Soothe Perimenopausal Sore Joints And When It Could Be Something Else

Menopause is a natural part of the aging process. The time leading up to menopause is called perimenopause. The average age to reach menopause (1 full year without a period) is 51 years of age. The average age to start perimenopause is in your early to mid 40’s.

Did you know there were stages within perimenopause? 

The Four Stages of Perimenopause

1. Very Early Perimenopause

2. Early Menopause Transition

3. Late Menopause Transition

4. Late Perimenopause.

Have a squiz at this diagram to see the different stages and what might be happening:

*Source

This diagram shows the absolute hormonal rollercoaster we're on (that we did NOT ask to get aboard!) *note estradiol is a type of oestrogen:

Many parts of the body are affected as hormone levels decline, including:

• Reproductive system
• Vaginal tract
• Urinary system
• Nervous system
• Heart
• Brain
• Bones
• Skin.

One of the most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause you might be experiencing is muscle and joint aches and pains.

In fact, did you know that sore joints in perimenopause can be even more prevalent than hot flashes.

Joint pain can affect the knees, shoulders, neck, elbows, or hands.

Old joint injuries might start to play up.

The reason for these sore joints is because of the hormonal changes you are going through.

As you see in the diagram above, estrogen and progesterone are fluctuating which cause the symptoms of perimenopause.

Estrogen and progesterone have beneficial anti-inflammatory properties to reduce inflammation.

Through our peri years we are in a pro-inflammatory state which means that our bodies are constantly trying to fight off infections. 

It's this inflammation that can cause muscle and joint aches and pains.

We should point out here too that whilst sore joints can be a symptom of perimenopause, they might also be indicative of other things going on too, such as:

• Osteoarthritis
• Fibromyalgia or
• Hashimoto’s Thyroid Disease.

If you are experiencing symptoms now's a good time to check in with your GP to discuss whether your sore joints are a result of perimenopause or one of these conditions.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by gradual wearing down of cartilage around our points. Risk factors can be if you:

• Are over the age of 50
• Are female (because of the declining estrogen levels)
• Have a family history of any of these conditions
• Have a history of injuries to any of your joints
• Have deformities of the bone
• Are experiencing nutritional deficiency: omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C and E
• Have diabetes
• Do regular demanding physical work
• Are a smoker.

Signs and Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

“Symptoms tend to build over time rather than show up suddenly. They include:

• Pain or aching in a joint during activity, after long activity or at the end of the day.
• Joint stiffness usually occurs first thing in the morning or after resting.
• Limited range of motion that may go away after movement.
• Clicking or popping sound when a joint bends.
• Swelling around a joint.
• Muscle weakness around the joint.
• Joint instability or buckling (as when a knee gives out).”1

It’s important to speak to your GP to get a diagnosis. They will do a physical examination and look at your range of movements, request an X-ray to look for cartilage loss and an MRI to look for soft tissue tears in your joints.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia can be a long-term or chronic condition which causes the following symptoms:

• Musculoskeletal pain, or pain in the muscles and bones
• Tenderness
• General fatigue
• Sleep and
• Cognitive disturbances.

Sounds a bit like peri? For women already diagnosed with fibromyalgia, they might feel that symptoms ramp up with the hormonal changes of peri.

It can be a time where women can be diagnosed for the first time.

As symptoms are so similar to perimenopause, it can be hard to determine a firm diagnosis.

Hashimoto’s Thyroid Disease 

Hashimoto’s thyroid disease can be a common reason for body and foot pain so this is another condition to have ruled out by your GP (usually through blood tests).

Soothe Sore Joints: How to Reduce Inflammation in Your Joints in Perimenopause

A focus on reducing inflammation in perimenopause is essential to reduce most  symptoms and prevent triggering chronic disease in our later years. 

If inflammatory foods and drinks are a consistent feature of our daily diets, it's gonna make handling symptoms so much harder. 

Inflammatory foods can cause and aggravate perimenopause symptoms such as:

• Aches and pains in your muscles and joints
• Weight gain
• Heavy periods
• Increased hot flashes
• Bad sleep and
• Increased mood symptoms.

A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods can go a long way in the fight against inflammation.  Here’s the lowdown on foods that cause inflammation and those that fight inflammation.

Foods thats cause inflammation

The following is a list of foods that can cause inflammation in your body, including sore joints in perimenopause:

• Processed foods  - cut out the chips, breakfast cereals, biscuits (basically, anything in a packet)
• Refined carbohydrates - white bread and pastries
• Hot chips and other fried foods
• Red and processed meat
• Margarine
• Cow dairy (has been linked to inflammation in some people)
• Alcohol
• Soft drinks.

Foods that fight inflammation

• Vegetables: eat lots! They increase phytonutrients (naturally occurring plant chemicals that are anti-inflammatory) and antioxidants.
• Tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Green leafy vegetables: spinach, kale, and collards
• Nuts like almonds and walnuts
• Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines
• Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges.

It’s because inflammation wreaks so much havoc on our bodies that we included these anti-inflammatory powerhouse ingredients in our Peri Chai latte.

Turmeric - the Curcumin in Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory compound that not only reduces inflammation but also relieves pain.

Ginger - from the same family as Turmeric, ginger adds a warm, sweet and peppery flavour and contains seriously potent anti-inflammatory compounds.  Amazing for those sore joints.

Cinnamon - a divine sweet and woody flavour, selected not only for it’s wonderful aroma and taste but for its powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Manuka Honey - we added this therapeutic honey for its health benefits: antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.  Winning!

Black Pepper - The active compound in black pepper is Piperine which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and also helps Turmeric do its wonderful thing.

Collagen

Collagen is a protein found in the skin, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue of all living animals and most abundant in mammals.

It's something that basically, holds us together.

Collagen fibres exist within connective tissue which are like pieces of string of all different shapes and sizes that connect our bones together.

These fibres hold the ends of two bones together. They protect our joints and make sure everything works as it should.

The collagen in our skin is what gives it volume and a youthful appearance, as we age the collagen in our skin breaks down and that’s when we start to see wrinkles and fine lines.

It’s not clear when we start losing collagen. Some studies suggest that we start losing 1% of collagen a year from the age of 20. This increases in perimenopause and menopause with the falling of oestrogen levels and as part of the natural ageing process. 

Collagen can help to

• Build tissue and maintain joint health.  Studies show that supplementing with collagen can be useful for treating osteoarthritis and other joint disorders.
• Maintain muscle mass.
• Rejuvenate skin, hair and nails
• Preserve the youthful appearance of your skin.  Studies have shown that taking collagen peptides will support skin elasticity, hydration levels, and promote youthful texture.
• Improve gut health - it can help repair and grow muscle tissue in your gut lining.  Find out here how to get great gut health.

Movement and Protein

Important to note: a quick chat about movement and protein in perimenopause for joint and muscle health.

To maintain muscle mass to support our bones and joints to reduce injuries as we age, make sure you're eating enough protein with every single meal.

Movement is also super important to build muscles and to keep our range of movement.

Yoga is a perfect exercise form in peri not only does it build muscle and help keep joints flexible but also helps with mood symptoms.