Sudden onset of joint pain after hysterectomy and how to deal with it

Are you also suffering from a sudden onset of joint pain after hysterectomy ?

When people talk about the side effects of menopause, they mention hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and weight gain. However, one of the least discussed topics is that many women suffer from terrible joint pain.

joint pain after hysterectomy

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When they remove the ovaries, joint pain may start within weeks or months after the operation.

For many women, these symptoms of persistent joint pain become a daily agony, and when they look for help, nobody seems to have the answers.

What causes joint pain after hysterectomy?

Menopause joint pain, also known as menopausal arthralgia, is likely to affect more than half of the women going through menopause. Surgical removal of the ovaries will cause the immediate onset of menopause because of a sudden hormone drop.

Many women enter surgical menopause directly after the hysterectomy and experience horrible side effects like joint pain. For some, these symptoms are more severe than for women who go through natural menopause. What causes joint pain during and after menopause is still not fully understood.

Joint pain all over since my hysterectomy surgery

Some women ask if the joint pain in their hands relates to their hysterectomy surgery. That is possible. After the operation, there may be a sudden onset of widespread joint pain. It usually affects the hips, knees, and shoulders and leads to pain and stiffness of fingers, wrists, and ankles. There may be swelling, redness, and even fever apart from the pain.



How does estrogen loss cause joint pain?

Many women start having joint problems during the peri-menopausal period when estrogen levels in the body begin to drop. The estrogen-joint pain connection is still unclear, and further research is needed for a better understanding of what aggravates this condition. Unfortunately, for now, there is no specific treatment available for menopausal joint pain.

For some women, hormone replacement therapy positively affects their joints. How can estrogen help with joint pain? Estrogen is likely beneficial for joint pain as it keeps inflammation down. Joint pain after hysterectomy is mostly caused by local joint inflammation or loss of cartilage. Cartilage protects the end of our bones, where they rub together. This makes it easy for us to move. When the cartilage wears thin, moving may become difficult and painful.

How long does menopause joint pain last?

Does menopause joint pain go away? It depends mostly on what causes your joint pain. You can do a lot to calm the joints’ inflammation. Some foods will worsen the inflammation, and there are so-called anti-inflammatory foods.

Adding foods rich in omega-3 fats may keep inflammation down. Examples are sardines, mackerel, trout, salmon, flax seeds or oil, and walnuts.

On the other hand, if the joint pain is due to cartilage breakdown, the pain will probably persist until old age. Regrettably, there is no cure for osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease.

However, you can do many things to relieve the pain and improve joint mobility. For example, lifestyle changes like weight loss, low-impact exercises, and adequate rest are great ways to combat osteoarthritis.

Relief for joint pain after hysterectomy.

The best natural remedy for joint pain is to follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and reduce the stress in your life.

Great for stress and pain relief are:

  • Yoga
  • Meditation
  • Massage
  • Acupressure

For healthy joints, we need to keep moving and our blood flowing.

Recommended exercises for menopause joint pain are:

  • Taichi
  • Strengthening exercises
  • Low-impact exercises like walking, cycling, and swimming

If joint pain after hysterectomy persists, it is sensible to see your doctor. It is important to exclude metabolic disorders, tumors, and other bone diseases as the cause of joint pain. With your healthcare provider, you can discuss the various treatment options to prevent your joint pain from becoming a chronic health problem.

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17 Comments

  1. Hi all, omg I honestly thought I was going mad until I found this!
    I had a full hysterectomy in 2019, since then I have been back and forth to the doctor’s with pain in my back, hips, knees and more recently feet.
    The doctor’s fob me off as if I’m some kind of idiot.I have paid thousands in different treatments and even had 6 spinal injections, but the pain came back, and I’m out of cash.
    I have put on weight which I know doesn’t help, so I joined a gym last September, but it gets harder and harder to fight through the pain, so then I reached out to weight management, however they refused me saying my BMI was not enough to get me on the program.
    The pain got so bad last month, I tried to take my own life, I ended up in hospital, with a Dr more or less telling me how stupid I was.
    I was then given morphine patches, which unfortunately like everything else has not worked.
    I’m 53 somehow managing to hold down a job and trying desperately to live through each day, but it gets so bad.
    I really don’t know what to do!

    1. Hi Nicola, I know exactly what you are going through. The pains can be terrible. Have you tried Hormone Replacement Therapy? The inflammation of the joint is due to the lack of estrogen in your body after the hysterectomy. Estrogen protects joints and reduces inflammation, but when estrogen levels drop, inflammation can increase, the risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis can go up and make it painful to move freely. Some women find that yoga helps relieve joint and muscle pain. Personally I found lots of relief from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). You can ask your doctor for that. Including specific foods to your diet can strengthen the bones, muscles, and joints and help the body to fight inflammation. Try adding the following foods to your diet: Fatty fish, nuts, dark leafy greens, garlic, dairy products (rich in Calcium and vit D). Don’t give up hope. Menopausal arthritis is a temporary thing. Try these suggestions to find relief until you get out of this menopausal phase.

