Do Pelvic Floor Symptoms get worse with Menopause?
Did you know 1 in 3 women will experience urine leaking with sneezing, coughing, laughing and exercise in their lifetime? For up to 50% of middle to older aged women this is a daily experience.
For a lot of women, changes to bladder and pelvic floor muscle function show up in their 40s and 50s, which correlates with menopause.
What is menopause?
Menopause typically occurs in women between 45-55 years of age and is defined by when a period has not occurred in 12 months. The changes that occur with menopause can span decades. Due to hormonal changes women may experience: hot flashes, decreased bladder control, sleep changes, mood changes, vaginal prolapse, painful intercourse, and decreased muscle mass.
What happens to the pelvic floor during menopause?
Due to hormonal changes, the vaginal wall becomes thinner and the pelvic floor muscles become less elastic or taught.
These changes to the pelvic floor can contribute to any number of the following symptoms:
- Bladder urgency and frequency
- Vaginal heaviness / pressure / bulging (related to pelvic organ prolapse)
- Urinary incontinence
- Vaginal dryness
- Painful sex
- Pelvic floor muscle atrophy
Although it is common for women to experience urine leakage during and after menopause — but it is not too late to do something about it!
These hormone changes that occur with menopause can also help to explain general decreases in muscle mass and increased difficulty gaining muscle mass — maybe more difficult, but still possible!
Why see a physiotherapist during menopause?
I get it. We’re not making menopause sound like a great time.
We see an increase in pelvic floor related concerns in women during this season of their life – but we know there are many out there that experience these issues but don’t know who to reach out to.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms and have questions about pelvic floor physiotherapy – book a 15 minute complimentary pelvic health consult with one of our pelvic health physiotherapists.
There are many strategies to address urine leakage, pain, and vaginal prolapse. Strengthening pelvic floor muscles, bladder training, and general strength training can significantly reduce urine leakage, address mild prolapse, and increase quality of life.
Let’s get your pelvic floor working for you again!