What to do if joints hurt during menopause? Climacteric arthritis during menopause Features of the course of menopause

The climacteric period that begins after 45 years in women, implies the decline of reproductive function, when hormones of the reproductive system are produced in smaller quantities. Along with an imbalance of some hormones, the production of others may decrease, which ultimately provokes various negative processes in the body. These include rapid weight gain, excessive irritability, increased sweating and joint pain.

The latter appear especially often when a woman has chronic inflammatory processes in her body.

Why joints hurt during menopause and how to cope with such a manifestation without harm to health, we will analyze further.

Features of the course of menopause

Climax is a special period in the life of every woman, which signals the end of her ability to procreate. Menopause lasts about 3-4 years, and during this time the body undergoes restructuring, the need for which is dictated by a decrease in the production of sex hormones.

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Irina Martynova. Graduated from Voronezh State Medical University named after. N.N. Burdenko. Clinical resident and neurologist of the BUZ VO \"Moscow Polyclinic\".

Since it is hormones that control the functioning of the entire body, even a slight imbalance can provoke serious problems. The eggs no longer mature, and the genital organs of women after 45 years lose their main function. Menstruation stops, along with which symptoms such as:

• fast fatiguability;
• increased irritability;
• sudden change of mood;
• increased sweating;
• deterioration of the condition of bone tissue, which is expressed by a decrease in its strength and elasticity (changes in posture, risk of fractures);
• uncontrolled weight gain that is not related to food consumed;
• the appearance of unwanted vegetation on the skin.

Joint pain is also quite common during menopause.

There are many reasons and explanations for this from a scientific point of view. Therefore, it is worth considering this issue in more detail.

Decreased estrogen synthesis functions

Functioning of the ovaries after 45 years decreases noticeably, which indicates the irreversibility of the ongoing processes. In the body, all functions and systems are interconnected, so when the hormonal system fades, the entire body suffers. Estrogen is produced in smaller quantities, which causes a deterioration in the woman’s general health. Along with irritability and hot flashes, bone tissue suffers. Calcium is no longer absorbed in the required amount, which makes bone tissue more loose. This factor increases the risk of fractures and also affects posture.

Immunity also decreases, so women of Balzac’s age may suffer from respiratory diseases more often. Menopause is a kind of stress for the body. The most difficult time is at the age of 45-50, when the reproductive system completely fades away. The condition of the skin worsens, wrinkles become more noticeable.

When estrogen levels decrease quickly, stress on the body increases. Most often, this provokes a hormonal imbalance, in which the level of all hormones is unstable.

This affects the performance of the entire body, especially the musculoskeletal system.

Type of pain
Aching pain in the joints, which appears suddenly and is not associated with the influence of external factors. Most often, the peak of pain occurs in the evening hours, when the body experiences the greatest fatigue.
Additional symptoms
Joint pain can occur on its own, or it can be combined with additional symptoms of menopause such as:

• drowsiness;
• irritability;
• hot flashes and increased sweating;
• loss of self-control;
• increased appetite and desire to eat more unhealthy foods;
• fatigue and inability to walk long distances.

Localization of pain
Unpleasant sensations that distract you from daily work may be associated with changes in weather, especially with high humidity.

All joints can hurt, but the peak of pain occurs in the knees and lower back.

Which doctor will help?
In cases where pain occurs frequently and interfere with life, you need to seek help from such specialists as:

1. A gynecologist will help assess the process of menopause, as well as identify possible pathologies of the reproductive system caused by menopause.
2. Endocrinologist - will identify the level of hormones in the blood and also help to correct them.
3. A rheumatologist or surgeon will advise on the treatment of joint pain itself.

Diagnostics
Many women let the menopause process take its course without paying due attention to their own health. However, do not forget that diagnosis allows you to avoid serious health problems. A blood test for hormones will help identify the presence of deviations in estrogen levels from the norm. A referral for analysis is given by an endocrinologist based on the patient’s reported complaints.

If there is severe pain in the joints, radiography will be required, since there is a high probability of progression of destructive processes.

