute forces more evenly and you are less likely to have severe pain. Your Osteopath should be able to assess your body and see if there are areas that are compromised that might help.
For further information about Menopause and issues relating to HRT and the risks.
To explore your experience of the menopause try the Zoe menopause calculator