Why does menopause cause hip pain?
Menopause can cause hip pain mostly because estrogen levels drop. Estrogen binds to receptors in joint tissues and is thought to help protect joints from stiffness, swelling, and inflammation. When that estrogen falls during perimenopause and menopause, the tissues around the joints lose some of that protection, and hips are one of the places that often start to ache.
Hips also tend to get hit harder because they’re weight-bearing joints and do a lot of work every day. On top of the hormone shift, muscle loss, bone density changes, extra strain from body weight, and ordinary wear on cartilage can all add to the discomfort. Here at Alloy, we talk about this as part of musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause, which can include joint pain, muscle loss, and bone loss.
A small detail that can help: if the pain feels deep in the groin, that points more toward the hip joint itself. If it’s more on the outside of the hip or down the side of the leg, Dr. Vonda Wright notes that bursitis can sometimes be the reason. Menopause-related joint stiffness is also often worse first thing in the morning and can ease a bit once you start moving.
For more detail, our joint pain article and painful joints symptom page are useful. If this is ongoing, MHT options at Alloy may help, since MHT is considered the gold-standard treatment for menopausal joint pain. If the hip is swollen, red, warm, or very tender, it should be checked promptly.
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