In what is wholly unwelcome news, especially to those of us that already struggle with severe period pain, periods can actually get worse with age. Yes, really. If, like me, you were looking forward to the halcyon final years of menstruating, I’m afraid it could get worse before it gets better.
And that’s before we even get into the symptoms of menopause. Sorry.
However, there are ways to manage it and understand what can make it worsen. HuffPost UK spoke to Valentina Milanova, founder of virtual women’s health clinic Daye, to learn exactly how we can combat this.
Milanova said: “Underlying gynaecological conditions like endometriosis, adenomyosis, and uterine fibroids tend to develop and progress over time. These disorders can cause increasingly painful periods, especially from the 30s and 40s onward.”
She added that even during perimenopause and the transition to menopause, oestrogen levels can fluctuate and decline which can lead to heavier, more painful periods for some people.
Of course, our lifestyles can also contribute to increased inflammation. Factors such as weight gain, stress, and poor sleep, which tend to get worse with age, can exacerbate period pain and make it harder to manage.
Milanova said: “Managing stress, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough sleep, and staying active can help reduce period pain. Certain medications like NSAIDs and hormonal birth control may also provide relief.”
Daye has developed a method for personalised period pain management, which utilises pharmaceutical and holistic lifestyle interventions to maximise pain relief and minimise side effects.
However, Milanova noted that if period pain is severely impacting your quality of life, it’s essential that you see a specialist to rule out any underlying conditions like endometriosis, which requires proper diagnosis and targeted treatment.
The expert added: “Heavy bleeding and irregular cycles are other menstrual symptoms that may worsen with age due to hormonal changes and gynaecological disorders.”
Over half (56%) of women feel their pain is ignored or dismissed by healthcare professionals, according to Wellbeing of Women, and Valentina Milanova is no stranger to this feeling, either.
She said: “Like many women, I suffered for years with debilitating period pain that was dismissed by doctors. I was told it was normal and to just take painkillers despite the pain impacting my ability to go to school and engage in daily life.
“It took me far too long to get diagnosed with PCOS finally. This experience of medical gaslighting is sadly all too common.”
With this experience, and the experiences of women she had spoken to in mind, Milanova started the world’s first virtual Period & Pelvic Pain Clinic.
She said: “Too many women suffer for years without answers or adequate care for their menstrual symptoms.
“Current diagnostic delays for conditions like endometriosis are unacceptable, causing immense physical, emotional and financial tolls. I started the Period & Pelvic Pain Clinic to help close this gender pain gap and give women faster access to personalised specialist care to determine the root causes of their period pain.”
