What are the pains and symptoms linked to menopause?

In menstruating people, the decade between the ages of 45 and 55 is marked by a gradual decline in egg production: this is menopause. In addition to being a sometimes complicated period to live through on a mental level, this period is characterized by numerous pains and symptoms. So what are the symptoms of menopause ? And how to mitigate them? Let’s find out together in this article.

Pain related to menopause

The gradual cessation of egg production by the ovaries is accompanied by significant hormonal variations: the production of estrogen and progesterone changes significantly! This leads to many dysfunctions of the body and different pains.

1. Joint pain

Joint pain may be associated with menopause in some menstruating people, although this can vary from person to person. Estrogen actually impacts various tissues in the body, including joints and bones. Decreasing estrogen levels during menopause can contribute to changes in connective tissues, leading to symptoms such as joint pain. It is therefore possible to experience joint pain, stiffness or even worsening of osteoarthritis during menopause.

As menopause occurs around age 50, it is important to note that other factors can also contribute to joint pain in postmenopausal women. Natural aging, other pre-existing medical conditions, lack of physical activity and/or being overweight can thus increase joint pain.

How to relieve joint pain linked to menopause?

Whether your joint pain is linked to your menopause or not, it is essential to start by meeting your GP about it. He will be able to determine the causes of your pain and offer you solutions, such as taking hormones to compensate for the effects of menopause, but not only that.

Practicing gentle sports, such as swimming and walking, are often recommended in cases of joint pain, because they activate the body without rushing it.

In recent years, CBD has been particularly highlighted for alleviating and relieving chronic pain such as joint pain. 🌈 On our shop, we offer you sublingual oils from the Équilibre CBD brand. We recommend starting with CBD oil 1000mg to start taming CBD and know exactly the amounts that make you feel good.

2. Muscle pain

Like joint pain, muscle pain – aches, cramps, cramps and contractures – can be linked to menopause in certain menstruating people. As with joint pain, the reduction in estrogen levels has consequences on the tissues of the human body and therefore on the muscles. Menopause can therefore be accompanied by pain and a higher risk of injury.

Factors other than menopause may come into play to explain the muscle pain you experience as you approach middle age. This is the case of natural aging, sedentary lifestyle or obesity.

How to relieve muscle pain linked to menopause?

Whatever the origins of your muscle pain – whether or not it is linked to menopause – we recommend that you consult your general practitioner about this. Based on your medical history and your profile, he will be able to offer you additional medical examinations and solutions to alleviate your pain.

In addition to consulting a doctor, massage is an interesting solution to relieve your muscle pain. You can consult a professional or practice self-massage. 🌈 On our e-shop, we particularly like Miyé's decongestant serum . This natural treatment is decongestant and soothing (breasts, tight stomach, heavy legs, etc.).

As in the context of joint pain, CBD is increasingly recognized for responding to problems related to chronic pain. Menopausal muscle pain is one of them and CBD can be a great solution. 🌈 On our e-shop, we have collected several CBD references to support you, including sublingual oils and herbal teas. We previously told you about the CBD oils that we recommend to quickly test the effectiveness of CBD on you. Mijane's Sommeil herbal tea combines CBD with chamomile and verbena for a relaxing effect, while Equilibre CBD's Rooibos herbal tea prefers to focus on the taste and soothing effect of rooibos.

3. Pain during sexual intercourse

At the time of menopause, it is common to experience dyspareunia , another name for pain felt during and after sexual intercourse. This is for two main reasons as menopause approaches:

• Vaginal dryness: the balance of the vaginal flora is particularly sensitive. However, due to the significant hormonal variations that occur during menopause, the balance can be disrupted. This can result in intimate dryness which makes sexual intercourse painful.
• Vaginal atrophy: The drop in estrogen levels in the body of menstruating people during menopause can lead to this condition. The vagina loses its flexibility and its walls become thinner. Intimate dryness is also a consequence of this pathology. Generally, vaginal atrophy occurs at menopause but it can occur at other times in a menstruating person's life, including during breastfeeding.

How to relieve dyspareunia during menopause?

If you regularly have pain during sex, it is important to talk about it. First with your partner and then with competent health professionals (your general practitioner and your gynecologist). The first will be able to adapt and the second will be able to offer you examinations and answers, both medical and natural.

Depending on your doctor's diagnosis and the pain felt, at the entrance to your vagina, or deeper, there are several answers to provide.

If you think you might be suffering from vaginal dryness, the first answer is to use lubricant. 🌈 We particularly recommend the water-based intimate lubricant from the MyLubie brand: very soft and organic, it will not disturb your vaginal flora.

