Painful Joints in Menopause

When the snap, crackle and pop is no longer coming from your breakfast cereal, it might be time to think about how menopause might be affecting your joints.
Painful joints is one of the symptoms I've noticed big time since edging through the menopausal years. It's not a joke when I say I look like the Tin Man BEFORE he gets his oil when I get out of bed.
It's only through movement that my joints start to ease up.
In today's Menopause Monday I share why we get painful joints, what makes it worse, what helps improve it and how we can support our joint health through menopause and beyond.
I'd love to know if you've had menopausal joint pain and what, if anything, helped you improve your symptoms?
Leave a comment below!
#menopause #sorejoints #bonehealth

[@MichelleGalton]

Seems like every muscle in my body hurts

[@katehartley7566]

Hi Michelle, what are you doing to help counteract the pain at the moment?

[@markhetz1119]

I use chest rub on my sore joints I know it sounds crazy but it helps better than any other joint pain reliever I’ve ever tried before

[@katehartley7566]

that's a really great idea! I yanked my hand and fingers the other day drilling a hole into the ground. Not holding the drill tightly enough and the drill span round with my fingers in the clasp. Ouch. I'l use some chest rub on my sore knuckle in the hope it helps reduce the inflammation.

[@off-gridsimplyhappyrodriguez]

Me too. My hips my knees Heck everything 😅❤🎉 Thank you for the information. New subscriber My name is Hope ❤

[@katehartley7566]

Hi Hope! Lovely to meet you on here! I hope it was helpful and thank you for taking the time to comment.

[@nancyferrari6743]

Menopause combined with ER positive breast cancer is beyond torture. I’m taking Anastrozole which elevates my RA pain and as I’m depleting any existing estrogen, I’m beyond fatigued due to insomnia and hot flashes are joining the party. Oh how I miss my HRT bioidenticals.

[@katehartley7566]

I'm sorry to hear that you're going through such a torrid time with it. What is your gut health like? Just wondering if you could reduce some of the inflammation by focusing on that? And stress management?

[@nancyferrari6743]

@@katehartley7566 My overall health is quite good considering all the stress I've been through since last July when I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer. Numerous biopsies started the process to a 3 hour surgery which was successful but recovery was challenging as I developed a staph infection 4 weeks out from surgery. After that healed, then I had 21 rounds of radiation, which stressed my body tremendously as I had 2nd degree burns. If I had to guess, the radiation could be adding to the distress in my body, as well as the Anastrozole. There are days when I feel so weary, such as today due to hip pain all night long. I just got back from a walk and will stretch and continue to maintain a healthy diet. One day at a time is how I roll.

[@janhallahan9536]

Thank you so much for this so informative.

[@katehartley7566]

It is my pleasure! I hope you found it helpful!

[@julieadams2455]

Very informative and reassuring Thank you 🙏🏻

[@katehartley7566]

thank you, Julie!

[@rubyruby1847]

Menopause is cruel. The aches, fatigue and insomnia. It is kicking my butt at the moment and seems to have hit me hard quite suddenly in the past 6 months. I hope some of these suggestions help to make me feel better.

[@tashabrown8301]

sammmmme here!!!!!

[@katehartley7566]

there is so much you can do to reduce the symptoms. Aches - reduce or cut out caffeine and sugars. Fatigue and insomnia, get bossy with your sleep hygiene. I had to as well and it made a really big difference to me. Exercise will help energize you and reduce these symptoms, even though I know it can be hard when you feel so tired. Look at it as recharging your batteries. You'll feel so much better after intentional movement. Do you follow a regular exercise plan? I can help you with that if you need some support.

[@katehartley7566]

@@tashabrown8301 Tasha, take a look at the reply I left Ruby - hopefully the video helps you.

[@lynbsker1968]

My sleep is so important, so I make sure to drink LOTS during the day and stop 2 or 3 hrs before bed so my sleep is not interrupted. Your video is very thorough, thank you so much. Yes wine spikes up night sweats... collagen is a nice natural addition too. Thanks again

[@katehartley7566]

My pleasure Lyn and I'm so happy to find someone who prioritizes their sleep.