Treatment
Synthetic hormonal substitutes will help compensate for hormone deficiency or level out their levels relative to the recommended standards. Women are prescribed hormonal drugs, but this requires constant monitoring. Once a week, the patient must donate blood to find out whether the medications are appropriate and how the body reacts to them.

Drugs from the NSAID group can relieve pain: , Naklofen, . They are used both orally and topically, in the form of ointments and creams with an analgesic effect.

As a preventative measure, many doctors recommend using herbal teas that contain natural substances that can control the menopausal process.

Osteochondrosis

This is a disease is a consequence of decreased hormone synthesis and leaching of calcium compounds from the body. The spine is affected, and the posture becomes distorted. Constant back pain appears, which is especially severe during physical activity. The distance between the vertebrae of the spinal column is constantly decreasing, as cartilage tissue is subject to degeneration. There is a high probability of a hump appearing on the back, which is caused by displacement of the vertebrae relative to the skeleton, as well as pinched nerve endings.

As a result of disruption of the natural position of the vertebrae, the soft tissues and nerve endings located around them suffer. They can become pinched between the vertebrae, causing pain and...

Osteochondrosis most often develops in those women who:

• lead a sedentary lifestyle;
• do not play sports;
• are overweight;
• wear uncomfortable high-heeled shoes, which contributes to uneven distribution of the load on the spine;
• do not eat properly, and their diet lacks sufficient amounts of protein and calcium and magnesium.

Auxiliary components are vitamin complexes and bio-additives, whose action is aimed at strengthening the immune system. If the joint becomes worn out, it may need to be replaced with an artificial implant.

Physiotherapeutic procedures help speed up the regeneration processes of damaged cartilage and bone cells.

These include:

• shock wave therapy;
• magnetic therapy;
• balneotherapy.

Hernias

If present, intervertebral hernias are a fairly common occurrence. They are formed as a result of increased compression of the vertebrae when the latter compress the intervertebral discs, forcing them to change their usual anatomical position.

The intervertebral discs bulge outward, forming a herniation. This neoplasm causes severe pain, since with the slightest movement the hernia can rupture, and the contents of its capsule can spill into the vertebral area, provoking a large-scale inflammatory process.

Those women whose work is directly related to heavy lifting are at risk.

Excessive loads on the spine, as well as incorrect shoes and lack of proper sleep provoke deterioration of the intervertebral discs, and during menopause the likelihood of their occurrence is maximum.

Type of pain
The pain is sharp, shooting, squeezing. The person cannot move, and any movement causes severe pain.
Additional symptoms
In addition to back pain, symptoms such as:

• increased body temperature;
• general weakness
• cold sweat;
• pain shock.

Localization
The peak of pain occurs precisely in the area of ​​the spine where there is a hernia.
Which doctor will help?
In this case, the help of a surgeon and orthopedist will be required.
Diagnostics
Disc protrusion is visualized on an x-ray, which is a key method for diagnosing the pathology. The following can be used as auxiliary components:

Treatment
The main task facing surgeons is to reduce compression, as well as return the disc to its usual place, which is achieved through surgery. Intra-articular injections help relieve pain shock, but they should not be abused.

In the postoperative period, it is necessary to wear a bandage, as well as observe all precautions.

Other reasons

Indirect causes that can also provoke joint pain during menopause are:

• presence of infection in the body;
• problems with immunity;
• disturbance of sleep and rest patterns;
• poor nutrition, devoid of nutrients.

In what case should you see a doctor immediately?

• there is a hormonal imbalance;
• the condition worsens sharply;
• Every day new symptoms are added.

Many women do not know what to do during menopause when their joints hurt.

Don't panic. Early diagnosis will avoid serious health problems and will also prolong a woman’s youth.

Therapy to improve the condition

Treatment of joint pain during menopause should be carried out in a timely manner. It is impossible to stop the aging process, but there are a number of ways to make it less painful for the body:

1. Exercise daily, doing simple exercises.
2. Eat right, eliminating unhealthy foods and alcoholic drinks.
3. Take vitamin complexes that will help replenish the deficiency of nutrients in the body.
4. Take care by avoiding strenuous physical activity.

Thus, menopause is inevitable, but its course can be alleviated.