4. Breast pain

The pains that occur during menopause are often dupes of the pains that have been bothering you during your menstrual cycle throughout your life. Once again, it is the work of estrogens, the levels of which drop during menopause! If you often had chest pain during your PMS, your chest may be particularly sensitive during menopause. Some common symptoms include a feeling of fullness or swelling in the breasts, increased tenderness, or even pain or discomfort. These symptoms can affect both breasts or just one.

Like most of the symptoms discussed in this article, they vary between people and can be associated with other pathologies than just menopause, such as muscle problems, tension, breast cysts, or other medical conditions. Therefore, it is crucial to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis.

How to relieve breast pain related to menopause?

Start by consulting your general practitioner and/or your gynecologist to discuss your pain with them. Once it has been established that your breast pain is linked to menopause, we can offer you two solutions:

• Supplement you with hormones: your doctor will prescribe these to you in order to smooth the hormonal transition and support you;
• Massage your chest regularly: practicing self-massage on your chest can help alleviate the pain you feel. 🌈 On our eshop, we particularly like the soothing Tits Party balm from the Nideco brand. Thanks to a fresh effect, it helps relieve the feeling of heaviness.

5. Headaches

Catamenial migraines are migraines linked to hormonal variations in menstruating people. Common PMS, they are also a sign of pregnancy and menopause. If migraines linked to your menstrual cycles have accompanied you throughout your life, it is possible that they will also accompany your menopause. Thanks to very low estrogen levels!

Like most of the symptoms discussed here, migraines are not specific to menopause . As for their intensity, it depends largely on each person. It is therefore essential to consult your general practitioner if you regularly suffer from migraines to check that it is not linked to other pathologies.

How to relieve migraines linked to menopause?

Once a healthcare professional (notably your general practitioner) has been consulted and the cause of your migraines has been brought back to menopause, you have several solutions to relieve your migraines – solutions that you are certainly familiar with if you have lived your entire menstrual life with catamenial migraines. :

• Take the hormones prescribed by your doctor: synthetic hormones help smooth the hormonal transition so as to limit your pain;
• Take the painkillers that help you best: if migraines have been with you for a long time, you certainly know which medications relieve you the most;
• Opt for caffeine: the vasodilator effect of caffeine can have the effect of limiting headaches, especially when it is taken at the very beginning of the attack;
• Rest, agree to slow down: intense migraines unfortunately cannot be stopped. Darkness, silence: implement the solutions that suit you best.

6. Pelvic pain

You may have thought you would be rid of them at menopause. Missed. Menstrual cramps and lower abdominal pain continue as you enter menopause. On the one hand, because the periods are still present, although less frequent. On the other hand, because your body gradually adapts to the significant changes taking place within it! And finally, because you may be the victim of transit disorders linked, again, to your hormonal variations.

At the risk of repeating ourselves, these symptoms are not specific to menopause and may require consulting a general practitioner if they are severe and last over time. They can be linked to other factors and pathologies and it is crucial to verify their origins before attempting to find solutions.

How to relieve lower abdominal pain related to menopause?

If your pelvic pain is linked to your menopause, there are different solutions to remedy it. They are quite similar to those existing to respond to PMS menstrual cramps.

• Take hormones prescribed by your doctor: The first solution is to take replacement hormones prescribed by your doctor. They will allow you to make the hormonal transition smoothly;
• Take painkillers that relieve you the most: as you may have done during your PMS, you can completely relieve yourself with painkillers;
• Apply heat: taking hot baths or using a hot water bottle is a proven solution to reduce pelvic pain. The heat indeed has an immediate relaxing effect;
• Use electrostimulation: recently developed, electrostimulation consists of using the power of electrical stimulation to contract the uterus and all the muscles of the lower abdomen and thus suffer less pain. 🌈 On the shop, we highlight the Bluetens period pain relief device . Effective against pain linked to endometriosis, it has the advantage of being portable and can be managed via an application;
• Supplementing yourself with CBD: cannabidiol (CBD) is particularly interesting for menstrual cramps. 🌈 On the shop, we offer it to you through sublingual oils or herbal teas;
• Drink a lot: staying well hydrated is essential in many ways, but in particular to promote good intestinal transit. The latter can be particularly disturbed during menopause, it is necessary to continue to drink a lot;
• Take care of your lifestyle: if a healthy lifestyle is not a sine qua non condition for good health (luck and genetics are also part of the equation), it can only contribute to it. The more you exercise, sleep properly and eat a balanced diet, the more you will limit the reasons why your body can hurt you.

