By Stephanie Prendergast, MPT, Cofounder, PHRC West Los Angeles
Perimenopause begins earlier than you think! Most people in their 20’s and 30’s may not think they need to know about perimenopause & that perimenopause information doesn’t apply to them. This is not true! Here are just a few of the many things you need to know.
Testosterone Decline:
In women, testosterone starts declining at the age of 35. Signs of testosterone deficiency include:
- Muscle weakness
- Fatigue
- Low libido
- Sexual dissatisfaction
- Vaginal dryness
Progesterone Decline:
Progesterone starts declining around the age of 40. A few signs of progesterone decline include:
- Breast tenderness
- Irregular periods or spotting in between
- Vaginal dryness
- Depression, anxiety and mood swings
Estrogen Decline and Increased Risk for Pelvic Organ Prolapse Rises:
Estrogen declines over time and will eventually result in menopause, which is defined as a lack of menses for 1 year. The reduction in estrogen weakens our pelvic floor muscles (which contributes to increased risk of pelvic organ prolapse).
While this info can be surprising, it is all treatable with medical care and consideration to our PF & girdle muscles. Many younger vulva owners may not be aware of the controversy surrounding hormone therapy and historically what has happened to vulva owners.
Perimenopause is a good time to check in with your pelvic floor & you may be a candidate for pelvic floor and girdle muscle strengthening if your muscles are starting to weaken. If you are not sure if your muscles are weak or not please consult with a pelvic floor physical therapist!
Check out our videos for more information!
What to Expect at a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Appointment
Managing Your Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Other related blogs:
Midlife Sex Crisis: What Are My Perimenopause Options?
Patient Success Story: Dealing with Prolapse and Menopause
Hormonal Changes in Menopause and What You Can Do About It
Part 1 of 2: What is a good pelvic PT session like?
Part 2 of 2: What is a good pelvic PT session like?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Are you unable to come see us in person? We offer virtual physical therapy appointments too!
Due to COVID-19, we understand people may prefer to utilize our services from their homes. We also understand that many people do not have access to pelvic floor physical therapy and we are here to help! The Pelvic Health and Rehabilitation Center is a multi-city company of highly trained and specialized pelvic floor physical therapists committed to helping people optimize their pelvic health and eliminate pelvic pain and dysfunction. We are here for you and ready to help, whether it is in-person or online.
Virtual sessions are available with PHRC pelvic floor physical therapists via our video platform, Zoom, or via phone. For more information and to schedule, please visit our digital healthcare page.
In addition to virtual consultation with our physical therapists, we also offer integrative health services with Jandra Mueller, DPT, MS. Jandra is a pelvic floor physical therapist who also has her Master’s degree in Integrative Health and Nutrition. She offers services such as hormone testing via the DUTCH test, comprehensive stool testing for gastrointestinal health concerns, and integrative health coaching and meal planning. For more information about her services and to schedule, please visit our Integrative Health website page.
Do you enjoy or blog and want more content from PHRC? Please head over to social media!
Like us on Facebook,
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel,
and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok and Pinterest!