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Diseases in the joints, which are a consequence, cannot be ignored, since after 45 years, regenerative processes are slowed down by 5-10 times. If you experience constant aching pain, you should consult a specialist, and if you have any acute pain, you should not put off visiting a doctor.

When joints hurt during menopause, many women do not know what to do in this situation. They experience serious pain and discomfort. Every woman over the age of 45 experiences an inevitable menopause, which entails physiological changes in the body.

The onset of menopause provokes a natural decrease in sexual functions. It causes physiological changes in the body. This period lasts for 3-5 years and causes significant discomfort, organ function is disrupted, and memory deteriorates. During this long period of time, psychological, endocrine and autonomic functions are disrupted.

Hormonal cycles and the production of steroids by the genitals are disrupted. After the loss of production of steroids and gonadotropins, eggs no longer mature, the uterine mucosa undergoes thinning, impulses to the hypothalamus become weaker, bone tissue and organs of the genitourinary system are susceptible to changes. With this type of work, the body undergoes hormonal adjustments.

Also, menopausal changes in a woman cause:

• irritability;
• feelings of nervousness;
• insomnia;
• increased sweating;
• chills;
• dizziness;
• tides;
• joint pain;
• heart pain;
• painful sensations in the mammary glands and genitals.

Hot flashes are a rather unpleasant factor in menopause. It manifests itself like this: the temperature in the face, arms and neck rises, the heart rate increases, sweat is released profusely, and the skin begins to turn red.

The incident in the form of tides is characterized by the suddenness of their appearance; the tide also ends rapidly. During hot flashes, your joints, chest and lower abdomen may hurt. Heart pain that is not associated with physical activity and does not go away after taking medications (validol, nitroglycerin) is different from angina pectoris; its duration is longer.

During this time, these pains either intensify or weaken. Such pain and lack of air do not lead to significant damage to the heart; if such a menopausal effect is detected, it is necessary to visit a gynecologist’s office. Often, a woman’s condition rapidly improves after adjusting her daily routine and taking sedatives in small doses.

Sometimes there is a need for treatment with hormone substitutes; the doctor chooses the tactics of individual therapy, since hormonal drugs may not have a beneficial effect on the body. The body may not fully recover from menopause due to natural changes over time and not due to the effects of any disease.

The use of hormonal drugs, antidepressants and vitamin complexes prescribed by a gynecologist or endocrinologist can improve the condition; self-medication is strictly contraindicated. Over time, the woman becomes less irritable, and headaches and joint pains cease to bother her.

Often women, not yet faced with menopause, wonder whether muscles and joints can hurt and how this happens. Menopausal changes are irreversible due to the woman’s age. In addition to the feeling of aching in the lumbar region, joints and muscles hurt during menopause. There may also be a feeling of malaise associated with pathologies that appear against the background of hormonal changes.

Why is this happening? The thing is that estrogen reduces its synthesis functions, and the functioning of the ovaries deteriorates, fading over time. These sexual changes provoke the occurrence of osteoporosis and increase the risk of bone fractures, which become more fragile and vulnerable. Destructive effects on bone tissue cause more frequent dislocations and fractures.

Painful muscle and joint sensations can be signs of an orthopedic disease such as arthritis. Another menopausal disease may be osteochondrosis, associated with degenerative disorders of the intervertebral discs and ligaments. Due to this, muscle elasticity is lost and pain occurs. This disease may cause a hernia.

What to do with troubling joint and muscle pain during menopause and is it possible to normalize the condition? Yes, such a possibility exists if the cause of the deterioration is correctly identified. This cause must be eliminated with medication or prevented by preventive measures.

Progressive osteoporosis during menopause must be treated. Proper treatment will help strengthen bone tissue and improve the condition and functioning of the musculoskeletal system. It is impossible to eliminate this disease, but properly selected medications will help reduce the progression of the disease and improve the woman’s condition as a whole.

Prevention and therapy of osteochondrosis include increased physical activity of women, therapeutic physical education classes, which will help strengthen muscles and ligaments in order to prevent deformation.

Menopausal age should be a signal for a woman that her body requires careful treatment with proper rest and nutrition.

