28 Jul Perimenopause Symptoms: How Physical Therapy Can Help

Many people confuse menopause with perimenopause, but one of them can cause a lot of stress in your life for years. If you are someone with a menstrual cycle, you will go through perimenopause (the process of hormonal change) and reach menopause (the date after which your hormones have settled, and you no longer have a cycle – meaning no period). In perimenopause vs. menopause: perimenopause is a process, but menopause is a state for the rest of your life.

Perimenopause can begin anywhere from early-to-mid 30s to the more common 40s and can last up to ten years. During this time, estrogen is often like a roller coaster, rising very high only to crash low. Progesterone can also fluctuate. Testosterone only decreases, usually beginning in your 30s.

These hormonal upheavals can bring myriad frustrating and strange symptoms. Symptoms of perimenopause include:

• Frozen shoulder: the shoulder becoming stiff, inflamed, and “stuck” feeling.
• Hot flashes: sudden, intense periods of feeling hot, flushing, and often sweating.
• Night sweats: periods of intense sweating at night that may necessitate changing clothing or sheets.
• Itchy ears: sudden, intense itching in ears.
• Formication: the sensation of crawling or irritation as if bugs are crawling on skin.
• Mood changes: irritability, frustration, depression, and rage are often common.
• Weight gain: midsection weight gain, often despite not changing diet or routine.
• Bone density loss: bones becoming more brittle, sometimes more injury or damage during activity.
• Pelvic health: muscle tone, bladder control, & tissue health can change.
• Brain fog: struggling with memory, word retrieval, and organization, feeling mentally “foggy.”
• Hair loss: hair shedding can increase & hair thickness and texture can change.
• Fatigue: feeling sluggish or tired regardless of amount of sleep.
• Sleep disruption: trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or frequent waking.
• Soft tissue/tendon injury: Plantar Fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, and rotator cuff pain are all more common.
• Joint pain: increased joint inflammation & less cartilage cushioning.
• Slower recovery: Injuries take longer to heal.

…and more

Estrogen receptors are everywhere, and perimenopause affects every system in your body. People going through perimenopause often report feeling “crazy,” “exhausted,” “sore,” “constant PMS,” or “just not like myself.” Some of the first noticeable changes may be mood-related, which can sometimes be brushed off as normal life stress. With so many symptoms of perimenopause, it sometimes doesn’t add up…until it becomes undeniable.

Many people become frustrated playing perimenopause “whack-a-mole,” treating one problem, to later turn around and try to fix another, then another. Lots of people search for perimenopause treatment. You might try to fix your sleep, only to deal with bad shoulder pain, then to handle bladder leaks. MHT (menopause hormone therapy) -formerly HRT (hormone replacement therapy)- can provide help or relief from many symptoms, although it’s a balancing act and your needs often change as you progress through perimenopause.

As helpful as it can be, MHT can’t turn back the clock and give you the body that you relied on in your 20s. Working with a multidisciplinary team is often the best bet for thriving -not just surviving – your perimenopause. Having a specialized physician like a gynecologist you trust and working on your musculoskeletal health is ideal during this time. As you age, and injury becomes more frequent, healing slows, and bone density can decrease, taking care of your body is imperative.

We offer comprehensive physical therapy for most orthopedic conditions, including common areas seen often in perimenopause: shoulders, hips, knees, feet, etc. We also provide pelvic floor physical therapy, which includes pre/post partum as well as conditions like stress urinary incontinence, pelvic floor weakness, and urinary urgency/frequency.

Our pelvic floor PT provider, Dr. Chelsea Savage frequently treats people in both perimenopause and menopause, who are dealing with common pelvic health conditions. On average, you’ll see improvement within 6 weeks of starting your pelvic PT treatment. Dr. Savage says, ” Pelvic floor changes during perimenopause might be common, but suffering through them isn’t mandatory. No matter how long you’ve been struggling, it’s never too late to get your quality of life back.”

Our team of PTs and PTAs is trained to treat ortho conditions that affect your activity level and quality of life, in perimenopause and beyond. Our goal is to help everyone live their healthiest life. We want to help you return to playing pickleball, running, playing with your grandkids – and not worried about your frozen shoulder or if you need extra bladder pads. Our PTs will take your history and listen to your concerns, answering questions and educating you about your condition and their recommendations. In addition to PT, we offer numerous wellness programs including Personal Training, as well as Pilates.

Perimenopause is a difficult and challenging time of life; we are here to help you feel better and live better as you navigate it.

Body One has two convenient locations serving Indianapolis: North Meridian & Zionsville. Call or click to schedule your first appointment.