Most women are used to feeling a pain in the lower abdomen. However, this feeling should not be considered normal and deserves your full attention. While occasional, mild pain is acceptable, severe pain should alert you because it could be a sign of the beginning oforgan descent. In this article, we will focus on a particular case: lower abdominal pain in 60-year-old women.
The effects of menopause
Lower abdominal pain in 60-year-old women is quite frequent for a very specific reason: menopause. As a reminder, this event marks the definitive end of the rules and the period of fertility.
Menopause actually causes a real upheaval throughout the body, which manifests itself in particular by:
- Of the hormonal changes, or even disruptions. Among the most common symptoms are the famous hot flashes and mood swings. A weight gain is also common. Finally, menopause even increases the risk and frequency of chronic inflammatory diseases (osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, etc.).
- THE tissue sagging and decreased muscle tone, which affects the entire body.
- A dryness of the genitals, which causes discomfort and increases the risk of urinary infection.
Of course, various risk factors impact the appearance and intensity of menopause symptoms. Physical condition, lifestyle, family history, etc. But the majority of women will live changes to their menopause.
Causes of lower abdominal pain in postmenopausal women
Let's now look at the multiple reasons that can explain lower abdominal pain after your periods stop.
Hormonal changes
Generally speaking, the hormonal changes cause various pains in many women (cramps, tightness, pinching, etc.). This is valid both at puberty and during the period of fertility and during menopause.
Thus, many people have stomach pain at specific times during their menstrual cycle (ovulation, periods, premenstrual syndrome, etc.).
Likewise, other pains also occur as you approach and during menopause (called “premenopause”). Some will be transitory, while others will persist once the milestone has passed.
Tissue sagging
Then, abdominal pain can also result from tissue sagging (muscles, tendons, joints, etc.) which appears at menopause.
Indeed, if the abdominal and pelvic muscles lose their tone, they provide less support to the trunk organs. You may then feel a certain pressure in the lower abdomen.
Likewise, weight gain associated with sagging tissues is likely to accentuate this feeling of pressure.
If you also suffer from urinary leakage because of this weak perineum, talk to your general practitioner, this is a consultation covered by social security. Or go to your gynecologist.
Of the rehabilitation exercises to do at home are often sufficient to re-tone and strengthen this area.
Intimate dryness
By reducing hydration and natural lubrication genitals, menopause often leads to drying out of the intimate area. These reduced estrogen levels cause dryness that affects both the vagina and the vulva.
This can then lead to irritation and daily discomfort, including during sexual intercourse. The risk of urinary infection also increases.
Bladder problems
Then, pain in the lower abdomen after the age of 50 sometimes reveals bladder problems. Less firm following menopause, this muscular organ may have more difficulty performing its functions.
Also watch for a possible urinary infection.
Pelvic pain
In addition to pain in the lower abdomen, it is also possible to feel discomfort or even discomfort. pain at the level of pelvic floor.
The causes of pain are the same as mentioned above. Namely: lweakening of the perineum, intimate dryness or even weight gain.
Digestive disorders
Gas, longer and more difficult digestion, intestinal cramps... Digestive disorders are more common with menopause.
Indeed, this event turns the entire body upside down, including the digestive system. But be patient, these disorders are generally transient.
Other possible causes
Finally, other rarer problems could also cause lower abdominal pain in postmenopausal women:
- One or more ovarian cysts, which would cause tightness in the lower abdomen. If the pain is acute or if you also have bleeding, consult without delay. Indeed, the cyst risks growing and bursting in your ovary. Additionally, although a cyst is usually benign, unfortunately it can turn out to be cancerous.
- We sometimes observe a organ descent because of a perineum weakened by menopause. Of varying severity, prolapse can affect various genital organs (vagina, bladder, rectum, uterus, etc.). And above all, it potentially creates a strong feeling of pressure or heaviness – sometimes painful – in the lower abdomen.
The causes of lower abdominal pain in 60-year-old women therefore present a great variety. So, consult a doctor to better identify them and implement appropriate solutions.
Solutions for lower abdomen pain after 50
Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce or even eliminate this localized pain.
Natural remedies for stomach aches
So let's start with the natural solutions:
- A regular and adequate physical activity is essential to maintain muscle tone. Just be careful to adapt your practice so as not to hurt yourself.
- If necessary, consider a weight loss to reduce abdominal and pelvic pressure.
- THE pelvic floor strengthening will help you strengthen your perineum. On the one hand, to limit pelvic and lower abdominal pain. And on the other hand, for reduce the risk of urinary leakage, organ descent, pain during intercourse, etc. To motivate yourself and help you in your exercises, try a perineal biofeedback probe like Emy.
- Of the herbal teas can also relieve possible stomach cramps and maintain better intimate hydration.
Learn more about the Emy probe
Medical treatments
Finally, some more problematic cases will require medical treatment. We can then keep the natural solutions, and add:
- A hormonal treatment, to compensate for the harmful effects of menopause. Depending on the situation, the doctor will then prescribe replacement hormones temporarily or permanently.
- A surgery, particularly in cases of severe prolapse or ovarian cysts.
Anticipate before menopause
We will end by advising you to adopt the good natural practices. Thus, already at 40, you will limit the negative impacts of menopause when the time comes.