Your daily diet should include fruits and vegetables.

To normalize metabolism and facilitate menopause, women are prescribed the following vitamins:

• thiamine;
• retinol;
• ascorbic acid;
• pyridoxine;
• tocopherol;
• calciferol.

The period when joints hurt during menopause requires careful therapy.

If you do not consult a doctor, a disease of the musculoskeletal system can lead to significant disorders of the body and serious consequences.

Every woman reaches the age of menopause. The time begins to prepare the body for rest. The condition of the skin worsens, fatigue increases during physical work.

Chronic diseases are getting worse, blood pressure is rising, grandmothers are complaining of weakness.

Signs of approaching menopause: sudden heavy sweating, dry skin, insomnia, memory impairment. Acute pain occurs that requires anesthesia.

Pain occurs where there was none before.

Menopause provokes the development of new pathologies. My legs also get sick. Fever, sweating, chills, and headache increase the discomfort.

There are many reasons for pain in the legs.

At a young age, a woman's health is stronger than a man's. Hormones protect and prepare for bearing children. Older people produce few sex hormones - this is bad for the skin, cardiovascular system, and ability to fight infections.

For a woman’s body, a decrease in estrogen levels during menopause becomes stressful. Nervous system disorders appear. The balance of trace elements and minerals is disrupted. Lack of calcium acutely affects the condition of bones and muscles.

Osteoporosis

Grandmothers often suffer from osteoporosis. During menopause, bone tissue is destroyed, becomes brittle, and breaks from injury. The reason is a lack of sex hormones after fifty.

Osteoporosis develops painlessly, weakness appears. When the disease becomes severe, the lower back begins to ache and the legs become cold. No anesthesia is required.

A pulling sensation appears between the shoulder blades. Acute pain inside the spine indicates a fracture has occurred.

Salvation is vitamins enhanced with a complex of minerals, including fruits and fresh vegetables in the menu. Osteoporosis is caused not by the lack of calcium inside the bones, but by the consumption of calcium by the body.

Osteoporosis is incurable, there are drugs to slow the progression of the disease and for anesthesia for pain. Treatment and prevention will strengthen the tissues.

Not responding to the symptoms of the onset of osteoporosis is harmful; its development leads to the formation of a hump on the right, left, between the shoulder blades.

Sciatic nerve

The sciatic nerves run from the pelvic cavity along the back of the thighs on the right and left. The nerves are large, pain is felt in the muscles, in the lower back. The nerve is pinched, pain radiates to the leg on the right or left. You can't do without anesthesia.

Causes of pinched sciatic nerve during menopause:

1. Weight gain in older women. The load increases, the spine hurts. With age-related changes in the joints and cartilage in the lumbar region, the lumen of the spinal canal narrows, the sciatic nerve is pinched.
2. A hernia forms between the vertebrae. The blood supply is disrupted, bone tissue grows, putting pressure on the sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve is pinched and hurts due to:

• with spinal disease;
• with injury;
• with a sharp turn;
• with lifting weights;
• with sedentary work;
• with excess load during operation.

A person has constant severe pain in the back of his body. The pain is shooting, radiating down the leg, aching at the top and bottom. When moving, the pain intensifies, a burning sensation appears in the leg and lower back, weakness, and a tingling sensation in the skin.

The pain in the lower back, buttocks and lower back is unbearable. It is impossible to sit - it pulls on the right or left. There is a feeling of numbness of the skin, the temperature rises.

A burning sensation occurs in the lower abdomen, aggravated by urinary or fecal incontinence. It worsens due to nervousness.

If the stage is severe, bed rest is indicated. Anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed - ortofen or ibuprofen. Physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises help.

For prevention, between periods of exacerbation, watch your posture, strengthen your back muscles, and walk around after a long period of sitting.

Be careful when doing physical work; you cannot lift weights with one hand: right or left. Distribute the load evenly between both sides of the body.

Edema

The legs often hurt due to swelling resulting from kidney damage, obstructed blood flow, and taking medications. Due to heart disease, fluid stagnation in the body is possible.

Swelling is accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen and lower back. In the evening the temperature rises, weakness appears, and the woman becomes nervous.