  2. I feel your pain. I had a complete hysterectomy and suffered horribly with joint pain that no one told me would happen. Then when I looked for reasons, no one could help me. I then was told to lose weight and exercise. I couldn’t even more let alone exercise, and though I have about 15 pounds to lose, I am not obese that my joints should hurt this bad. This was the first site I saw that gave me an explanation and now I have modified my diet and see a drastic improvement.

  3. This site has been beyond helpful to me. I am just suffering every day. I can barely make sense of my daily feelings anymore. However I am not bleeding to death monthly. This site has truly eased my mind. Women need to support and help each other. The world is crazy but we can make it together!!!!! Thank you. Good luck girls. Stay positive.

  4. Hi everyone my name is Nicolene on the 13th of September this year I have a flippen tube ovary and uterus removal. I’m only 31 years of age, I am on week 5 today after my OP and still struggling for the wound to heal up properly. I have discovered for the last couple of days that I’ve been suffering from lower leg pain and many other different pains of my bones I don’t know how to treat or handle this pain because it ain’t a joke. It’s really really painful and some stages it’s so bad that I cry. If anybody can please give me some advice on what and what not to do. Sorry for the long message but this is what I’m experiencing thanks

    1. I had a complete hysterectomy in April and still have my pain I work wit a nutritionist, acupuncturist and now an herbalist. I honestly think so far my best results are from the herbs. I’m also beginning to think dehydration is also a factor as I feel worse days I don’t get proper water intake. Do all you can to support your adrenals as they are the system that picks up the workload when the ovaries are gone. But if your wounds also have not healed that would be a concern and I’d be asking them. Do you by chance have any auto immune diseases? That can sometimes play a role in slow wound healing. Best of luck to you. But you aren’t alone in your pain.

    2. Nicolene, I had a complete hysterectomy with tubes, ovaries, uterus and cervix. I had horrible fibroids and my periods, though I am 52, were still horrible to the point that I couldn’t go anywhere or work. I had severe pain in my joints and couldn’t get out of bed some days after my hysterectomy. I started an anti-inflammatory diet and read up on herbs and found products that are organic and are helping with my joint pain. I can say that as of today, I have not had any joint pains within the past month. There is hope and I wish you luck.

  5. Hi, I’m Nathira Banu, aged 48, undergone hysterectomy in May 2017, now suffering from a severe joints pain, couldn’t tolerate, unable to walk even, my legs gets swollen, I need a medical advice please.

    1. I underwent a complete hysterectomy in April 2018. I have terrible muscle and joint pain. My removal was due to cancer so HRT is not an option for me. I have been working w a nutritionist and taking natural supplements to help my adrenals get stronger. My oncologist also recommended acupuncture which I am three sessions in, can’t see a marked difference yet. I am going to an herbalist this week to add to my treatment plan and hopefully get some results. I am also 48 and this makes life miserable. But hearing others are struggling at least makes me feel less crazy talking about my pain. Best of luck to you.

  6. hi all, I had my uterus and fallopian tubes taken out June 2016 and am totally fucked up with joint pain and stiffness. my doctors suggested I manage the pain as nothing can be done to ease the pains except I go on hormone therapy and am skeptical about the therapy because of the side effects. am only 31 years, any advice?

    1. Please find a good hormone doctor and get on replacement bioidentical hormones. Go to the local compounding pharmacy and ask the pharmacist, “which doctor really knows hormones in town?” Then go to that doctor. You will not regret it.

  7. I’m Kathryn I had a hysterectomy in September. I still have my overies and know I have constant pain all over in my joints, muscles, bad headaches just lost of pain all over I’m totally miserable. Even my jaws and teeth hurt. I wish you all the best.

  8. Well I don’t know what to tell you , but you may have fucked up with the Sex change, I had just my uterus removed and my body be sore. Not trying to be funny but if I had a choice I would have kept it , How do you feel ? Sore all over and stiff up st night?

  9. Hi my name is Wendy I had a total hysterectomy July 28th last year so a year on and I’m just noticing that I’m stiff around the hips legs ach I feel odd but I still do my gardens walk, swim some days after I have done too much the next day I know it is this normal many thanks Wendy.

  10. I hear you. I am in the same position. I have transitioned and also would like to be fit. I am trying bodyweight exercises that are not hard on the elbows (you can still do abdominal exercises) and swimming /riding a bike.

    I am having a hard time with pull-ups/chin-ups/and push-ups because of joint pain.

    For now, I just started taking black cohosh along with my testosterone to ease my body with the transition of having no estrogen. I am also taking BCQ by Vital Nutrients. Powerful joint anti-inflammatories.

    I hope this helps.

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