Logan Steele
Menopause can cause muscle aches and pains, and these symptoms can also occur during perimenopause. Muscle aches during perimenopause can range from dull aches and throbbing to cramps, shooting pains, and even spasms. These aches are caused by declining levels of oestrogen, which affects the joints, tissues, ligaments, and muscles of the body. Oestrogen helps protect muscles from damage and inflammation after exercise or injuries, so lower levels of oestrogen can make you feel more pain. In addition, reduced oestrogen can lead to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can make pain seem more intense.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cause | Decline in oestrogen levels, which affects the joints, tissues, ligaments, and muscles of the body |
| Type of pain | Dull aches, throbbing, cramps, shooting pains, spasms, stiffness, crawling sensation |
| Areas affected | Legs, shoulders, elbows, knees, hips, buttocks, groin, lower back, neck, hands |
| Related symptoms | Hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, sleep problems |
| Risk factors | Stress, anxiety, depression, poor posture, lack of exercise |
| Treatment | Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), cognitive behavioural therapy, yoga, pilates, physiotherapy, regular exercise (strength training, flexibility exercises, cardio/aerobic workouts) |
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What You'll Learn
- Hormonal changes, particularly oestrogen and progesterone, cause aches
- Oestrogen affects cartilage, bone replacement, inflammation and pain
- Fluctuating progesterone levels can increase pain sensitivity
- Exercise and lifestyle choices can prevent age-related muscle decline
- Stress, anxiety and depression can make pain feel worse
Hormonal changes, particularly oestrogen and progesterone, cause aches
During perimenopause, women experience a decline in progesterone and testosterone levels, as well as significant variations and a sharp drop in oestrogen levels. Oestrogen plays a significant role in pain perception, joint health, and managing inflammation. It also helps make a protein called collagen, which helps with muscle strength and flexibility. It also supports blood flow to our muscles. When oestrogen levels drop, the body makes less collagen, which helps keep muscles and connective tissues strong and flexible. Without enough collagen, muscles can get hurt more easily and feel stiff.
Reduced oestrogen can also lead to an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, and high cortisol levels can make pain seem more intense. Oestrogen also helps protect your muscles from damage and inflammation after exercise or injuries, meaning you could feel more pain when levels are low.
Progesterone is responsible for keeping your body relaxed and raising your pain threshold. Fluctuations in progesterone during perimenopause could, therefore, be linked to musculoskeletal pain.
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Oestrogen affects cartilage, bone replacement, inflammation and pain
Oestrogen levels decline during perimenopause, which can lead to issues with joints and connective tissue. Oestrogen plays a significant role in pain perception, joint health, and managing inflammation. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting the release of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and IL-1β and reducing pain caused by inflammatory responses.
Oestrogen affects cartilage, bone replacement, inflammation, and pain. Firstly, it helps to protect cartilage. Oestrogen deprivation can produce a dual effect: a direct action on joint cartilage and an indirect effect on subchondral bone. A decrease in oestrogen leads to increased destruction of articular cartilage and subchondral bone. This inability to regulate the balance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts results in cartilage erosion and destruction, triggering pain.
Secondly, oestrogen is important for bone replacement. Since oestrogen helps prevent bones from getting weaker by slowing the natural breakdown of bone, its reduction during menopause significantly speeds up bone loss. Epidemiological data indicates that postmenopausal women have a higher prevalence of osteoporosis, with one in two postmenopausal women suffering from it.
Thirdly, oestrogen has an anti-inflammatory effect. It can inhibit the release of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and IL-1β, reducing the pain caused by inflammatory responses. Low oestrogen levels can lead to an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, and high cortisol levels can make pain seem more intense.
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Fluctuating progesterone levels can increase pain sensitivity
Perimenopause and menopause are triggered by fluctuating and decreasing hormone levels. Oestrogen and progesterone levels decline during perimenopause, and these hormonal shifts can lead to increased pain sensitivity. Progesterone is responsible for keeping the body relaxed and raising the pain threshold. When progesterone levels fluctuate, the body's pain threshold can be affected, potentially increasing susceptibility to pain stimuli.
Progesterone levels rise during the luteal phase post-ovulation. While progesterone's role in pain modulation is not yet fully understood, evidence suggests that it may heighten pain sensitivity through interactions with neuroendocrine pathways. As progesterone levels fluctuate during perimenopause, this can lead to bouts of musculoskeletal pain.