Edema cannot be cured without finding out the cause. Treatment of the disease is necessary.

In addition to treatment, it is useful to take diuretics. Better herbal ingredients.

Compositions that calm the nerves are useful.

Necessary:

• stop taking hormones;
• avoid excess salt intake;
• move a lot;
• beware of excessive load;
• fight excess weight.

Muscle pain

Women who spend a lot of time on their feet are susceptible to them. Hormonal fluctuations throughout life affect the condition of tissues and blood vessels, and the situation worsens with age. The muscles become weak and inelastic. Dystrophic changes occur in the ligaments.

If it compresses your calves, it hurts to walk, your feet are cold - this is a sign of atherosclerotic vascular damage.

If your legs ache, become heavy, or have cramps, this is a sign of weak venous blood flow.

Reason for pain:

• Physical activity, intense sports training, leading to the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles;
• Excess weight that interferes with blood flow;
• Problems with blood vessels;
• Lack of movement;
• Love for heels.

Burning, pain pulsates, radiates along the veins, swelling appears - a sign of thrombophlebitis.

What becomes the reason:

• Infection;
• Changes in blood properties;
• Violation of the walls of blood vessels.

During menopause, inflammatory, neurological, vascular diseases of the legs are possible, causing muscle pain.

To alleviate the condition and anesthesia, use:

1. therapeutic exercises;
2. cold and hot shower;
3. herbal baths with infusion of sage, nettle, mint.

When muscles hurt, wearing compression stockings has a positive effect.

Painful joints

Many grandmothers often complain that their joints hurt during menopause.

Perhaps, due to osteochondrosis, the musculoskeletal system does not work well. Severe pain appears in the spine, lower back, problems with the nervous system, burning, weakness, heaviness at the bottom and a feeling that the legs are freezing.

Weakened muscles and ligaments do not support the spine. Mobility is lost and pain appears. Unable to perform physical work. Small loads are heavy.

Osteochondrosis develops due to deformations in the spine. The disk cannot be restored, but the severity of symptoms can be reduced.

What to do:

• do physical therapy;
• walk a lot;
• control posture;
• practice yoga.

Menopausal arthritis

Normal hormonal levels in women are responsible for the regulation of life processes. In older people, the activity of substances synthesizing cartilage tissue is reduced, provoking the development of climatic arthritis. The joint becomes deformed and swells, it begins to hurt in the morning, a feeling of stiffness, weakness, and burning appears. A sign of climatic arthritis is that the local temperature at the joint rarely increases.

Climatic arthritis differs from rheumatoid arthritis:

• there are tides;
• excessive sweating bothers you;
• Fatigue sets in quickly;
• the woman feels weak.

Treatment includes hormone therapy, drugs to protect and restore cartilage and joints, and anti-inflammatory medications. Additionally, it is necessary to take supplements containing vitamins D3, B6, C, E and antioxidants.

Many folk remedies relieve leg pain during menopause.

Dandelion root helps improve cartilage metabolism in older people. A natural chondroprotector is able to restore joints and relieve pain.

1. A mixture is made from dried dandelion - 6 g of roots, 2 teaspoons of leaves. Add to 200 ml of water. Leave in a water bath for 10 minutes. After infusion for half an hour, take half a glass of infusion before meals.
2. Dandelion juice is obtained by mixing crushed flowers with granulated sugar in equal quantities. After ten days of aging in a cold place, the juice is squeezed out. Take 3 months, before meals.

For swelling, apply compresses and baths.

1. With sea salt. Sore feet are kept in a warm bath, where a tablespoon of salt is dissolved in a liter of water. You can wrap your feet with a towel soaked in this solution.
2. Comfrey. A vodka tincture of finely chopped root of this plant soothes pain and improves joint mobility. Keep a liter of vodka with a tablespoon of comfrey in the dark for 3 weeks. Take a tablespoon a month, before each meal.

If the sciatic nerve is inflamed, it is treated with tincture of lilac or hot pepper.

Grandmothers teach us to apply a cake made of flour and honey to the sore area at night.

For arthritis, drink apple cider vinegar. Mix a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water and drink 2 weeks before meals. It is also useful for muscle pain.

