What is menopause?
Menopause is the stage of woman’s life when her menstrual period stops permanently. Most women experience menopause between the ages of 45-55 years of age.
Symptoms may include:
- Hot flushes/night sweats
- Body aches and pain
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Sleep disturbances/insomnia
- Low libido
- Pelvic floor related symptoms
Menopause and the pelvic floor
Menopause is associated with the decline or oestrogen and progesterone. Oestrogen plays a vital role in maintaining optimal vulval and vaginal tissues. It is also responsible for keeping the bladder/urethra and pelvic floor muscle muscles strong and elastic.
As a result, women may experience genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) which includes symptoms such as:
- Vaginal dryness, burning/irritation, vaginal narrowing
- Bladder symptoms such as urinary urgency, urinary incontinence, recurrent urinary tract infection, stress urinary incontinence, pain with urination, nocturnia (getting up multiple times per night to empty bladder)
- Sexual symptoms such as reduce vaginal lubrication during sexual activity, pain or discomfort with intercourse, reduced libido and arousal
- Pelvic organ prolapse symptoms such as vaginal heaviness, dragging sensation or sensation of vaginal bulge
- Faecal urgency, faecal incontinence, being unable to control wind, constipation
Conservative management of symptoms relating to GSM
Pelvic health physiotherapy is effective in conservatively addressing many of these symptoms.
If you would like to make a pelvic health appointment, you can book this here
