how to prepare for Perimenopause
If you are a active woman in your late 30s and you are curious what is in store for your body once the clock strikes and you hit 40 because you aren’t quite feeling like yourself— this one is for you!
What is menopause?
Menopause is when the body has transitioned to living without the having a period for 1 year as the ovaries stop making estrogen.
In other words, you are menopause after you have not had a period for 1 year.
Perimenopause is the transition when the body is learning to live with less estrogen and for some women this can start in the 30s and last for several years.
Every woman will go through a transition to menopause and will look different for each one.
What is happening?
Estrogen is a key hormone that regulated EVERY major body function from your heart to brain to your muscles. Estrogen and other hormone levels fluctuating during the perimenopausal years contributing to wonky periods and in addition to other symptoms. If you are having babies later in life ( late 30s and 40s) there is a chance your postpartum will overlap with perimenopause.
Here are some common areas notably impacted from the reduction to estrogen in a womens body
Hot flashes aka vasomotor symptoms - this is when your body temperature increases very fast and your brain tries to cool you down, it can last for minutes with a ‘flushing’ sensation in the upper body.
Mood changes such as increased depression and anxiety. Having a history of depression increasing your risk of depression during the menopausal transition.
Brain fog- memory issues and slower processing speed
Sleep problems- challenges with falling asleep or mid sleep wakings
Decreased libido aka declined sexual desire
Bone Health - loss of estrogen contributed to bone loss and osteoporosis and joint pain
Genitourinary symptoms of menopause (GSM)- Up to 34% of women will experience GSM during perimenopause transition. this involves changes in the genital or vulvar region as a result of less estrogen and other sex hormones. Common;y: atrophy of the vulvar tissues, urinary incontinence, urinary urgency, people might expiernce: dyspareniea, irritation, increased UTIs.
Addressing the genitourinary issues with pelvic floor physical therapy during your perimenopause transition can significantly improve your quality of life.
A comprehensive examination allows for the personalized recommendations for Retraining your pelvic floor muscles. Relaxing tight muscles can allow for easeful penetration as well as improving the muscle capacity and flexibility which allows for increased blood flow and circulation providing nourishment to the areas of the vagina, pelvic floor, genitals resulting in improved sexual function.
Many women find success with the combination of localized hormonal therapy to the pelvic floor in addition to the retraining their pelvic floor muscles for relief of leakage and pelvic pain issues.
What to do about it?
The bothersome symptoms above have the potential to affect your quality of life.
Understanding what is happening in your body is key to being able to collaborate with your medical team and get help.
But it important to know— if you have been waiting for your leakage to get better on it own and
If you have been leaking since you became in a runner in college and had no clue what was happening to your periods because of birth control
You’ve had 4 pregnancies and have been go-go-go ever since
And you are about to turn 40 and can’t seem to push it as hard as you used to in the gym–
There is a strong chance that in the process of ignoring your bladder leaks and trying to wait it out, you might run into a new friend called perimenopause.
And even though things might be feeling worse as you age it is important to know you can get help as everything that has been happening for the past 20 or so years prior gives us clues on how to help you find healing for your future!
Treatments for bothersome perimenopausal symptoms include hormonal replacement therapy, non-hormonal medication options, and lifestyle management.
Lifestyle management includes reducing stress, optimizing your nutrition, strength exercise and cardiovascular exercise.
If you are an active women in your late 30s who has been struggling with pelvic floor problems like leakage with running and painful sex prior to childbirth only to have things been exacerbated postpartum and it feels like you are at your wits end with is no end in sight- it is important to you know are not alone and that healing is possible!
At Radiance PT , you will receive a collaborative approach to help you get to the root of your bladder leaks and pain that has been slowing you down as well as support to make the lifestyle changes necessary to help you have a perimenopause transition where you can trade exhaustion for ease and peace of mind in your body.
Schedule a 15-minute strategy call to chat about your goals and your next steps!
References:
J. Mercier et al (2023) Pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation for genitourinary syndrome of menopause: why, how and when?, Climacteric, 26:4, 302-308, DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2023.2194527
Santoro et al (2021) The Menopause Transition: Signs, Symptoms, and Management Options; The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol. 106, No. 1, 1–15 doi:10.1210/clinem/dgaa764