If your joints hurt, take spruce baths. Fresh spruce branches are poured with boiling water. When the infusion has cooled, the sore limbs are immersed in it for 30 minutes. After the bath, lie down in a warm bed. Do this every other day, it will take 7 baths.

For osteoarthritis, take mustard baths. Mustard in a linen bag is dissolved in water heated to no higher than 40 C. When joints hurt, the legs are immersed in such a bath for a while. Then wash off the mustard from the skin and cover the heated areas with a warm scarf. The burning sensation should not be strong. Three procedures are enough, do it at night.

Taking care of your health and preventing possible diseases is important during the period of hormonal changes.

The restructuring will go unnoticed if nervous overload is countered by calmness, if rest is complete and nutrition is natural and balanced.

Menopause has many unpleasant consequences. Women tolerate some of them quite easily. But when joint pain occurs during menopause, treatment is required quickly and effectively. Without taking action, the sensation may intensify and lead to stiffness in movement and injury.

Read in this article

Why does joint pain occur during menopause?

Menopause is characterized primarily by a fall. Substances stop being produced when the supply of follicles in them comes to an end. Estrogens and progestins are involved not only in the functions of the reproductive system, but also provide many other processes, the production of vital components. And therefore, their quantitative decrease causes changes in well-being in different parts of the body.

This is the main cause of joint pain during menopause, for which treatment is mandatory. It in turn provokes other features that bring this feeling:

• Osteoporosis. This is a change in the structure of bone tissue, leading to its weakening. Its strength is ensured by the predominance of the process of formation of new cells over the destruction of old ones. A drop in hormones makes everything go the other way around. Bones become more fragile, resulting in increased stress on joints. The pain arises first from unusual pressure, and then from the gradual destruction of their tissues;
• Deforming osteoarthritis. Joints consist of cartilage, ligaments, and a sac of fluid that neutralizes friction between them. The structure of these elements is such that they require constant replenishment with collagen. Its production slows down and decreases due to a decrease in the volume of sex hormones. The fabrics wear out and become thinner. When there is pain in the joints during menopause, difficulty in movement, especially in the morning, dry crackling in this area, there is reason to suspect deforming osteoarthritis;
• . A decrease in estrogen forces the body to resist this, provoking the growth of adipose tissue, because it is the tissue that is capable of producing these hormones. Therefore, many menopausal women gain weight, which increases the stress placed on weakening bones and joints;
• Circulatory disorders. And it is caused by changes in the balance of substances. The blood supply to body tissues deteriorates, and muscle pain during menopause appears largely for this reason. A lack of collagen and elastin leads to decreased muscle tone. A malfunction in the functioning of the nervous system also contributes to provoking the sensation. Women suffer from muscle cramps, which also affect the condition of the joints.

What should you do right away to get rid of joint pain?

When joints hurt during menopause, not all women understand what to do. Most people prefer to take medications that relieve painful sensations, but this is not a solution, but postponing the problem “for later,” a temporary measure.

To choose the right treatment, you need to determine the exact cause of the pain, for which specialists (rheumatologist, orthopedist, gynecologist) prescribe an examination, which includes:

• Assessment of hormonal status according to the appropriate. It is also taken for general research;
• X-ray of joints. In this way, it is possible to identify and evaluate the changes that have occurred in them during osteoarthritis, the degree of bone destruction during osteoporosis;
• Osteodensitometry. This examination can indicate the level of bone density loss.

All this will allow us to establish a diagnosis, that is, the reason why during menopause.

Drug therapy

Since sensations in the joint area are caused by hormonal imbalances, introducing the missing substances into the body can help. It will restore the normal processes that ensure their health, which will eliminate pain and muscle cramps. We are talking about those containing synthetic hormones, primarily estrogens.

They will eliminate the causes of pain and pathological structural changes in tissues. The following drugs are used:

These can be injections, tablets, patches. With them, bone tissue will stop losing calcium, blood circulation in the muscles and the functioning of the central nervous system will be normalized. That is, the causes of pain will disappear.

