Hip Pain During Menopause - Try the Natural Way of Healing

Why is Joint Pain Common During Menopause? 

Seeing wear and tear around your bones as you age is natural. It is called age-related degeneration. 

But, particularly in females, there's an unending relation between female hormones and the bones. It is oestrogen (a hormone that plays a vital role in the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics) that keeps your bones healthy. Oestrogen also prevents the bones and structures around the bones from unwanted inflammation.

A decrease in the level of oestrogen makes you lose your bone density, which is pretty common during perimenopause and menopause.

Why the Hip Joint?

Hip joint is a special joint with many structures coming together and also surrounding it.  It is connected with larged sized muscles, bones, ligaments and other powerful coverings that makes it one of the strongest joints in the body. Of course it has to be the strongest as it bears the weight of the upper body and allows  you to stand straight.

However, this very reason makes it more susceptible to this age-related bone degeneration, added with the hormonal changes

Other Causes of Hip Joint Pain

Apart from age-related degeneration and inflammation of the hip joint, you may experience pain around the hip joint for several other reasons. 

Some of the most common causes are ;

• Arthritis
• Injuries
• Pinched nerve
• Ligament tears
• Muscle strains
• Infections
• Bone cancers
   

Thus, keeping these in mind, necessary consultation has to be taken from the experts.

Common Symptoms of Hip Pain During Menopause

Hip pain can often be mistaken for low back pain. 

Hip Pain Troubles During Menopause? Discover Natural Solutions!
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So, how can you tell if your discomfort is stemming from your hip joint? 

Look out for these symptoms:

• Pain inside of the leg.
• Pain around the buttocks.
• Dull or sharp pain.
• Tightness during movement.
• Pain and difficulty in weight-bearing like standing and walking.
• Discomfort when sitting – particularly cross-legged
• Difficulty sleeping or pain when lying on your affected side
• Clicking or catching sensations in the hip
• Tightness and pain within the pelvic floor

Outside Hip Pain?

Do you experience a sharp pain on the outside of your hip joint during menopause?

It's known as 'Gluteal tendinopathy', a condition experts say is the most common type of hip pain experienced by menopausal women. 

Do You Experience an Increased Pain at Night?

It is common to experience an increased pain at night when there is inflammation involved such as in case of injury, arthritis or even from overuse. Why does this happen?

• The inflammation naturally tends to increase at night in all types of conditions.
• The pain-causing enzymes tend to stay in one place during continuous rest at night.
• If you sleep on your side for long periods, you may develop a pressure point in your hip joint, leading to more pain
   

Don't let pain keep you up at night - take steps to find relief today.

Preventing Hip Pain and Low Back Pain During Menopause

To address pain related to joints and bones during menopause, it is essential to know what deficiencies come with hormonal changes. While you may be aware that hormonal therapy is an option, it is not 'The' option. natural ways exist to beat these deficiencies. Read more in this blog - Menopause And HRT: How To Know If It's Time To Reevaluate

1. Rest and Relaxation

When you experience severe pain, its the time when there's a severe inflammation inside the joint. So, at this time you must take proper rest to avoid overuse injury.

Rest gives the joint time to cool down properly. If you are someone who exercises regularly, make sure that you avoid vigorous exercises. Take time to warm up before exercise and take breaks. This will prevent any type of overuse injury.

2. Prevent Underlying Conditions from Worsening

If you experience any type of slight pain around the hip and back, you must visit your nearby health expert to know the root cause of the pain. An expert can give you enough guidelines to prevent any underlying conditions from worsening.

3. Avoid Heavy and Vigorous Movements

As you age, your bones, muscles or other structures around your joints do not have enough strength to bear the strain of vigorous activities. So avoid such workouts. However, if you are someone who has been regularly practising high intensity workouts, then you can continue with the same intensity, but be mindful to take a break and rest for a while, if you experience any symptoms.

Holistic Treatment Plan for hip Joint pain in Menopausal Women at Nirva

A holistic treatment approach is necessary for hip joint pain during menopause as the cause of pain does not just involve the joint structures but also hormonal changes and other deficiencies.

This holistic approach is adopted at Nirva where ayurvedic, yoga and nutrition health consultants come together and give you the best treatment approach. 

• The treatment sessions consist of lifestyle alterations to adapt to menopausal changes and the cause of hip pain.
• Personalised care with a systemic approach is given by evaluating your individual body type.
• Self-care remedies are taught to you so that you can use them when you have pain episodes.
• Collaborating your treatment with yoga and other exercises is one of the best things you can do to manage your hip joint pain.

Our ayurveda and yoga consultants treat you by balancing your bioenergy along with anatomical changes in your body.

5 Natural Remedies for Menopausal Hip Pain and Low Back Pain

Yoga for Hip Pain During Menopause

Practising yoga is a great way to help prevent and cure hip pain naturally. Yoga is beneficial, especially during perimenopause and menopause, as it stretches the muscles while not putting much strain on your body and bones. 

However, keep in mind that you should practise it safely. Here are some tips you can adopt while practising yoga.

• Use support such as foam, cushion, chair or blocks.
• Start with gentle warm-ups and breathing exercises to relax your body.
• Do not push yourself into movements that you do not feel comfortable to perform.

Three easy yoga poses for hip pain relief during menopause are;

Viparika Karani (legs Up the Wall Pose)

Gomukhasana (Cown Pose)

Balasana (Child Pose)

To learn the perfect ways to practise these poses and other helpful poses to reduce hip joint pain, connect with our yoga experts.

Tips to Manage Hip Pain at Night

Sometimes, it is really difficult when you do not get enough sleep because of pain. Here are some great tips to relax and calm you painful hip joint in the middle of the night.

• Change your sleeping position. Do not put more pressure on the side of the hip where you have more pain.
• keep a cushion between your legs to avoid free fall of the hip and muscles around it.
• practise mild stretching if pain wakes you up.
• Practising sleep hygiene will make your mind feel at ease.

Know When it's an Emergency!

All hip joint pains must be evaluated by a healthcare professional before trying out any remedy. This is essential to know the root cause of the pain.

However, know that there are some emergency symptoms you must notice if you have always been experiencing hip joint pain.

• When you have accompanying fever and weight loss with hip pain.
• when hip pain worsens and lasts for more than a week without any reason, like strenuous activity.
• If you have been suffering from hip pain right from the start of the menopause.
• If the pain leaves you completely bedridden.

When you experience associated gynaecological problems, such as pain around the area of the uterus (lower abdomen).

Conclusion

Hip pain during menopause is treatable when you know what exactly to look for and what exactly to practise. A healthy diet, lifestyle, and exercise routine can change a lot for you, rather than just choosing pills. 

A healthcare expert is the best person to help you decide what treatment option works for you.