Joint and connective-tissue symptoms are part of the picture
We also see musculoskeletal and metabolic changes during perimenopause and menopause.
Achy joint pain can be diffuse. All of a sudden, you may have pain in multiple joints that have never caused problems before. It can feel like arthritis-type pain. Frozen shoulder is a pretty common one. Tendons and ligaments may not work the way they used to.
These symptoms can feel disconnected when they begin in different parts of the body. In my menopause teaching, they belong in the same broad symptom conversation as hot flashes, sleep changes, brain fog, vaginal symptoms, and changes in sexual desire.
Muscle and bone health matter together
We also start to see muscle wasting. Muscle definition matters because those muscles help support your bones. As we get older and wiser, bone health and bone strength should become more important.
The data on testosterone has also become more interesting in recent years. In my masterclass, I discuss improvement over time in muscle definition and how that, in turn, can support bone health.
Where estradiol enters the conversation
Estradiol is the part of the standard HRT protocol that does most of the work for many symptoms. I discuss hot flashes, night sweats, brain fog, mood changes, bone pain, joint pain, and muscle pain as areas where estradiol comes into play.
HRT is not one size fits all. Responses can be very different from one person to another, and there is often no predicting which option will work best before the process begins.
Strength training is especially important
Strength training is important for this patient population, especially during weight loss, because weight loss can lead to muscle loss. If we are working on bone health, the last thing we want is to move in the opposite direction.
That does not mean you have to spend crazy hours lifting weights in a gym. It can be a tailored program that is easy to incorporate and appropriate for you.
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