Midlife, Menopause & Pain: Why Everything Suddenly Hurts and What You Can Do About it.

Midlife, Menopause & Pain: Why Everything Suddenly Hurts (and What You Can Do About It)Why do so many women notice new aches, headaches, joint stiffness, and persistent pain during midlife? Is it "just getting older," or is something else happening?In this episode of What's in Your Head: Tools for Pain and Dizziness, Dr. Pete Schultz, Doctor of Physical Therapy, expands on his recent discussion with physicians from Hospital for Special Surgery to explore why pain often changes during perimenopause and menopause.You'll learn how hormonal changes, sleep disruption, stress, decreased physical activity, and increased nervous system sensitivity all work together to influence pain—and why pain doesn't always mean tissue damage.Pete discusses:Why pain during midlife is multifactorialHow estrogen influences inflammation and pain sensitivityThe role of the nervous system in persistent painWhy movement is one of the best medicines for painPhysical therapy strategies for migraine, frozen shoulder, neck pain, low back pain, and persistent painThe six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine and how they support recoveryPractical tools including exercise, pain education, breathing, mindfulness, biofeedback, and graded exposure to help people return to the activities they loveWhether you're experiencing new pain yourself or you're a healthcare professional looking to better understand the unique challenges of midlife, this episode offers practical, evidence-informed strategies to help you move with greater confidence.Learn more about Dynamic Sports Physical Therapy:https://www.dynamicsportspt.comExplore more podcast episodes, articles, and educational resources:https://www.painanddizzy.com