Oestrogen helps to protect muscles from damage and inflammation after exercise or injury. Without this protective effect, muscles may feel sorer or more tired after exercise. Oestrogen also plays a significant role in pain perception, joint health, and managing inflammation. When oestrogen levels decline during perimenopause, natural painkillers like endorphins and enkephalins are not properly regulated, which can lead to an increase in pain.
In addition to muscle aches, women may experience breast pain during perimenopause due to hormonal fluctuations. Rising and falling oestrogen and progesterone levels make breast tissue more sensitive, leading to pain, swelling, and tenderness. Low oestrogen levels can also cause a decrease in the skin's elasticity and its ability to retain water, making the skin thinner and more prone to painful bruising.
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Exercise and lifestyle choices can prevent age-related muscle decline
Muscle aches and pains during perimenopause are caused by a decline in oestrogen, which affects the joints, tissues, ligaments, and muscles. Oestrogen helps protect muscles from damage and inflammation after exercise or injuries, so lower levels of the hormone can make you feel more pain.
Physical inactivity is a key factor affecting muscle ageing. Exercise can improve muscle metabolism, strength, and function, which can prevent or slow some of the negative age-associated changes. It can also reduce the age-associated accumulation of intermuscular fat and alter intramyocellular lipids (IMCLs). Exercise improves muscle cell and tissue contractile function. It can also reduce or delay declines in muscle regeneration, increase satellite cells and enhance their activation, and improve myogenic potential.
An active lifestyle that includes strength training can help prevent sarcopenia. Strength training can help you regain strength and mobility. A typical strength training programme might include working with free weights or weight machines and stretchy resistance bands. It might also include bodyweight exercises, such as push-ups, lunges, and leg raises.
In addition to exercise, maintaining a healthy diet that includes high-quality proteins can help prevent age-related muscle decline. Aim for 20 to 35 grams of protein in each meal.
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Stress, anxiety and depression can make pain feel worse
Perimenopause is a natural transition period before menopause when reproductive hormone levels fluctuate and eventually drop. This can cause a range of symptoms, including muscle pain and aches, also known as myalgia. These aches can range from dull pains to shooting pains and even spasms. The hormone changes that occur during perimenopause can also increase the risk of depression and anxiety, which can make pain feel worse.
During perimenopause, the body's levels of oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate and decline. Oestrogen helps protect muscles from damage and inflammation, so a drop in oestrogen can lead to increased muscle pain and inflammation. Oestrogen also plays a role in pain perception, and reduced levels can lead to an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, which can make pain seem more intense. Similarly, progesterone is responsible for keeping the body relaxed and raising the pain threshold, so fluctuations in perimenopause can lead to bouts of musculoskeletal pain.
Stress, anxiety, and depression can all contribute to feeling more pain during perimenopause. High levels of stress are associated with increased cortisol, which can increase sensitivity to pain. Additionally, anxiety can ramp up as oestrogen production fluctuates, and for some women, perimenopausal anxiety can lead to panic attacks, dizziness, chest pain, and a fast heartbeat. Sleep disorders, which are common during perimenopause, can also lead to depression and increase pain by lowering the pain threshold and increasing stress.
To manage muscle pain and the stress, anxiety, and depression that can accompany perimenopause, lifestyle changes can be beneficial. These include exercising, eating a healthy and balanced diet, improving sleep habits, trying stress-reduction techniques such as meditation and breathing exercises, and stopping smoking. Over-the-counter medications, heat packs, and massages may also provide short-term relief. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help relieve menopause symptoms, but there is limited evidence of its effectiveness for muscle pain.
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Frequently asked questions
During perimenopause, your body experiences a fluctuation and eventual drop in reproductive hormones like oestrogen and progesterone. Oestrogen affects your cartilage and bone replacement, and plays a part in inflammation and pain. The loss of oestrogen can lead to issues with joints and connective tissue, resulting in muscle aches.
Muscle aches during perimenopause can range from dull aches, throbbing and cramps to shooting pains and even spasms. Stiffness in the muscles is also common, and some women experience a tingling or crawling sensation, especially in their legs.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) replaces the hormones lost during perimenopause and can help relieve symptoms. Lifestyle changes, such as improving sleep, reducing stress, and exercising, can also help manage muscle aches. Physiotherapists can advise on specific exercises to improve strength and target problem areas.
Ensuring your diet includes calcium, vitamin D, and omega 3 fatty acids can help maintain joint and bone health, which may reduce muscle aches during perimenopause.
Yes, muscle aches during perimenopause are often associated with other symptoms, such as hot flushes, night sweats, and joint pains. Studies have shown that over 70% of women experience menopausal musculoskeletal pain, with symptoms sometimes becoming severe and debilitating.
