“I just don’t feel like myself anymore.”
This blog will help you understand what’s really happening in your body, why symptoms can feel so widespread, and how osteopathy can support you through this transition.
What Is Perimenopause and Menopause?
Perimenopause is the phase leading up to menopause, where hormone levels begin to fluctuate, sometimes quite dramatically. Menopause is officially diagnosed when you haven’t had a period for 12 months.
During this time, your body is adjusting to changes in key hormones, including:
- Oestrogen – which supports joints, muscles, brain function, and more
- Progesterone – which helps regulate mood and sleep
- Cortisol – which is your main stress hormone
These shifts don’t just affect your reproductive system, they influence your entire body, including your muscles, joints, and nervous system.
Why Do I Feel Achy, Stiff or More Tired?
Many women are surprised by how physical menopause can feel.
You might notice:
- Persistent back, neck, or shoulder pain
- Tendon issues such as tennis elbow, greater trochanteric pain syndrome, plantar fasciitis or rotator cuff
- Joint stiffness (especially in the morning)
- Increased muscle tension
- Fatigue or reduced recovery after activity
- Clicky or painful joints
One of the main reasons is the drop in oestrogen. This hormone plays a role in:
- Maintaining healthy connective tissue
- Supporting joint lubrication
- Reducing inflammation
As levels fluctuate, tissues can become less resilient, meaning your body may feel stiffer, more sensitive, or slower to recover.
The Nervous System: The Missing Piece
Menopause isn’t just hormonal, it’s neurological.
During this time, your nervous system often becomes more sensitive. This can make everyday stress feel more intense, increase how strongly you experience pain, and disrupt your sleep.
This shift is closely linked to the interaction between your hormones and the autonomic nervous system, the system responsible for regulating stress and relaxation. As hormonal balance changes, your body may spend more time in a “fight or flight” state rather than a calm, restorative one.
When this happens, it can lead to ongoing muscle tension, poorer quality sleep, and a heightened perception of pain, even from issues that may previously have felt manageable.
Why Symptoms Can Feel So Varied
One of the most frustrating aspects of perimenopause is how unpredictable it can feel.
Symptoms often vary not only from person to person, but from day to day. You might experience hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog, anxiety or low mood, alongside musculoskeletal aches and pains.
Although these symptoms can seem unrelated, they are all connected through the same underlying systems; your hormones, nervous system, and inflammation levels. This is why taking a whole-body approach to treatment and support is so important during this stage of life.
How Osteopathy Can Help During Menopause
Osteopathy focuses on how the body functions as a whole, making it particularly well suited to supporting women through perimenopause and menopause.
Treatment may help by:
- Improving joint mobility and reducing stiffness
- Releasing muscle tension
- Supporting better circulation
- Calming the nervous system
At our osteopathy clinic in Tunbridge Wells, we take a women’s health-focused, personalised approach, recognising that no two menopause journeys are the same.
You’re Not “Just Getting Older”
It’s important to say this clearly:
What you’re feeling is real, common, and treatable.
While menopause is a natural transition, that doesn’t mean you have to simply “put up with” the symptoms, especially when they’re affecting your quality of life.
Looking Ahead
In the next post, we’ll explore one of the most common concerns in more detail:
Why menopause can contribute to joint pain, frozen shoulder, tendon issues and persistent aches and what you can do about it.
Looking for Support?
If you’re experiencing aches, tension, or stress-related symptoms during perimenopause or menopause, osteopathy may help you feel more like yourself again.
Book a consultation with one of our osteopaths at One Health Osteopathy Clinic in Tunbridge Wells, Kent to start your recovery journey.