I've been asked at my Henleaze Osteopathic clinic this week if a Bristol Osteopath can provide treatment to women for menopausal symptoms.
It's an interesting question, and as an experienced osteopath in BS6, I have helped women clients in the past with menopausal and peri-menopausal symptoms.
Osteopathy is perhaps known for treating patients with muscular-skeletal issues.
On the face of it, there may not appear to be an obvious link to helping women who might be suffering from menopausal and peri-menopausal symptoms.
Many of my patients are women aged 40 and over, some of which are already in the throes of getting symptoms relating to menopause.
Many testify that as well as suffering some unpleasant physiological symptoms they also recognize there is a link between their menopausal state and their muscle-skeletal aches, pains and related issues in Bristol.
Many will say that their physical pain seems to be either caused or amplified by their menopausal state.
What is the impact of menopausal symptoms on women in Bristol?
The hormonal changes affecting peri-menopausal/ menopausal women have some pretty unpleasant effects for many at this time of life.
These hormonal changes are body-wide and have a big impact on every system and cell in the body.
The commonly discussed symptoms include mood swings, brain fog, temperature regulation, sexual drive, and skin changes.
Women facing menopausal symptoms in Bristol also experience changes throughout the body, including in muscles, joints and the skeletal system.
Having been an osteopath in Bristol for 28 years I’ve witnessed that the body-wide effect of menopause has a direct and indirect effect on the muscular-skeletal system.
What menopausal symptoms do women in Bristol face?
-Changes in bone health and bone density
-Muscle and joint aches
-Increased incidence of tendinopathy (tendon injury)
-Increased incidence of frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
It is likely that most of these issues can be related in some way to the hormonal changes, and increases in inflammation within the body through this period.
How can a Bristol Osteopath help menopausal women?
Osteopathy is a holistic therapy so aims to look at and treat the whole person. As such osteopathic treatment can have a body-wide effect.
As a leading Bristol Osteopath, my treatments can help menopausal women to:
- Increase blood flow which improves the health of local body tissues
- Reduce muscle tension and flush out toxins and waste products that can build up in the muscles causing pain
- Improve mobility of joints, creating ease of movement
Through treatment of the muscular-skeletal system, osteopathy in Bristol can also assist with digestive function, and improve respiratory function which in turn improves overall health.
Osteopathic treatment will also help to reduce pain and discomfort, and so can help improve mood and support sleep. It can also lessen neck and shoulder tension, contributing to tension-based headaches.
I believe that osteopathy in Bristol has a vital role to play, and can significantly help women dealing with menopausal and peri-menopausal symptoms across the city.
I recently did a YouTube interview with the ‘Geordie Grandma’ about osteopathy, posture and health in general for women over 50. Please visit here to find out more.
Good body health for older women can be sustained with a Maintenance Osteopathic Treatment (MOT) one of my most popular osteopathy services in Bristol.
To find out more about this, please visit here.
To make a booking at my Henleaze osteopathic clinic please visit here.