What are the pains and symptoms linked to menopause?

For 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 time to navigate mentally, this period is characterized by numerous pains and symptoms. So what are the symptoms of menopause ? And how can you alleviate them? Let's find out together in this article.

Menopause-related pain

The gradual cessation of egg production by the ovaries is accompanied by significant hormonal fluctuations: the production of estrogen and progesterone changes dramatically! This leads to numerous bodily dysfunctions and various pains.

1. Joint pain

Joint pain may be associated with menopause in some menstruating people, although this can vary from person to person. Estrogen affects various tissues in the body, including joints and bones. Decreased 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 worsening of osteoarthritis during menopause.

Since menopause occurs around the age of 50, it's 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 all increase joint pain.

How to relieve joint pain related to menopause?

Whether your joint pain is related to menopause or not, it's essential to start by talking to your general practitioner about it. They can determine the causes of your pain and suggest solutions, such as taking hormones to offset the effects of menopause, but not only that.

Gentle sports, such as swimming and walking, are often recommended for joint pain because they activate the body without shocking it.

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

2. Muscle pain

Like joint pain, muscle pain—aches, cramps, twinges, and tightness—may be linked to menopause in some menstruating individuals. As with joint pain, declining estrogen levels affect the body's tissues, including muscles. Menopause can therefore be accompanied by increased pain and risk of injury.

Factors other than menopause may contribute to the muscle pain you experience as you approach your fifties, such as natural aging, a sedentary lifestyle, or obesity.

How to relieve muscle pain related to menopause?

Regardless of the cause of your muscle pain—whether related to menopause or not—we recommend consulting your general practitioner. Based on your medical history and profile, they will be able to suggest additional medical tests and solutions to alleviate your pain.

Along with consulting a doctor, massage is a great way to relieve 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, tense stomach, heavy legs, etc.).

As with joint pain, CBD is increasingly recognized for addressing issues related to chronic pain. Menopausal muscle pain is one of them, and CBD can be a great solution. 🌈 On our e-shop, we've gathered several CBD products to help you, including sublingual oils and herbal teas. We previously talked about the CBD oils we recommend to quickly test the effectiveness of CBD on you. Mijane's Sleep herbal tea combines CBD with chamomile and verbena for a relaxing effect, while Equilibre CBD's Rooibos herbal tea focuses on the taste and soothing effect of rooibos.

3. Pain during 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 fluctuations that occur during menopause, this balance can be disrupted. This can result in vaginal dryness, which makes sexual intercourse painful.
• Vaginal atrophy: The decline in estrogen levels in the body of menstruating people during menopause can lead to this condition. The vagina loses its flexibility and its walls thin. Vaginal dryness is also a consequence of this condition. Vaginal atrophy generally occurs during menopause, but it can occur at other times in a menstruating person's life, such as during breastfeeding.

How to relieve dyspareunia during menopause?

If you regularly experience pain during sexual intercourse, it's important to talk about it. First, with your partner and then with qualified healthcare professionals (your general practitioner and your gynecologist). The former will be able to adapt, while the latter will be able to offer you tests and solutions, both medical and natural.

Depending on your doctor's diagnosis and the pain you feel, whether at the entrance to your vagina or deeper down, there are several possible responses.

If you think you might be suffering from vaginal dryness, the first response is to use a lubricating oil for sex . 🌈 We particularly recommend the water-based intimate lubricant from the MyLubie brand: very gentle and organic, it will not disrupt your vaginal flora.

4. Breast pain

Menopause pain is often a reflection of the pain that has been bothering you during your menstrual cycle throughout your life. Again, this is the work of estrogen, whose levels drop during menopause! If you often experienced breast pain during PMS, your breasts may be especially sensitive around the time of menopause. Some common symptoms include a feeling of fullness or swelling in the breasts, increased sensitivity, and even pain or discomfort. These symptoms can affect both breasts or just one.