Symptoms linked to menopause

Alongside the pain that you may experience due to menopause, different symptoms are associated with this period, again because of the hormonal fluctuation that takes place inside you. In the following section, we present these symptoms to you as well as solutions to respond to them.

7. Hot flashes

Hot flashes are certainly the best known and most representative symptoms of menopause. They correspond to a sudden feeling of heat, often followed by heavy sweating. Like all the symptoms that follow, their occurrence, intensity and frequency depends on the person: it is completely possible to go through menopause without hot flashes.

🌈 On our e-shop, we have selected for you two products dedicated to hot flashes:

• Food supplements specific to the regulation of hot flashes in Jhô: rich in sage and maca, Jhô food supplements are designed for menopausal people. As before taking any food supplement, it is important to confirm the intake of these plants with your doctor;
• Miyé's oxygenating mist : this mist to spray on your face in the event of a sudden hot flash helps you find freshness and calm. As a bonus, it is enriched with different natural ingredients and minerals to do your skin good!

8. Night sweats

Like hot flashes, night sweats are a common symptom associated with menopause. They are characterized by excessive sweating during the night, often accompanied by a feeling of intense heat. Like most of the symptoms we will discuss here, night sweats are linked to a drop in estrogen levels.

9. Vaginal dryness

Vaginal dryness, also called intimate dryness, is a common symptom of menopause and is often attributed to decreasing levels of estrogen, a hormone that plays a key role in maintaining vaginal health. During menopause, estrogen production decreases, which can lead to thinning of the vaginal walls, reduced lubrication, and increased dryness. In addition to causing pain during sex, it can increase the risk of sexual infections.

🌈 On our e-shop, we offer two quite different products to help you with vaginal dryness. You will find :

• The moisturizing care balm for the vulva from Baûbo: 100% natural, it helps soothe vaginal dryness when it is felt in the hydration of your vulva;
• The rebalancing intimate gel from Miyé: in addition to helping you take care of your vulva during your intimate cleansing, this gel has the effect of rebalancing your vaginal flora;
• MyLubie water-based lubricant : during sexual intercourse, vaginal dryness can be painful. Using a lubricant is sometimes necessary. As a bonus: it has very few ingredients so as not to disturb your vaginal flora.

10. Sleep disorders

Sleep disorders (difficulty falling asleep, poor quality sleep, waking up at night or even insomnia) are common during menopause and can be associated with several factors, including hormonal fluctuations, anxiety, hot flashes and other changes linked to this period of hormonal transition.

11. Changes in libido

Menopause is usually accompanied by a decrease in interest in sexual activity, in other words, a loss of libido . This is due to the drop in estrogen levels in the body. However, it is interesting to note that this symptom does not apply to all women: some, freed from the constraints linked to periods and PMS as well as contraception, are suddenly more able to express themselves sexually. They view menopause as a true liberation.

🌈 At Gapianne, above all, we want to allow women to flourish in their bodies and in their sexuality. That's why we offer sex toys (why not try new things?), games to open the discussion with your partner ( Let's Discuss Play Gender Games is our favorite!) and massage oils. We particularly like the intimate libertine CBD oil from the Ho Karan brand: lubricating and edible, it has many uses. As for CBD, it increases the pleasure tenfold by relaxing you.

12. Mood swings

Hormonal fluctuations associated with menopause can impact some women's mood by affecting the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin. However, the latter plays a key role in regulating mood.

Mood swings that can affect women during menopause include:

• Mood swings, irritability: nervousness and sudden change in mood are associated with PMS but they can also be associated with menopause;
• Anxiety, stress, even panic attacks: hormonal variations can increase anxiety, similar to what sometimes happens in the few days before the arrival of your period;
• Depressive episode, depression: all the pain and these symptoms, mixed with various concerns and hormonal variations can lead menopausal women to face depressive episodes or even depression.

Women who were particularly susceptible to mood swings during their PMS are more likely to experience them during menopause.

13. Concentration and memory problems

Menopause can impact various aspects of health, including cognitive function. Sex hormones, particularly estrogen, have a role in brain function, and a decrease in these hormones can contribute to problems with concentration and memory.

14. Loss of bone density

Hormonal changes that occur during menopause can increase the risk of loss of bone density, including osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in bone mineral density, making bones weaker and more likely to fracture. Postmenopausal women may therefore be more prone to bone fractures, particularly in the wrist, spine and hip.

🌈 On our e-shop, find Miyé's natural cure for hormonal imbalance . It contains vitamin B9 in particular to contribute to good bone density and the prevention of osteoporosis. As before taking any food supplement, it is important to confirm the intake of these plants with your doctor.

