Mobility & flexibility become more and more important as we age and if it's been harder on your body to do something as simple as get out of bed it may be time to take action.
Joint pain affects many people as they age but it's also common in menopausal women.
How Hormones Affect Joint Pain
One of the reasons that menopause can affect the joints is estrogen levels. There are estrogen levels in your joints that protect your bones and keep inflammation low. As we age estrogen levels tend to decline, this results in swelling of the joints that can be extremely painful.
Normally menopausal joint pain is worse in the morning when joints are still from disuse overnight. Normally as the day progresses the joints tend to loosen up because you've been using them. The joints that are most affected are the hands, wrists & elbows, and the next jaw & shoulders. Another contributing factor is osteoporosis.
When estrogen levels decrease it can also contribute to the loss of bone density. Joint pain will most likely be accompanied by stiffness, shooting pains or swelling.
Joint Pain Treatment
If you've been experiencing joint pain be sure to make an appointment with your primary care physician. You'll want them to check your estrogen & progesterone levels so you can develop a treatment plan. Exercise is another great tool to help strengthen your joints and keep them flexible. When you start to lose inches it also takes the pressure off your joints so working out is a win-win situation.
Cortisol the stress hormone is also known to flare up inflammation within the body. By lowering your stress levels you may also be decreasing the likelihood of joint pain. What you put in your body may have an affect on joint pain as well. If your diet is high in carbohydrates & sugars and very low in omega-3 this may be a contributing factor to triggering chronic inflammation in your body.
Is Bioidentical Optimization Therapy Right For You?
Take the first step by taking our hormone self-assesment quiz. for yourself or your partner. Bioidentical hormone optimization may be the answer you've been looking for if you want to safely & naturally help with menopause symptoms & hormone imbalance.