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Menopause affects pain depending on pain type and characteristics
Maria Cristina Meriggiola1, Michela Nanni, Valeria Bachiocco
1Interdepartmental Centre for Sexual Health Protection and Gynaecology and Physiopathology of Human Reproduction, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. cristina.meriggiola@unibo.it
Menopause (New York, N.Y.)
|February 16, 2012
Summary
Menopause significantly alters chronic pain conditions in women. Headaches and cervical/lumbar pain often improve, while osteoarticular pain shows mixed results, and other moderate pains may worsen.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive endocrinology
- Pain medicine
- Women's health
Background:
- Women experience chronic pain more frequently than men, with sex-related hormonal mechanisms implicated.
- Previous research on gonadal hormones and pain has yielded inconsistent results, varying by pain type, reproductive stage, and hormone studied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how pain perception and characteristics change during the menopausal transition in women.
- To explore the relationship between menopause and the modification of various chronic pain conditions.
Main Methods:
- An observational study involving 101 postmenopausal women.
- Participants completed questionnaires detailing pain presence, type, and changes experienced before and after menopause.
Main Results:
- Headaches improved or resolved in all affected women post-menopause.
- Osteoarticular pain improved in 50% of cases, with the remainder reporting stable pain.
- Cervical/lumbar pain resolved or improved in all participants.
- A separate group experienced worsening of moderate pain of various types.
Conclusions:
- Menopause influences pain conditions differently based on the specific pain syndrome.
- These findings highlight the complex interplay between menopausal changes and the body's pain pathways.
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