If it is impossible to take hormones, the use of herbal remedies may also be effective. The substances in them are of plant origin, so joint pain during menopause will not go away so quickly, because this treatment is more gentle on the body.

However, phytohormones are also able to cope with the causes of heaviness in the legs and cramps. Experts offer the following:

• Klimadinon;
• Climaxan;
• Klimakt-Hel;
• Estrovel.

Usually, hormones, synthetic and herbal, are not the only ones in the treatment of joint pain. In addition to these, you will need vitamins, chondroprotectors, painkillers and some effort from the patient herself.

Calcium preparations

Osteoporosis always means the loss of bones, the most important condition for their strength - a mineral substance called calcium. It is found in many foods, but during menopause this amount is no longer enough to ensure their normal density. Synthetic products containing vitamins, calcium, and stimulating bone cell division are needed:

• Aquadetrim, Vigantol, Alfacalcidol. These are medications with a high concentration of vitamin D, without which the absorption of the mineral is unthinkable;
• Natekal, Calcium D3 Nycomed, Kaltsinova. These products contain the mineral in high doses, which can normalize bone density during menopause;
• Fosamax, Aklasta, Fosavance. Drugs from the list of biophosphonates, that is, capable of inhibiting osteoclasts (components that destroy bone).

Chondroprotectors and painkillers

If menopause has arrived, your joints hurt, and degenerative changes have been detected in them, this is osteoarthritis. The disease already requires funds that can stimulate cartilage renewal. Using them, it is also important to spare the sore joint, without giving it a strong load. To directly influence all its areas, several groups of means are used:

• Rumalon, Arteparon, Artron. These are chondroprotectors that provide the prerequisites for the formation of healthy cartilage;
• Curantil, Trental. Medicines improve blood supply to the joints, which contributes to their recovery;
• Ibuprofen, Voltaren, Mydocalm, Novocain, No-Shpa, Papaverine. This group of drugs helps relieve inflammation and affects pain receptors.

It will be possible to eliminate aching sensations faster if you accompany the medications with a massage from a specialist or other methods of physiotherapy.

Painful joints and menopause are a common combination. And although it almost always requires drug treatment, there are ways to prevent illness. They are also relevant when the diagnosis has already been made. This is a diet that does not allow obesity, but contains many vitamins, calcium, phytoestrogens, and reasonable physical activity.

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We have to solve the problem of which calcium is best to take during menopause. After all, there are so many preparations that contain this essential mineral. ...Pain in joints and limbs.

Women during menopause experience many negative reactions, including hot flashes, nervous disorders, and dry genitals. Patients often complain of joint pain during menopause. What needs to be done to alleviate the condition and prevent further development of this pathology?

Women may experience joint pain due to changes that occur during menopause.

Why does joint pain occur during menopause?

The main changes in the female body during menopause are associated with a decrease in the synthesis of sex hormones. It is the deficiency of estrogen that provokes the entire chain of further changes that negatively affect well-being. Muscle and bone pain are considered late symptoms of menopause, which appear against the background of prolonged hormone deficiency. Why can legs, joints, and back begin to hurt if a woman has not encountered such problems before?

Osteoporosis

Perhaps this is the most common reason why pathological joint or bone pain occurs. The disease is associated with a significant decrease in bone density. Almost every woman experiences this pathology during menopause.

With a decrease in estrogen production, problems arise with the metabolism of calcium and protein, which are the main building materials of bone tissue. In addition, osteoclasts, particles that destroy bone, begin to actively act. It was female hormones that suppressed their activity before menopause, which made it possible to maintain a normal balance of regenerative and destructive processes.

One of the causes of joint pain is the development of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis manifests itself as painful joints and bones. Dangerous complications of this disease are pathological fractures, which heal problematically or may not heal at all. Osteoporosis gives impetus to the progress of other pathologies, such as osteochondrosis and arthrosis.

Deforming osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a disease of aging joints. Degenerative processes actually destroy the cartilage layers, which leads to:

• mobility problems;
• initial pain, which over time develops into chronic pain;
• the appearance of osteophytes, other growths and spines.

And if at the beginning of the disease there is discomfort and limitation of motor activity, then as the disease progresses the situation worsens and inflammatory processes in the joint, contractures, fluid accumulation and even complete loss of mobility of the leg or arm can be observed.

