Menopause Clinic

What Is Perimenopause, Menopause, and Postmenopause?

Menopause is a natural life stage defined as 12 months after your final menstrual period. The time leading up to this is called perimenopause, which can begin in your 40s (sometimes earlier), and postmenopause is everything after.

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During this transition, your body’s production of estrogen and progesterone declines. These hormonal shifts can affect nearly every system in the body—not just your reproductive health. While every woman’s experience is unique, common symptoms include:

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• Irregular periods, hot flashes, and night sweats

• Brain fog, memory changes, and sleep disruptions

• Mood swings, anxiety, or depression

• Weight changes or bloating

• Muscle or joint stiffness, including frozen shoulder

• Vaginal dryness or discomfort during sex

• Urinary urgency, leakage, or recurrent infections

• Decreased bone density and increased risk of osteoporosis

• Vertigo, dizziness

• Tinnitus, ringing of the ears

• Skin and nail changes, including acne, signs of aging, dryness, brittleness

• Hair loss and hirsutism, growth of unwanted facial hair

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It can feel overwhelming—but this transition is also an opportunity to reclaim your strength, function, and vitality with the right support.

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💪 How Can Physical Therapy Help During Menopause?

Physical therapy, especially when tailored to women’s health, plays a powerful role in helping you feel strong, confident, and well-supported—body and mind. Here's how:

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🦴 Bone Health

Estrogen helps maintain bone density. As levels drop, bones may become thinner or more fragile, increasing the risk of fractures.

PT Can Help:

• Teach safe, targeted strength training to stimulate bone growth

• Improve balance and coordination to reduce fall risk

• Support joint mobility and posture to reduce stiffness and improve comfort

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💪 Muscle & Joint Health

Muscle mass naturally declines with age and hormone changes, which can lead to weakness, aches, and fatigue.

PT Can Help:

• Build lean muscle mass and strength through resistance and functional training

• Address joint pain and stiffness with mobility work and soft tissue techniques

• Guide progressive exercise to reduce inflammation and support long-term vitality

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🧠 Brain & Mood Health

Cognitive shifts ("brain fog"), anxiety, or mood changes are common during menopause due to hormonal fluctuations and sleep disruptions.

PT Can Help:

• Incorporate mind-body practices like breathwork and movement-based mindfulness to calm the nervous system

• Improve sleep and energy through body alignment, pain relief, and gentle activity

• Provide exercise routines proven to support memory, concentration, and mood regulation

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❤️ Heart Health

After menopause, the risk of heart disease increases due to changes in cholesterol, blood pressure, and body composition.

PT Can Help:

• Develop safe and sustainable cardiovascular fitness plans

• Help reduce blood pressure and support metabolic health

• Support lifestyle modifications that benefit the heart and improve endurance

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🌸 Pelvic Floor & Sexual Health

Hormonal changes can lead to vaginal dryness, pelvic pain, urinary leakage, or a feeling of heaviness from pelvic organ prolapse.

PT Can Help:

• Treat pelvic floor dysfunction with personalized strategies

• Improve bladder control, reduce urgency, and address leakage

• Support comfortable, confident intimacy with gentle tissue work, education, and movement

• Educate on diaphragmatic breathing and body alignment to support core and pelvic health

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💡 In Short:

You don’t have to "just live with" the symptoms of menopause. You can move through this transition feeling stronger, steadier, and more connected to your body.

A skilled physical therapist can work with you to create a whole-person plan tailored to your goals—whether that means reducing pain, improving energy, feeling confident in your body, or simply staying active and independent.

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🤝 You Deserve Support

This is a time for education, empowerment, and reclaiming your well-being. Physical therapy isn’t just about injury—it's about longevity, self-trust, and vitality at every stage of life.

If you're in perimenopause, menopause, or postmenopause and you're experiencing discomfort, fatigue, bladder concerns, or just feel like your body’s not quite your own anymore—you are not alone. And you don’t have to figure it out by yourself.

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We’re here to support you every step of the way.