Pelvic Floor Changes After Menopause
If you have noticed urinary changes since menopause, it is reasonable to wonder whether the two are connected. A published paper on the subject gives a direct answer to part of that question, and a few public pages cover the rest.
What the paper says about the link
According to pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, estrogen deficiency after menopause may cause atrophic changes of the urogenital tract as well as various urinary symptoms. The wording is careful: it says may cause, not will cause.
Putting a name on the area
The pelvic floor is the region under discussion. NICHD runs a topic page on pelvic floor disorders, and MedlinePlus has a page called Pelvic Support Problems. Reading both gives you vocabulary to use when you describe what you notice.
The menopause side of the picture
A page at my.clevelandclinic.org is titled Menopause: What It Is, Age, Stages, Signs & Side Effects, which covers the broader subject. If you want to know what the menopause timeline looks like before you talk to a provider, start there.
Where a small change becomes a bigger question
A passing change is one thing, and a change that keeps returning is another. The paper's wording about urinary symptoms is the reason to mention them to a clinician instead of waiting them out. A provider can then say whether they point to atrophic changes, to a pelvic support issue, or to something else.
Hormone therapy as one conversation
MedlinePlus also publishes a page on hormone therapy for menopause. Whether it belongs in your plan is a decision for you and your clinician.
Questions to ask before agreeing to anything
- Which of my urinary changes could be linked to menopause, and which need a different explanation?
- What exam or history would help tell the difference?
- What are my options besides hormone therapy, and what are the trade-offs?
- Who will follow up, and when?