Are you looking for ways on how to treat menopause back pain? Read the article below from start to finish to learn about the causes of back pain during this particular time as well as the various steps that you can take to ease it.
Causes of Back Pain During Menopause
There are different causes and reasons for women to experience back pain during perimenopause and menopause.
Lower levels of estrogen
During the menopausal transition phase, the levels of estrogen can start declining. Estrogen is one of the body’s main sex hormones and is responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sexual characteristics. It also plays a major role in many of the body’s other functions, one of which is maintaining strength and mobility in the bones and disks of your spine.
When the levels of estrogen start to fall, it is not able to perform this function properly, and that leads to a deterioration of the spine. This can cause back pain.
Weight gain
Another challenge that women can face when nearing menopause is weight gain. Due to the hormonal changes in their bodies, women can gain weight, especially around the midsection. This weight gain can put pressure and strain on the back, causing pain and discomfort.
Even for women not going through menopause, weight gain can cause back pain and joint pain. During menopause and perimenopause, however, this problem can worsen exponentially due to the presence of other aggravating factors.
Reduced muscle mass and bone density
Women going through menopause can also experience reduced muscle mass and bone density. If this change is managed with exercise and a proper diet, the negative effects can be significantly reduced. Otherwise, it can become a contributing factor to back pain.
How to Ease Menopause Back Pain
You can treat menopause back pain in a few different ways. The healthiest and best way to combat back pain (as well as other menopause-related body changes) is to make adjustments to your lifestyle. This can help you keep the problem in check in the long term.
Exercising regularly
Starting and maintaining an exercise regimen during menopause has many different benefits. It can help combat anxiety, hunger, etc.
Exercise can also help you ease menopausal back pain. By doing the right workouts, you can strengthen your back muscles and make up for the muscle mass loss. It can help improve bone density in the spine as well.
Your exercise routine doesn’t have to be very rigorous. Regular walking, jogging, and other types of cardio workouts should be done on the regular. You can also do bodyweight exercises, such as squats and planks.
Ensuring proper sleep and rest
Proper and regular sleep is the solution to many problems that women face during menopause. For back pain, in particular, proper sleep can be beneficial because:
- It allows the back muscles and spinal column to rest and relax, making sure that they don’t get overworked.
- It helps muscle development and brings fruit to your exercise efforts
- It helps in managing stress levels and reducing the risk of weight gain
- Good sleep helps in regulating hormone levels
Maintaining proper posture
Having a proper posture can do wonders for your back pain. Slouching, hunching shoulders, or having a forward head posture can be bad for your back.
Always sit up straight and avoid bending your head forward when reading or using your phone. Sleeping on your side is also a good practice as it helps to align your spine.
If you are in the habit of using a computer for work (or simply as a hobby), follow these tips to maintain good posture:
- Keep your feet flat on the ground. This helps to alleviate pressure off the lower back.
- Don’t lean forward when using the device. Lean back on your chair and keep your head straight.
- Use a chair with in-built lumbar support, or use a cushion for the same purpose. (Lumber support helps support your spin and maintains its alignment.)
- Make sure your screens are at eye level so that you don’t have to bend your head to see them.
Using over-the-counter medication for back pain
Over-the-counter medication can also be used to ease and treat back pain. You can buy medicine including ibuprofen and naproxen.
Consult your doctor before buying such medication to avoid any problems or complications. Although these types of medicines are generally safe to take for everyone, it’s better to be cautious, especially when going through menopause.
It is also important to understand that while medication can ease back pain, it should not be resorted to in isolation of all the other steps and measures that we’ve mentioned so far (and further on) in this post. Making changes to your lifestyle is important so that the back pain stays away long-term.
Maintaining a healthy weight
As mentioned earlier, weight gain is one of the main causes of back pain. If you gain weight around the midsection, it can put pressure on your spine.
It is important to maintain a healthy weight during menopause so that you have to face back pain or any other type of joint pain and aches. It can be difficult for women to lose weight during this time, but it can be done with the right lifestyle changes and exercise.
Final Thoughts
Back pain is one of the many challenges that women face during menopause. It is a common occurrence for many women during this time of life, and it can be eased/treated through various steps and measures.
During menopause and perimenopause, back pain can be caused by hormonal changes in the body. We have discussed those in the first section of this blog post.
The best way to deal with back pain during this time is to make healthy changes to your lifestyle by eating better, working out, maintaining good posture and getting proper sleep.
If the pain persists or increases despite all of these measures, you should get in touch with your doctor.