Menopause causes hormone changes and a sharp decline in bone density. With the help of safe and accurate clinical testing, menopause doesn’t have to wreak havoc with your scoliosis.
Most women experience the effects of menopause…it’s a natural part of the aging process. Hot flashes, night sweats and irritability are common symptoms. This “transition time” for women also causes hormone changes and a sharp decrease in bone health.
If you have scoliosis, your hormone levels and bone health need extra attention during menopause. In fact, women who have had scoliosis since their teen years may experience worsening curvature during menopause. Furthermore, the incidence of adult-onset scoliosis increases after menopause.
The good news? Changing hormone levels and bone density are manageable before, during and after menopause to ensure a healthy body and spine. Through hormone and bone health testing, exercise and nutrient therapy, you can guide your body through menopause. And…continue to live your best life with scoliosis!
How menopause affects the body
Menopause affects every woman in a different way. Women may begin to experience menopause symptoms as early as 10 years prior to becoming post-menopausal (defined as 12 months after their last menstrual cycle). Symptoms can include hot flashes, trouble sleeping, depression and weight gain. Menopausal symptoms can come and go, and last anywhere from 7 to 14 years.
During this transition, your hormone levels change. Both progesterone and estrogen levels decrease. Because of these changing hormones, the level of bone density within your bones lessens, putting you at risk for developing osteoporosis and making you susceptible to bone fractures.
How menopause affects women with scoliosis
Discussing menopause – especially when you have scoliosis – is important for two reasons. First, if you’ve had scoliosis your whole life, awareness of your body and its changes as you age can prevent the effects that menopause will have on your scoliosis condition. Your body’s natural reaction to menopause – hormone changes, decreased bone density – has a larger impact when you have scoliosis.
Hormone imbalances and changes in bone density are a “normal” part of your scoliosis condition. During menopause, your body fights the natural progression of bone loss and hormone changes – this is in addition to the hormone imbalances and lesser bone health that comes with the scoliosis condition.
Even if you’ve not been diagnosed with scoliosis, menopause can trigger adult-onset scoliosis. In fact, the occurrence of adult onset scoliosis rises after menopause, affecting close to 30% of adult women.
Yet, you have control over how your body works through menopause, especially when you have scoliosis. With effective hormone and bone health testing, you can determine the best way to minimize menopausal symptoms and prevent curve progression. Assessing accurate hormone levels and the changes to your bone health can ensure you’re helping your whole body, and especially your spine.
Why hormone levels need to be assessed and managed
Research shows that when your hormones change and become imbalanced, this can affect your spine’s curvature. Even before menopause, balanced hormones can positively affect your health and may even prevent curve progression.
As you start to experience menopausal symptoms with scoliosis, it’s even more imperative to assess your hormone levels. By further understanding and balancing hormone levels, the effects of menopause on your curve progression and how you feel as a whole can be mitigated.
The same goes for women who may start to experience the effects of degenerative scoliosis. Proper hormone levels will decrease the possibility of your spine curving, preventing that “hunched over” posture that you sometimes see in older women.
How bone health keeps your body healthy and prevents osteoporosis during menopause
As with hormone testing, assuring your bone health is at its best is important when you have scoliosis. Menopause is proven to cause a loss of bone density in women. When you have scoliosis, this loss of bone health can have a huge impact on curve progression.
Estrogen hormone levels are directly linked to a decrease in bone density and mass. If your body is lacking estrogen, especially during menopause, it’s harder for your body to prevent a change or increase in your spine’s curvature. Bone density testing is essential for women going through menopause, and especially if you have scoliosis. Bone health results will help you understand your body’s need for extra nutrients to support your bones. Appropriate nutrient therapy will increase bone strength and prevent pain and an increase in spinal curvature.
How you can safely test your hormone levels and bone health
The best way to determine your hormone levels and bone health is through clinical testing. With these results, you can determine which hormones are most affected by menopause, and work to balance them. Balanced hormones will help keep your bones healthy and strong.
Using a hormone testing kit, performed from the comfort of your couch, is an accurate and convenient way to test your current hormone levels. This saliva-based test is safe and effective and can provide direction on how to manage your changing hormones.
Bone health testing is another option. Testing and assessing your bone health will provide additional information on current bone mass and density, as well as options to increase bone health as you age.
Safe and accurate testing will provide the results you need. Armed with this information, you can manage your scoliosis during menopause.
Options for managing the effects of menopause and scoliosis
One of the best ways for you to naturally manage menopause with scoliosis is nutrient therapy. Backed by scientific research, appropriate nutrients will balance hormones and increase bone health.
Scoliosis Estrogen and Progesterone Support – based on your test results, these vital nutrients will help to balance your hormones.
ScoliSTRONG Bone Matrix Support – packed with Vitamin D, this bone support will help your body better absorb calcium and create stronger bones.
In addition to nutrient therapy, exercise is proven to help manage the effects of menopause on your scoliosis condition. Scoliosis-specific strength training, core work and walking are great options for keeping bones healthy and strong.
Read more: 8 Scoliosis Workout Exercises to Try at Home.
Accurate testing is the key to scoliosis management
If it’s “that time” in your scoliosis journey, or you know menopause is right around the corner, testing is key. Menopause affects your scoliosis condition, and causes increased hormone changes and a loss of bone density.
By testing hormone levels and bone strength, you learn more about your body’s needs. This information will help you develop a nutrient therapy plan specific to your body’s needs. Prevent the negative effects of menopause and scoliosis and keep on living your best life with scoliosis!
Take preventative action right now. In celebration of National Menopause Awareness Month, during the month of October, receive a $15 store credit for each Basic Hormone Test Kit ordered. For US Residents only. While supplies last. Valid October 1-31, 2021.
Don’t know where to start? Take our FREE “ScoliQuiz.” (No x-ray required)