Like most of the symptoms discussed in this article, they vary from person to person and may be associated with other conditions besides 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 gynecologist to discuss your pain. Once it's established that your breast pain is related to menopause, we can offer you two solutions:

• Supplementing your hormones: your doctor will prescribe these to help ease the hormonal transition and support you;
• Massage your breasts regularly: Self-massaging your breasts can help relieve any pain you may be experiencing. 🌈 On our e-shop, we particularly like the soothing Tits Party balm from Nideco. Thanks to its cooling effect, it helps relieve the feeling of heaviness.

5. Headaches

Catamenial migraines are migraines related to hormonal fluctuations in menstruating people. A common PMS condition, they are also a sign of pregnancy and menopause. If migraines related to your menstrual cycles have been with you throughout your life, it's possible they will also accompany your menopause. Thanks to the 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 the individual. 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 related to menopause?

Once you have consulted a healthcare professional (particularly your general practitioner) and the cause of your migraines has been reduced 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 to soften the hormonal transition in order to limit your pain;
• Take the painkillers that help you best: if you have had migraines for a long time, you certainly know which medications provide the most relief;
• Opt for caffeine: the vasodilatory effect of caffeine can have the effect of limiting headaches, especially when taken at the very beginning of the attack;
• Rest, accept to slow down: intense migraines unfortunately cannot be stopped. Darkness, silence: implement the solutions that work best for you.

6. Pelvic pain

You might have thought you'd be rid of them at menopause. Wrong. Menstrual cramps and lower abdominal pain continue as you enter menopause. Firstly, because your periods are still present, although less frequent. Secondly, because your body is gradually adapting to the significant changes taking place within it! And finally, because you may experience digestive problems linked, once again, to your hormonal fluctuations.

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 persist over time. They may be linked to other factors and pathologies, and it is crucial to determine their origins before attempting to address them.

How to relieve lower abdominal pain related to menopause?

If your pelvic pain is related to menopause, there are several solutions available to address it. They are quite similar to those available for PMS menstrual cramps.

• Take the hormones prescribed by your doctor: The first solution is to take the replacement hormones prescribed by your doctor. These will allow you to make the hormonal transition smoothly;
• Take painkillers that give you the most relief: Just as you did 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. Heat 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. 🌈 On the shop, we highlight the Bluetens anti-period pain device . Effective against pain linked to endometriosis, it has the advantage of being portable and can be managed via an application;
• Supplementing with CBD: Cannabidiol (CBD) is particularly useful for menstrual cramps. 🌈 In the shop, we offer it in sublingual oils or herbal teas;
• Drink plenty of fluids: Staying well hydrated is essential in many ways, but especially to promote good intestinal transit. As this can be particularly disrupted during menopause, it is important to continue drinking plenty of fluids;
• Take care of your lifestyle: While a healthy lifestyle isn't a prerequisite for good health (luck and genetics are also part of the equation), it can only contribute to it. The more you exercise, sleep well, and eat a balanced diet, the more you'll limit the reasons why your body can cause you pain.

Symptoms related to menopause

Along with the pain you may experience as a result of menopause, there are various symptoms associated with this period, again due to the hormonal fluctuations taking place within you. In the following section, we present these symptoms and solutions to address them.

7. Hot flashes

Hot flashes are certainly the best-known and most representative symptoms of menopause. They correspond to a sudden sensation of heat, often followed by significant sweating. Like all the symptoms that follow, their occurrence, intensity, and frequency vary from person to person: it is entirely possible to go through menopause without hot flashes.

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

• Jhô's specific dietary supplements for regulating hot flashes : rich in sage and maca, Jhô's dietary supplements are designed for menopausal people. As with any dietary supplement, it is important to confirm with your doctor that you are taking these plants;
• Miyé Oxygenating Mist : This mist, which you spray on your face in case of a sudden hot flash, helps you regain freshness and calm. As a bonus, it's enriched with various 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'll discuss here, night sweats are linked to declining estrogen levels.

9. Vaginal dryness

Vaginal dryness, also known as vaginal dryness, is a common symptom of menopause and is often attributed to declining 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, this can increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections.