Pain may occur due to the destruction of the cartilage layer

Menopausal changes in the body aggravate degeneration processes. A decrease in collagen production and disturbances in protein synthesis, which occur under the influence of a lack of progesterone, inhibit regeneration processes, and the cartilage does not have time to recover. If you do not start timely treatment, there is a high probability of disability, when only an expensive endoprosthetics operation will help restore mobility.

Despite the increasing incidence of osteochondrosis at a young age, it is during menopause that the accelerated development of the disease begins. Loss of bone density and rapid thinning of interdiscal cartilage lead to more frequent exacerbations. In addition, the risk of complications of osteochondrosis increases. There are frequent cases of detection of protrusions, hernias, and pathological fractures of the spine during menopause.

In addition, women of menopausal age gain significant weight. The increase in fat is a protective reaction of the body, which is trying to find ways to increase the synthesis of the missing hormone. After all, it is adipose tissue that is capable of producing progesterone in small doses. But excess weight does not help the joints and spine at all. Excessive load on weakened bone and cartilage structures only accelerates the deformation process.

The cause of joint pain is also developing osteochondrosis.

What to do for joint pain

It is not advisable to carry out independent treatment until the true causes of the pain are clarified. It is better to consult with a rheumatologist or orthopedist, who can conduct an examination and prescribe a diagnosis. Usually carried out:

1. X-ray examination, which shows abnormal changes in bone tissue. If necessary, it is supplemented with more advanced diagnostics in the form of CT or MRI.
2. Osteodensitometry is a diagnostic that allows you to assess the degree of bone loss.

You will definitely need to consult a gynecologist, who will prescribe laboratory tests to clarify your hormonal levels.

Hormonal treatment

Regardless of the type of disease that affects the joints or bone tissue, treatment for menopause begins with the correction of hormonal levels. For this purpose, medications containing progesterone or estrogen are prescribed. They come in tablet form, and in the form of injections and patches.

To eliminate joint pain, treatment with hormonal drugs is prescribed

Hormonal treatment helps to slow down the destructive processes in bone and cartilage tissue, which greatly simplifies their further restoration.

Important! There is an alternative to hormonal medications. These are homeopathic remedies that women respond quite positively to.

Specific treatment

In parallel with eliminating the main cause of pathological changes, symptomatic and basic treatment is carried out, aimed at reducing pain and restoring damaged structures. Osteoporosis is treated with drugs designed to build bone mass. For this purpose the following are assigned:

• products with vitamin D in the form of Aquadetrim, Vigantol or Alfacalcidol;
• medications containing calcium in the form of carbonate or citrate;
• drugs that belong to the group of biophosphanates that suppress the functionality of osteoclasts in the form of Focamax, Zomet, Fosavance.

To eliminate joint problems, medications containing vitamin D are used

Getting rid of osteoporosis quickly is quite problematic. Therefore, therapy involves long-term use of medications.

Osteoarthrosis and osteochondrosis are treated with:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of Diclofenac;
• drugs of the B vitamin group, which improve nerve conduction and reduce pain - Milgama belongs to this group;
• corticosteroid drugs, used only in severe cases.

Additionally, ointments with anti-inflammatory, warming and analgesic effects are prescribed. If the process of cartilage destruction still allows for regeneration processes to be achieved, the patient is recommended to take chondroprotectors. These medications are taken over a long period of time in cycles.

The presented remedies are used to eliminate the symptoms of osteoarthritis

Advice! Significantly improves the condition of the joints by introducing into its cavity medications with hyaluronic acid, which is actually a “liquid prosthesis”.

Be sure to complement the therapy with physiotherapeutic procedures, massage and therapeutic exercises. When the joint cannot be restored, the woman is offered partial or complete endoprosthetics. Surgery is also required if osteochondrosis is accompanied by the formation of large hernias that compress nerve endings or the spinal cord.

It is possible to cope with joint pain during menopause. The main thing is not to let the problem take its course, and regularly carry out maintenance therapy.

How you can get rid of joint pain - you can learn about this from the video: