Menopause Aches And Pains. Chronic Pain At Midlife

15 Oct

World Menopause Day falls on 18 October, and in 2026 the International Menopause Society has chosen chronic pain at midlife as its theme. Joint and muscle pain is one of the most common and least recognised symptoms of the menopause. More than 70 percent of women report musculoskeletal symptoms during the transition, and many are told it is just age. It is not just age. Falling oestrogen affects tendons, cartilage, muscle and bone, and several painful conditions cluster in this decade. Most are treatable once they are properly diagnosed.

Key points

More than 70 percent of women report musculoskeletal symptoms during the menopausal transition, and around 25 percent are disabled by them at some point.
Joint pain without injury affects roughly 50 to 60 percent of women in perimenopause and early postmenopause.
Frozen shoulder affects women around 4 times as often as men and is most common between 40 and 60. Outer hip pain from gluteal tendinopathy is most common in women aged 40 to 60.
At The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness, a diagnostic package with assessment, imaging and blood tests is from £695, and ultrasound-guided PRP is from £595 to £995 per treatment.

Aching more since your periods changed? Message our doctors on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.

Why the menopause can hurt

Oestrogen receptors are found in tendon, cartilage, muscle and bone. Oestrogen helps tendons stay supple, supports cartilage, dampens inflammation and influences how the nervous system processes pain. As levels fall and fluctuate, tissues become stiffer and slower to repair, and pain can become more noticeable. That is why symptoms often cluster, with a stiff shoulder, an aching hip and sore hands arriving within months of each other. Our full guide to the science is menopause joint pain.

The conditions that cluster at midlife

Frozen shoulder

Pain and stiffness in every direction, worst at night, often starting without injury. It affects women around 4 times as often as men, mostly between 40 and 60. A 2026 meta-analysis of 13 randomised trials found PRP gave better pain relief and function than steroid at 6 months. See PRP for frozen shoulder and shoulder injections London.

Outer hip pain

Pain on the outer hip, worse lying on that side or climbing stairs, is usually gluteal tendinopathy rather than bursitis, and is most common in women aged 40 to 60. In the LEAP trial, an education and exercise programme beat a steroid injection at 8 and 52 weeks. See gluteal tendinopathy and hip injections London.

Hand and thumb pain

Aching finger joints and pain at the base of the thumb, especially pinching and opening jars, often appear around the menopause. A splint, hand therapy and steroid for flares are the usual first options, and a 2025 trial found PRP did not help thumb-base arthritis. See elbow, wrist and hand injections.

Knee pain

Knee osteoarthritis becomes more common after the menopause. Strengthening, weight management and, where needed, injections help most people. See knee injections London.

Heel pain

Plantar fasciitis is common in midlife, particularly with weight change or increased activity. See foot and ankle injections.

Want to know what is behind your aches? Ask our doctors on WhatsApp.

When aches need checking sooner

See a doctor promptly if joints are hot, red and swollen, if morning stiffness lasts more than an hour, if several small joints in the hands are swollen, or if pain comes with fever, weight loss or a rash. These can be signs of inflammatory arthritis, which needs a rheumatologist early. Thyroid problems and low vitamin D, both common at midlife, can also cause aches and are easily tested.

What helps

Strength and movement

Progressive strength training is one of the most effective treatments for midlife joint and tendon pain, and it also protects bone. A physiotherapist can tailor it to the painful area.

Hormone replacement therapy

HRT may ease joint aches for some women as part of a wider decision with your GP or menopause specialist about symptoms, benefits and risks.

A diagnosis for each painful area

Frozen shoulder, tendinopathy, arthritis and nerve pain each respond to different treatment. Ultrasound in clinic shows the tendon or joint and confirms which you have.

Targeted treatment

Where rehabilitation has not been enough, ultrasound-guided treatment matched to the diagnosis can help, with PRP best supported for tendon problems and frozen shoulder. The evidence across conditions is in PRP success rates.

Hair changes too

Thinning hair often arrives at the same time. See menopause hair loss.

How we help

You are assessed by a doctor who takes a full history, examines each painful area and reviews it with ultrasound. A blood panel arranged by The Online GP by The Wellness and processed by an accredited partner laboratory can check thyroid function, vitamin D, inflammatory markers and iron. You then receive a written plan for each problem, which may be rehabilitation, an injection, a referral to a rheumatologist or menopause specialist, or a combination. We work alongside your GP.

What it costs

At The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness, there are 3 ways to begin.

The diagnostic package, from £695, covers assessment, imaging and blood tests, and gives you a written plan whatever you decide.

Ultrasound-guided joint and tendon PRP is from £595 to £995 per treatment.

A course of 3 regenerative treatments is priced at 10 percent off booking them individually.

Ask about a midlife joint assessment. Message us on WhatsApp.

Why women choose The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness

Every treatment is performed by a GMC-registered doctor, and no clinician treats a patient here until they have completed 100 supervised treatments. Every joint and tendon injection is ultrasound guided. We take midlife pain seriously, diagnose each painful area separately, and recommend exercise or a specialist when that will serve you better than an injection. We see patients at 10 Portman Square in Marylebone and the Light Centre in Belgravia, and report an 87 percent patient success rate and more than 187 five-star reviews.

Book your assessment. Message us on WhatsApp, email team@thewellnesslondon.com, or call +44 20 3951 3429.

Frequently asked questions about menopause aches and pains

Can the menopause cause joint pain?

Yes. More than 70 percent of women report musculoskeletal symptoms during the menopausal transition, and joint pain without injury affects roughly 50 to 60 percent in perimenopause and early postmenopause.

What is the theme of World Menopause Day 2026?

The International Menopause Society has chosen chronic pain at midlife as the theme for World Menopause Day on 18 October 2026.

Why is frozen shoulder more common around the menopause?

Frozen shoulder affects women around 4 times as often as men and is most common between 40 and 60, which overlaps with the menopausal transition. Hormonal change is thought to play a part.

Does HRT help joint pain?

It may ease aches for some women, as part of a wider decision with a GP or menopause specialist.

When should menopause joint pain be checked?

Promptly if joints are hot and swollen, morning stiffness lasts more than an hour, several hand joints are swollen, or pain comes with fever, weight loss or a rash.

What treatments help midlife joint and tendon pain?

Progressive strength training first, then treatment matched to the diagnosis, such as ultrasound-guided PRP for tendon problems and frozen shoulder, or a specialist referral where needed.

This article is for information and does not replace personal medical advice. All treatments at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness are performed by GMC-registered doctors. Reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor at The London PRP Clinic by The Wellness. Last updated October 2026.

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