For years, the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause have been seen as things that women simply must endure. The hormonal shift is inevitable, and so are the crummy downsides, like hot flashes, insomnia, low sex drive, and more. Luckily, that attitude is slowly beginning to change. Expert consensus on warnings around hormone therapy (HT) have shifted to catch up with modern scientific findings, more practitioners are updating their approach, and more women are speaking openly about their symptoms and experiences. The result is a growing sense of empowerment: Women are asking better questions, pushing for appropriate care, and exploring treatments they may not have realized were options.
While I personally started HT a year ago, I’ve still been on the lookout for complementary therapies that can support my health now that I’m in my 50s. Massage has long been one of the most reliable ways I manage stress and feel better in my body. So as perimenopause symptoms such as bloating and sleep troubles crept in, I started to wonder whether something that had consistently helped me in the past might also offer relief here.
While there have been a few small studies that suggest massage can be effective in reducing menopausal symptoms (like insomnia and anxiety and depression), it’s still not widely researched or “prescribed.” But maybe it should be.
What is menopause massage?
Menopause massage is essentially an iteration of a relaxation massage during which massage therapists employ techniques meant to ease the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. It’s meant to help women find comfort and relaxation during this major transitional life stage.
Nancy Perez, BSc, LMT, E-RYT, is a licensed massage therapist who lists “the treatment of musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause” as an offering on her website. Perez tells SELF that she tailors each treatment by using a combination of Swedish massage, aromatherapy, lymphatic drainage, craniosacral therapy, myofascial release massage therapy, and even temporomandibular work in the jaw/neck region.
“These particular treatments target specific symptoms of this phase, including lack of sleep, nervous system deregulation, tension headaches, and poor digestion,” Perez explains. For example, craniosacral therapy uses gentle touch on specific areas of the head, torso, knees, and feet to improve the functioning of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), with the goal of supporting better sleep and reducing stress-related tension during perimenopause and menopause.
How can massage improve menopause symptoms?
While scientific research on many of these therapies (and how they may benefit women in menopause, in particular) is still limited, many of the improvements in symptoms may come down to a universal truth about massages: They’re relaxing.