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15. Heart palpitations

During menopause, estrogen and progesterone levels decrease, which can affect the cardiovascular system and cause symptoms such as heart palpitations. These can also be exacerbated by fatigue, sleep problems or even stress linked to this period of change.

🚩 If you experience heart palpitations that are frequent, severe, or accompanied by other symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or dizziness, it is recommended that you consult a healthcare professional immediately. He will be able to carry out a complete assessment, discuss your medical history and verify that these heart palpitations are indeed linked to your menopause and not to an underlying pathology.

16. Weight gain

Weight gain is a common symptom of menopause , and many women experience changes in their body shape during this period of hormonal transition. This can also contribute to the stress and unease that some women experience during this period.

Several factors can contribute to weight gain during menopause:

• Hormonal fluctuations: decreasing estrogen levels during menopause can influence the distribution of fat in the body, often promoting fat storage in the abdomen;
• Slowing metabolism: Metabolism can slow down with age, which can make it more difficult to maintain a stable body weight;
• Reduction in muscle mass: menopause is often associated with a reduction in muscle mass, which can contribute to a reduction in basal metabolism (in addition to the slowdown associated with natural aging);
• Poor self-image: menopause can sometimes be accompanied by questions and doubts about one's image. This can exacerbate existing eating disorders or cause them;
• Stress and sleep: increased stress and sleep disorders, sometimes direct consequences of menopause, can also have an impact on weight.

17. Hair loss or loss of hair mass

As during pregnancy, the nature of women's hair may change under the influence of hormonal changes that take place in the bodies of menopausal women. Many women report a change in the nature of their hair (finer, less dense, smoother, etc.). Even more, the appearance of white hair linked to natural aging leads to significant changes in hair mass. More rarely, postmenopausal women experience hair loss, also known as alopecia.

🌈 On our e-shop, find the hair growth and anti-hair loss serum from the Miyé brand. It activates micro stimulation of the scalp responsible for hair loss when there is a hormonal imbalance. It also promotes hair regrowth and cleanses the scalp thanks to a certified organic formula.

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18. Dry skin

Dryness of the skin, face and body is a common symptom associated with menopause. Hormonal changes, particularly decreasing estrogen levels, can influence the nature of the skin and lead to a reduction in the production of collagen and elastin: the skin is drier, less supple and less plump.

🌈 In our store, we have selected Oden face and dry skin oil for you. Recommended for maintaining skin hydration, plum oil helps naturally combat the effects of pollution. We especially like the purity of this oil: virgin, first cold pressed, it comes from organic plum stones grown and processed in France.

19. Dry eyes

Did you know ? Menopause also has an impact on dry eyes. Decreased estrogen levels can indeed influence tear production, leading to a feeling of dry eyes.

20. Urinate more frequently

Hormonal changes that occur during menopause can influence the health of the urinary system, including the pelvic musculature and the tissues that support the bladder. Menopausal women thus report their need to urinate more frequently and more rarely problems linked to urinary incontinence.

Responding to Menopausal Symptoms

How to deal with menopause symptoms?

1. Go see a doctor: some of the symptoms of menopause are specific to the latter (hot flashes, night sweats or mood swings) while others can be linked to other pathologies. This is why the first thing to do, when a surprising symptom appears, is to consult your doctor. He will carry out a complete assessment, discuss your medical history and verify that these symptoms are indeed linked to your menopause and not to another pathology;
2. Take the recommended medications: depending on your symptoms, your doctor may prescribe hormones to compensate for the drop in estrogen levels in your body;
3. Take food supplements: while food supplements do not have effects on hormones, they can help offset the effects of falling estrogen levels in your body. 🌈 On our e-shop, we have selected for you the natural cure for hormonal disruption from Miyé. It is totally suitable in case of menopause. It thus includes: lemon balm extract to combat stress, insomnia and overwork, rosemary to relieve digestive disorders and abdominal cramps, vitamin B6 to facilitate cell renewal, vitamin B9 to contribute to good bone density and the prevention of osteoporosis, As before taking any food supplement, it is important to confirm the intake of these plants with your doctor;
4. Have a correct lifestyle: failing to completely stop the effects linked to menopause and the hormonal variations it induces, having a healthy lifestyle will allow you to attenuate them. Maybe it's time to implement new habits? Hydrate yourself properly, sleep well, practice regular physical activity, don't drink alcohol, don't smoke, eat a balanced diet... you know all these recommendations and in a period of disruption such as menopause, respecting them is particularly interesting!