[@TheAW76]

I drink a lot too …. Of Prosecco

[@Shellbee22]

🙌 here I am

[@katehartley7566]

Do you get painful joints?

[@dorothygale5032]

Im 50 and post menopause. Im suffering so severely with joint pain/stiffness.....but i also am bedridden with M.E/CFS and so i cannot move or exercise and so im scared 😢 I drink water but cannot tolerate supplements due to intolerance.

[@yrevet]

I now know imma gonna be useless in a zombie apocalypse 😭😅

[@katehartley7566]

get one of the prepper books! They tell you everything!

[@Cat-bz7tm]

The pain in my ankles was so bad struggled to walk , struggled wearing all shoes trainers etc . Cost me a fortune in shoes . I wish I’d know it was due to the menopause . Im thinking of going on eastrogen , after I’ve tried Cbd oil for pain

[@katehartley7566]

have you cut out caffeine?

[@yrevet]

Nightshade veggies way worse stiff/aches

[@Maratrushka]

My job is house cleaner. I have a partner but my shoulder joknt was bothering me sommuch Im taking 3 days off. Pain just started as soon as my period stopped 4 months ago

[@katehartley7566]

Are you doing anything to help alleviate the pain?

[@Maratrushka]

@@katehartley7566 no. Im also noticed that if I stop eating tomatoes helps a bit. I eat 6 tomatoes each day with salt. Its like a craving.😑

[@katehartley7566]

@@Maratrushka that might suggest you have a sensitivity to the nightshade family of veggies: tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes, aubergine, chillies. It's thought that although they don't cause joint inflammation directly, if you have a predisposition to sore joints, they can aggravate it. Try removing them from your food for a couple of weeks and see if you notice any improvement. - I'd love to hear how you get on!

[@MahaliaMcLeod]

My joint pain is worst since I stopped having period two months now

[@tillygirl7450]

@@MaratrushkaThis past year to now I crave salt. I managed not to have as much by caving in to the salt craving by buying a small bag of potato chips (crisps). Then only buying the bag every other day and then tapering off more. The salt craving was really strong last Fall (Autumn) and Winter. I am 63 years old.

[@NaliniBlossom]

What’s the brand of the adaptogen herb shake mix ?? Thanks !

[@katehartley7566]

It's a mix of them I use called Shakeo. It contains ashwaghanda, cordyceps, reishi, maca, astralagus, schisandra, maitake and chaga. If you'd like me to send you more details, could you message me your email please.

[@KellyFlynn-gj6ne]

@@katehartley7566 I've had a look for Shakeo online, but with no luck 😞

[@katehartley7566]

@@KellyFlynn-gj6ne come find me on Instagram @katehartleyuk and I'll help you out.

[@patriciapyper4617]

I use herbel heat patches are great 😭😭

[@katehartley7566]

that's an excellent idea! What herbs do they contain, do you know? I've also heard that wrapping your sore joint in cabbage leaves can help too. Can't honestly say I have tried this method, but it is definitely something they used to do in the olden times and I'm sure that many of their natural remedies must have worked. No horrid side effects either.

[@patriciapyper4617]

I am on evorol Conti patches can I up my dose please thank you ♥️

[@sinceresong9907]

These patches are allowing me to function. This is no joke

[@traceyannsteele]

My joint pains start in the evening and by morning I’m ok

[@katehartley7566]

That's really interesting. What does your typical day look like as far as movement, time on your feet, sitting goes? And is the joint pain lower body?

[@traceyannsteele]

@@katehartley7566 I haven’t had a period since July now , I wake up and I’m pain free , by 3 pm I start getting stiff in my leg muscles then by 6 pm my hips groins and back are so stiff and the pain is awful, the fatigue is really bad dull headaches in the evenings, can’t stop eating from tea time , dizziness on and off throughout the day , it’s got worse since periods stopped, I’m 50 years old , get palpitations, most evenings, I suffer most evenings, hit flushes most days ,

[@daisy1240]

Same here. I can't sleep. I wake up several times and apply ointments and heat. I am thoroughly fed up. I dread nights

[@DRAGONFLYS06]

What supplements do you recommend someone who is on HRT?

