Chronic Pain and Menopause: What’s The Connection?

Girls, women, and people with wombs are no strangers to pain. Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), childbirth, and menopause come with many painful symptoms. Yet, once you begin transitioning to menopause, your relationship with pain changes. Pain is more recurrent and intense. You may also develop conditions such as fibromyalgia, bruising, and headaches. Is there a link between menopause and chronic pain? If so, why does it happen? Let’s find out!

Why does it hurt?

There’s a discrepancy between how women and men experience pain. For us women and people with wombs, pain is recurrent throughout our lives. Hormonal levels fluctuate through puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, post-pregnancy, perimenopause, and post-menopause. Take puberty, for example. During this period in life, there are no major differences in the development of painful conditions between girls and boys. Yet, as girls enter their fertile years, they are more likely to develop headaches, fibromyalgia, back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, and other chronic pain conditions. Then, by the end of their reproductive years, women who experience menopause symptoms are twice as likely to have chronic pain diagnoses.

Why does pain worsen around menopause? Although there’s still much to learn about the link between menopause and pain, experts believe that it has to do with hormones. More specifically, it may involve the female sex hormones: estrogen and progesterone. These hormones have complex interactions with pain sensitivity. For instance, pain sensitivity increases when estrogen levels are low and progesterone levels are high. This typically happens in the second half of the menstrual cycle. As you are nearing menopause, your body starts producing less and less estrogen. A decline in estrogen levels might be responsible for menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, vaginal dryness, etc) and greater sensitivity to pain.

If you are developing a chronic pain condition around menopause or have a pre-existing condition, shifting hormone levels might make things a bit harder. How? By affecting the symptoms of chronic pain and the way you experience them. Symptoms of menopause might also increase the pain, for example:

• weight gain,
• sleeping issues,
• and mood disorders.

Painful menopausal symptoms

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a long-term chronic condition. It causes several symptoms, including pain in the muscles and bones, tender areas, general fatigue, and sleep and cognitive disturbances. Fibromyalgia can also impact your emotions and energy levels. Perimenopause or the transition to menopause tends to intensify this condition. What’s more, menopausal symptoms like fatigue and vaginal dryness overlap with those of fibromyalgia, making the diagnosis tricky.

Headaches

Experts believe that estrogen fluctuations trigger headaches. During perimenopause, you may develop recurrent headaches for the first time. Or, you may start experiencing more frequent and/or intense headaches. Interestingly, some women have the opposite reaction. They may see a reduction in headaches.

Joint pain

Evidence shows that estrogen can impact the cartilage and fluid around the joints. That’s why menopause causes joint pain that affects the neck, shoulders, elbows, hands, or knees.

Painful sex

You have estrogen to blame — yet again! This hormone is the one responsible for keeping the vagina moist and elastic. As estrogen levels drop, your vaginal tissues get thinner. In addition, your vagina becomes less lubricated, and prone to dryness, tearing, and inflammation. All of that can make sex painful and uncomfortable.

Bruising

Hormonal fluctuations around menopause cause a decrease in skin elasticity and its ability to retain water. This results in painful bruising, particularly in the backs of the hands.

5 tips for coping with chronic pain

In addition to pain-reducing treatments, there are many natural ways to cope with pain around menopause. Try the following:

1. Protect your sleep

Sleep deprivation makes the pain seem worse. Poor sleep is also one of the most common symptoms of menopause. So try to avoid any activity that can affect your sleep in any way. An excellent idea is cutting back on caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals before bedtime. You should also avoid any glowing screens in the evening and optimize your sleeping environment so it is comfortable.

2. Manage stress

There’s a link between stress and pain. Under stress, pain seems unbearable and more intense than it actually is. To keep stress under control, try simple strategies like taking a warm bath in the evenings or listening to relaxing music. You can also try Beginning.com. Our app features dozens of immersive and incredibly soothing sound journeys. Each journey uses natural sounds and relaxing melodies to help you achieve a deeply relaxing state of mind.

3. Stay active

Regular exercise comes with many health benefits. It can reduce aches and tone muscles, which lowers the risk of injury. It also does wonders for your mood, as exercise releases “happy chemicals” that make you feel relaxed and motivated. You can try jogging, dancing, or aerobics if they aren’t too hard on your knees. Alternatively, you can try swimming, which is easier on the body.

4. Practice relaxation techniques

Yoga and mindfulness meditation have the potential to relax your mind and body. People who practice for 10 to 20 minutes a day can expect to control stress, lower anxiety, and even improve cardiovascular health.

5. See your doctor

Your doctor will surely have another suggestion for helping you cope with chronic pain. You may want to consult your gynecologist or general practitioner first. They might send you to a specialist depending on your symptoms. Treatment will, of course, depend on your symptoms. So a good idea is to write down everything you are experiencing before your appointment.

Don’t wait for it to pass

Pain during menopause is very common. However, living with chronic pain is challenging, stressful, and often isolating. Luckily, there are plenty of options to successfully cope with it. If you struggle with recurrent pain, don’t wait for it to pass. Seek immediate help. Talking to your doctor about your situation is your best option here. They will review your case and help you choose which treatment or home remedy is best for your particular needs.

Want to learn more about your menopausal years? Check out Beginning.com’s masterclasses to discover the latest insights and professional advice from health and wellness experts.