Hip pain at menopause - Try the natural way of healing

Joint and Menopause: Understanding the Concepts

Seeing wear and tear around your bones as you age is natural. Also, it is proven that there is a relationship between female sex hormones and good bone health. Oestrogen protects the joint from inflammation.

Also, decreased oestrogen can make you lose your bone density.

Why the Hip Joint?

The hip joint is an incredible feat of engineering in our bodies. With its large-sized bones and powerful muscles surrounding it, it's the reason we're able to stand up straight and bear the weight of our bodies. But as we age, the constant use of our joints can weaken them, and menopausal hormonal imbalances can exacerbate this. So, it's no surprise that the hip joint is a common area for pain and inflammation during menopause.

Pain in the Hip Joint: Causes 

Hip joint pain can result from injury or inflammation to any structures that make up the joint.

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. 

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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. 

How do you get lateral hip pain?

The human body is an incredibly complex machine that works tirelessly to keep us moving. But what happens when this machine starts to malfunction? 

One common issue that menopausal women face is lateral hip pain.

You might think that repeatedly moving your legs would make them stronger, and in many ways, it does. But when the body doesn't have enough time to repair the small tears that occur, problems start to arise. This is often the case with lateral hip pain, which is caused by an overload of the gluteal tendons.

As if that weren't enough, menopausal hormonal changes can exacerbate the problem. The body's healing capacity is reduced, and self-repair becomes less effective. This means that the pain can become more intense and harder to manage.

In fact, some women find it impossible to get a good night's sleep with hip pain. If you've ever been kept up by this type of pain, you know just how frustrating it can be.

So why does hip pain wake you up in the middle of the night? That's a great question, and one that we'll explore in the next section.

Why does hip pain increase at night?

 The primary reasons for this are;
 

• 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 of time, you may develop a pressure point in your hip joint, leading to more pain
   

The cause of hip and low back pain at night may vary for many reasons. It is always wise to contact your healthcare provider to get a good look at your hip.

Of course, the reasons for hip and low back pain at night can vary widely. It's always a good idea to consult with a healthcare provider to get a proper evaluation of your hip 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

Dealing with menopausal changes

Menopause brings about a multitude of changes in a woman's body, including the natural causes of joint pain. 

To prevent hip and low back pain during this time, it's essential to address the deficiencies that come with hormonal changes. 

While Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) is an 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

Proper rest and relaxation

Proper rest and relaxation is crucial to avoiding joint inflammation caused by overuse injury. 

This means taking the time to cool down properly after exercise and avoiding heavy or vigorous workouts.

 Even if you've been exercising regularly before menopause, it's essential to slow down and take the time to warm up properly.

Avoid heavy and vigorous workouts.

The best way to know how much your muscles and bones need is to exercise until half of your body's strength. Don't push your muscles to the point of soreness. 

Prevent underlying conditions from worsening

It's important to evaluate with your doctor to determine the root cause of hip and low back pain. If underlying conditions such as osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis, or gynecological issues are present, they must be treated initially.

By taking care of your body and addressing the root causes of hip and low back pain, you can prevent or reduce the severity of pain during menopause. So, take the necessary steps to prioritize your health and enjoy a pain-free life!

What are the treatment options for hip pain during menopause

Simple stretching exercises and natural remedies can treat primary hip pain if it is  ot due to any other chronic illnesses.

Stretching Exercises

Stretching is an excellent way to treat and prevent hip pain. Since the hip joint is a major weight-bearing joint, stretching the hip helps keep the body fit and eases hip pain in menopausal women. Isometric exercises, isotonic exercises, and bridging exercises are some of the most common stretching exercises that can be used to treat hip pain.

Isometric Exercises

Isometric exercises are done without giving much movement to your joints. In cases of hip pain, isometric exercises are appropriate in the early stage. The aim is to tense the gluteal muscles without moving the leg. Isometric side leg lifts with support using chairs or pillows are the most common exercise used.

Isotonic Exercises

Isotonic exercises are done when your joints are ready to be moved without pain. After you have continued isometric exercises for a few weeks, you can phase onto isotonic exercises. Take care not to strain yourself to pain, as isotonic exercises need more recovery time and should not be done daily.

Bridging Exercises

Bridging exercises are an excellent way to strengthen the gluteus and pelvic muscles. This can be done in later stages when pain is less, and the range of movement of the hip is comfortably possible.
Managing Hip Pain at Night

For immediate relief from hip pain in women, that suddenly increases at night, you can go for any of the following to get back to sleep:

• Changing your sleeping position. Don’t put more pressure on the side of the hip where pain seems to be more.
• You can give cushioning between your legs to avoid free fall of the hip and muscles around the joint.
• Putting a pillow below your knees when you sleep straight can help reduce hip and low back pain.
• You can do mild stretching of the gluteal muscles if the pain wakes you up at night. 
• Sleep hygiene like a good bedspread and aroma are essential to help you fall asleep and keep you so.

Yoga for Hip Pain

Practising yoga is a great way to prevent hip pain naturally. Yoga is very beneficial, especially during perimenopause and menopause, because it stretches muscles when it doesn’t put more strain on your body muscles and bones.

Keep in mind to do it safely. 

Just like stretching exercises with support, you can also do yoga with support.

It’s a good idea to start slow.

Initially, include gentle warm-ups such as thigh stretches and ankle rolls before jumping into complex poses.

Take support, and don’t push the movements if you find it uncomfortable and painful.

Three yoga poses that are useful in hip pain during menopause :

Viparita Karani (Legs Up The Wall Pose):

Gomukhasana (Cow Pose):

Balasana (Child pose)

To learn proper ways of adopting yoga into your routine, learn it from our experts. 

Our experts can advise you on safe practices and how to adapt moves to suit your needs, if necessary.

5 Herbs for hip pain and low back pain

Holistic treatment plan for hip joint pain in menopause women

A holistic approach towards hip joint pain and low back pain in menopausal women is adopted by Nirva health consultants.

The treatment sessions consist of lifestyle alterations to adapt to menopausal changes according to the cause of hip pain. 

A systemic approach towards an individual with personalised care is given by evaluating the body type.

Self-care remedies for hip pain with diet and exercise management are advised.

Yoga sessions with more follow-up consultations and sessions are given to everyone with a need.

Our Ayurveda and yoga consultants treat by balancing your bioenergy with the anatomical changes in a menopausal woman.

When to consult a doctor?

You should consult an expert before trying any of the home remedies and stretching exercises if you come across any of the following symptoms;
 

• Accompanying fever and weight loss with hip pain.
• When hip pain worsens and lasts for more than a week.
• If you have been suffering from hip pain since the beginning of perimenopause.
• If hip pain leaves you completely bedridden.
• When associated with gynaecological problems. 

Conclusion

Treatment options for hip pain in women include medication, exercise, surgery, and home remedies. The doctor is the best person to decide what treatment options suit a patient.

Follow the instructions and make changes in diet, exercise and any other routine the doctor suggests. Exercises suggested by the doctor must be done regularly to relieve pain and prevent the condition from occurring again. 

Hip pain is treatable, but it is a painful and uncomfortable experience. Women must take special care of their calcium and phosphorus intake as they age, particularly nearing menopause.