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Achy Joints in Menopause

When a woman enters peri-menopause, the phase leading up to menopause, her estrogen levels are unpredictable. Sometimes they're too high, sometimes too low. When estrogen levels decline, she may experience achy joints and more pain in general. Estrogen has anti-inflammatory properties. When there is no longer an adequate amount of estrogen, it can no longer provide anti-inflammatory services to the body and chronic inflammation in the joints may occur.

  1. Arthralgia

    • Arthraglia is the medical term for joint pain. Because so many middle-aged women suffer from arthralgia, it has been coined "menopausal arthritis" by physicians. Women who are menopausal generally aren't young; they're in their 40s or 50s. Consequently, their bodies have been through the wringer, at least to some extent, and they may also be suffering from osteoarthritis, which is the wear and tear version of arthritis. Their joints are simply worn out and, as a result, they hurt.

    Other Causes

    • Hormonal imbalances are not the only factor that contribute to joint pain in menopausal women, according to 34-menopausesymptoms.com. If a woman is sedentary, is overweight, has a poor diet, is suffering from metabolic or heredity disorders, has sustained muscle loss, has tumors or cancer, has been injured or is under enormous stress this, too, can cause joint pain.

    Osteoporosis

    • Menopausal women may very well be experiencing osteoporosis, which leads to bone loss. Bone loss can result in pain. Because of the loss of estrogen, bone loss escalates during peri-menopause and menopause. Make sure you are taking calcium supplements and eating a calcium-rich diet.

    Diet

    • According to Womentowomen.com, changing your diet can reduce your joint pain. Modifying or eliminating consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates may help. Foods such as vegetables and fruits that contain natural inflammatory properties may ease your pain and suffering. Take an omega-3 fatty-acid supplement, according to Womentowomen.com, because fatty acids fight inflammation. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids.

    Cortisol

    • Cortisol is the stress hormone. When you are under duress, you produce a lot of it. When you reduce cortisol production, you are in turn reducing inflammation. Exercising regularly can reduce your cortisol levels.

    RA

    • According to My-menopause-symptoms.com, menopausal joint pain is generally felt all over the body as opposed to being localized in a specific joint. Your doctor needs to make a diagnosis to determine if what you are really experiencing is the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is a crippling and very painful disease. RA strikes when the immune system attacks joints, tissues and organs instead of fighting off infections. Joint linings become extremely inflamed and, if left untreated, can result in loss of function.

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