[@katehartley7566]

I'd recommend the same as with HRT. Turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory, vitamin E certainly helps me. Glucosamine is a good supplement for joint pain. None of these should interfere with the HRT you're taking. Also, regular movement to stimulate the synovial fluid in your joints and to drink plenty of water.

[@staceysalazar6993]

@@katehartley7566 what are the brands of supplements, you would recommend? What natural remedies, natural herbs do you recommend? I’ve been dealing with joint pain, stiffness, decrease flexibility, anxiety, moodiness, low mood, no energy.

[@katehartley7566]

@@staceysalazar6993 I swear by adaptogen herbs. I take them daily, 8 of them. in your health food shop you should be able to easily get hold of ashwaghanda and maca. Also devils claw is very good. It's anti-inflammatory. Vit E as a supplement (make sure it contains the 4 tocopherols as well as tocotrienols) and reducing or eliminating caffeine have made the biggest differences to me.

[@heathercondon2203]

I had lots of pain and stiffness every morning in my hands and feet. I could barely walk. Before adding supplements, I decided to change my diet. I dropped grain and dairy and after only 8 days I noticed my joints were 80 percent better. I also noticed if I drink wine or an alcoholic beverage, my hands feel more inflamed. This is not the answer I wanted, because I really enjoy all those things. But I got my answer.

[@katehartley7566]

@@heathercondon2203 I'm so happy to hear that has worked so well for you. I think that tracking is one of the very best things you can do so that you can spot the patterns. I messaged JHCC in the message thread at the top as she is sensitive to tomatoes which belong to the nightshade family and taking those out of the diet can also sometimes help improve sore joints.

[@user-cu3xn4xj3i]

I couldn't understand. Did you say tomatoes, paprika etc... is not good for joint pain?

[@katehartley7566]

it really depends.... they belong to the nightshade family and some people can find that eating nightshade plants can make underlying inflammation worse. What you can do is remove them from your diet for a couple of weeks and see how you feel. If there is no change, you are probably ok eating them. I adore the nightshade plants! Although avoid green potatoes!

[@user-cu3xn4xj3i]

Thanks! I love sundried tomatoes and paprika. Do you or know any women who have post menopause symptoms same as peri and menopause? I've been post for 2 years and still have heart flutters and heart burn. It's scary because I really had a heart attack in 2018 and I've been to doctor and emergency several times CT Scans, EKG, Ecocardio you name it. They say nothings wrong but how can we know for sure if it's post menopause. Thank you so much. @@katehartley7566

[@DC-ef8op]

What are your thought about bioidentical hormones

[@katehartley7566]

I think it's important to know what you want to achieve firstly by taking any kind of hormone replacement. Ultimately it's about asking why the gland is no longer talking to the receptor. The problem is there can be side effects. There are no studies that I know of that confirm that bio identical hormones are any safer than synthetic hormones and we know that there can be side effects associated with any kind of hormone therapy. It really depends on your specific needs, family history of certain diseases as well as how your body responds to hormone therapy. It can work really well for some women and for others it can be really disappointing. Also depending on the environment you live in, you might be exposed to endocrine disruptors such as heavy metals, toxins etc and they can affect your hormones is a big way. If you eat a lot of processed foods it can mess up with the communication between your gland and the receptor, so it might not necessarily be due to your menopausal imbalances, rather it might be due to other things which need to be removed from your environment / diet so that your symptoms can reduce or get better. Sorry for the rather complicated reply! But it's not just as simple as to use hormone replacement or not. It really depends on the root cause of the problem taking into account that you're menopausal. EG If you take statins, side effects are severe muscle pain, aches in your joints and they also block our hormones so you get more inflammation and it can negatively impact how your develop muscle and increase your pain too. My advice is to first get in the basics: make sure your nutrition is good, reduce sugars and processed foods. Eat lots of cruciferous veggies and make sure to take regular exercise and prioritise healthy sleep. Hope this helps.

[@MaggyMalekgala]

It,