Learn about the clinical approach to reproductive health and its impact on improving patient outcomes and treatments.

Reproductive Health

When it comes to reproductive health in the body, many women will notice changes in their bodies as their menstrual periods become more or less frequent, which can affect their bodies. While menstrual changes can last between 1 and 3 years, menopause can be different for each woman with very different symptoms.

 

Some of the symptoms when there are hormonal changes associated with reproductive health can include:

• Insomnia
• Weight fluctuations
• Fatigue
• Joint and muscle pain

At the same time, when a woman is dealing with hormonal changes associated with their reproductive health, they are experiencing pain-like symptoms in their bodies. As the person ages, so does the body, hormones, and spinal structure. Various environmental factors affecting the body can lead to overlapping risk profiles for reproductive health and the musculoskeletal system, causing low back pain. Many individuals dealing with low back pain, especially women, are attributed to various factors like increased pain sensitivity and various menstrual cycles. (Chen et al., 2024)

 

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone replacement Therapy or HRT is a treatment that can be used to treat some of the symptoms of hormonal changes associated with reproductive health by replacing hormones that are at a lower level. For females, low estrogen and progesterone levels can affect neuroprotective receptors in the brain, causing symptoms of inflammation and stress to impact the body. (Hwang et al., 2020) For males, low testosterone levels can cause skeletal muscle mass and strength reduction, decreased bone mineral density, and sexual dysfunction. (Barone et al., 2022) So, for males and females, taking HRT can help replenish the lost hormones in their bodies and reduce the overlapping pain symptoms.

 

Andropause & Menopause

When a woman between the ages of mid-40s and mid-50s deals with changes in their menstrual cycle, it is known as menopause. When a woman goes through menopause, it is a transition period where the woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs, and their hormone levels of estrogen and progesterone decrease, thus ceasing a woman’s menstruation cycle. Within that time frame during menopause, most women will experience weight gain and have an increase of peripheral fat stored in the hips, glutes, and around the abdominals. (Ko & Kim, 2020) This extra weight around the abdominals and hips can lead to the development of musculoskeletal issues like back pain.

 

While males have the capability of reproduction throughout their lives after puberty, when they begin to age, they produce low testosterone levels and fewer sperm. Additionally, a majority of men can experience low levels of testosterone hormones as they start to notice a decreased libido, body hair loss, loss of muscle mass, and breast enlargement. This is known as andropause, where, like menopause in women, the testosterone hormone levels are lowered. Luckily, low testosterone levels can be tested, allowing males to be treated with testosterone replacement therapy. Testosterone replacement therapy can provide beneficial results by replenishing testosterone levels associated with reducing symptoms of decreased libido, improving skeletal muscle function, and restoring bone mineral density. (Barbonetti et al., 2020)

 

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Testosterone Deficiency In Men- Video

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Surgical & Non-Surgical Interventions

Many middle-aged individuals talk to their spouses about their desire to have no children or that they are done having children. Many people choose for either non-surgical or surgical methods when it comes to treatments like these. Tubal ligation is a surgical treatment that may be performed on females. In order to avoid conception while maintaining a monthly cycle until menopause, the fallopian tubes are either cut, tied, or removed; this treatment has no effect on hormone levels. The vas deferens may be severed and sealed in men by a surgical procedure called a vasectomy. Both strategies have a 99% success rate in avoiding pregnancy. Different state legislation and precautions pertaining to sterilization surgery apply to these outpatient procedures.

To avoid surgery, few individuals would choose the non-surgical approach instead of the surgical one. Many will use birth control techniques such as natural cycle planning, condoms, and birth control pills. Many women will use hormonal birth control pills as part of their regimen to avoid becoming pregnant. The following are some further advantages for women using contraceptives: (Allen et al., 2013)

• Getting regular menstruation again
• reducing the symptoms of vasomotor
• Stopping the loss of bone mineral density

 

Sex Changes In Middle Adulthood

Many persons are sexually active via communication and strong connections with their partners, making them an integral part of people’s life at any age. Intimacy allows many happy couples to express their needs and desires more easily. Adults also experience sexual changes that are connected to their reproductive health as they age. Because of the normal vaginal wall weakening and vaginal constriction, many women have pelvic discomfort from decreased lubrication.

Men’s erection functionality also alters with age, particularly if they have health and wellness-related comorbidities. Having trouble obtaining an erection, often known as erectile dysfunction or ED, is one of the most prevalent changes in older guys. (Leslie & Sooriyamoorthy, 2025) Overlapping risk profiles from environmental variables might cause ED to manifest as a symptom. Fortunately, ED may be managed by altering one’s lifestyle and taking care of interpersonal or psychological problems. (Lowy & Ramanathan, 2022) Although talking about it with their physicians might be challenging for men, it is crucial for their overall health and welfare.

 

Final Thoughts

All things considered, many people who suffer from pain and musculoskeletal problems might benefit from a personalized treatment plan for their sexual and reproductive health. Making small changes to a routine can have long-term benefits. For example, gradually introducing a new routine—such as eating more vegetables and lean meats, exercising for half an hour, or getting a wellness checkup—can help manage pain-like symptoms brought on by environmental factors and support an individual’s health journey.

 

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Injury Medical & Functional Medicine Clinic

We associate with certified medical providers who understand the importance of assessing individuals dealing with reproductive and sexual health associated with body pain. When asking important questions to our associated medical providers, we advise patients to implement various approaches to their reproductive and sexual health associated with their pain. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., utilizes this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.

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References

Allen, R. H., Cwiak, C. A., & Kaunitz, A. M. (2013). Contraception in women over 40 years of age. CMAJ, 185(7), 565-573. doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.121280

Barbonetti, A., D’Andrea, S., & Francavilla, S. (2020). Testosterone replacement therapy. Andrology, 8(6), 1551-1566. doi.org/10.1111/andr.12774

Barone, B., Napolitano, L., Abate, M., Cirillo, L., Reccia, P., Passaro, F., Turco, C., Morra, S., Mastrangelo, F., Scarpato, A., Amicuzi, U., Morgera, V., Romano, L., Calace, F. P., Pandolfo, S. D., De Luca, L., Aveta, A., Sicignano, E., Trivellato, M.,…Crocetto, F. (2022). The Role of Testosterone in the Elderly: What Do We Know? Int J Mol Sci, 23(7). doi.org/10.3390/ijms23073535

Chen, D., Zhou, J., Lin, C., Li, J., Zhu, Z., Rao, X., Wang, J., Li, J., Chen, H., Wang, F., Li, X., Gao, M., Zhou, Z., Xi, Y., & Li, S. (2024). A causal examination of the correlation between hormonal and reproductive factors and low back pain. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 15, 1326761. doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2024.1326761

Hwang, W. J., Lee, T. Y., Kim, N. S., & Kwon, J. S. (2020). The Role of Estrogen Receptors and Their Signaling across Psychiatric Disorders. Int J Mol Sci, 22(1). doi.org/10.3390/ijms22010373

Ko, S. H., & Kim, H. S. (2020). Menopause-Associated Lipid Metabolic Disorders and Foods Beneficial for Postmenopausal Women. Nutrients, 12(1). doi.org/10.3390/nu12010202

Leslie, S. W., & Sooriyamoorthy, T. (2025). Erectile Dysfunction. In StatPearls. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32965924

Lowy, M., & Ramanathan, V. (2022). Erectile dysfunction: causes, assessment and management options. Aust Prescr, 45(5), 159-161. doi.org/10.18773/austprescr.2022.051

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