Musculoskeletal pain and menopause

Struggle with Musculoskeletal pain?  Potentially over 50% of the adult population struggle at some point, and many of my Clients complain of some form of joint pain.

I was therefore very interested to read a research paper on the topic - published in 2018.

Clearly if you struggle with musculoskeletal you should have it checked out to identify any potential underlying issues, but if it is Menopause related you may not come up with any causes.

This paper highlighted the benefits exercise, diet and sleep hygiene can have on improving pain from menopause- associated joint pain, with some supplements also helping.  

Why is joint pain associated with menopause?  Estrogen receptors are present in joint tissue, and hence the lower levels of estrogen which occur with the menopause cause changes in these tissues.  In addition estrogen is anti-inflammatory and hence a reduction can result in an increase in inflammation. 

I’m always so encouraged to see research demonstrating the positive benefits lifestyle changes can have on our experience of Menopause.  Do get in touch if there are elements here you’d like to know more about!

Photo by www.emmajackson.co.uk