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

• Baûbo vulva balm : 100% natural, it helps soothe vaginal dryness when it is felt in the hydration of your vulva;
• Miyé's rebalancing intimate gel : in addition to helping you take care of your vulva during your intimate hygiene, this gel has the effect of rebalancing your vaginal flora;
• MyLubie Water-Based Lubricant : Vaginal dryness can be painful during sex. Using a lubricant is sometimes necessary. Bonus: It has very few ingredients so it won't disrupt your vaginal flora.

Solutions to relieve intimate dryness during menopause >

10. Sleep disorders

Sleep disturbances (difficulty falling asleep, poor sleep quality, nighttime awakenings, or insomnia) are common during menopause and can be associated with several factors, including hormonal fluctuations, anxiety, hot flashes, and other changes related 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 of periods and PMS as well as contraception, are suddenly more able to express themselves sexually. They consider menopause a real liberation.

🌈 At Gapianne, we want above all 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 ( Discultons by 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 pleasure tenfold by relaxing you.

12. Mood swings

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

Mood swings that can affect women during menopause include:

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

Women who were particularly sensitive 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, play 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 bone loss, including osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a decrease in bone mineral density, making bones more fragile and more likely to fracture. Postmenopausal women may therefore be more prone to bone fractures, particularly in the wrist, spine, and hip.

🌈 Find Miyé's natural cure for hormonal imbalance on our e-shop. It contains vitamin B9 to help maintain good bone density and prevent osteoporosis. As with any dietary supplement, it's important to check with your doctor before taking these herbs.

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15. Heart palpitations

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

🚩 If you experience 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. They will be able to perform a complete assessment, discuss your medical history, and verify that these heart palpitations are related to your menopause and not an underlying medical condition.

16. Weight gain

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

Several factors can contribute to weight gain during menopause:

• Hormonal fluctuations: Decreased 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;
• Reduced muscle mass: Menopause is often associated with a decrease in muscle mass, which can contribute to a decrease in basal metabolic rate (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 new ones;
• Stress and sleep: Increased stress and sleep disturbances, sometimes direct consequences of menopause, can also have an impact on weight.

17. Hair loss or loss of hair mass

Just as during pregnancy, the nature of women's hair can change under the influence of hormonal changes that occur in the bodies of menopausal women. Many women report a change in the nature of their hair (thinner, less dense, smoother, etc.). Moreover, the appearance of white hair linked to natural aging leads to significant changes in hair mass. More rarely, menopausal women report hair loss, also known as alopecia.

🌈 Discover Miyé's Hair Growth and Anti-Hair Loss Serum in our online shop. It activates microstimulation of the scalp, which is responsible for hair loss when there is a hormonal imbalance. It also promotes hair regrowth and cleanses the scalp thanks to its certified organic formula.

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18. Dry skin

Dry skin, both on the face and body, is a common symptom associated with menopause. Hormonal changes, particularly declining estrogen levels, can affect the nature of the skin and lead to a decrease in the production of collagen and elastin: the skin is drier, less supple, and less plump.

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

19. Dry eyes

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

20. Urinate more frequently

Hormonal changes that occur during menopause can affect the health of the urinary system, including the pelvic muscles and the tissues that support the bladder. Menopausal women experience increased urination and less frequent problems with urinary incontinence.

Responding to Menopause Symptoms

How to cope with menopause symptoms?

1. See a doctor: Some menopause symptoms are specific to menopause (hot flashes, night sweats, or mood swings), while others may be related to other conditions. That's why the first thing to do when you experience a surprising symptom is to see your doctor. They will conduct a thorough assessment, review your medical history, and verify that these symptoms are related to your menopause and not to another condition.
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: if food supplements do not have an effect on hormones, they can help compensate for the effects of the drop in estrogen levels in your body. 🌈 On our e-shop, we have selected for you the natural cure for hormonal imbalance from Miyé. It is completely suitable in case of menopause. It thus contains: lemon balm extract to fight against 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 validate with your doctor the taking of these plants;
4. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: While it won't completely stop the effects of menopause and the hormonal fluctuations it causes, maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help you mitigate them. Perhaps it's time to adopt new habits? Staying hydrated, sleeping well, exercising regularly, not drinking alcohol, not smoking, eating a balanced diet... you know all these recommendations, and during a period of disruption such as menopause, it's particularly important to follow them!