Joint pains are often attributed to the menopause and can be of varied aetiologies. This review discusses menopausal “arthritis”, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, connective tissue disease, fibromyalgia, gout, carpal tunnel syndrome and osteoporosis. Presentation, treatment and use of hormone replacement therapy are described.
. PansiniFAlbertazziPBonaccorsiGCalisesiMCampobassoCZanottiLBagniBMollicaG.The menopausal transition: a dynamic approach to the pathogenesis of neurovegetative complaints. Eur J Obstet Gynaecol Reprod Biol1994; 57: 103–109.
2.
. GoldingDWilsonP.Rheumatism and the menopause. Practitioner1989; 233: 316–8.
3.
. CoopeJ.Hormonal and non-hormonal interventions for menopausal symptoms. Maturitas1996; 23: 159–68.
4.
. HeikkilaRAhoKHeliovaaraMKnektPReunanenAAromaaALeinoAPalosuoT.Serum androgen-anabolic hormones and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis1998; 57: 281–5.
5.
. MacDonaldAGMurphyEACapellHABankowskaUZRalstonSH. Effects of hormone replacement therapy in rheumatoid arthritis: a double blind placebo-controlled studyAnn Rheum Dis1994; 53: 54–7.
6.
. RosnerIAGoldbergVMGetzyLMorowitzRWEffects of oestrogen on cartilage and experimentally induced osteoarthritis. Arth and Rheum1979; 22: 52–59.
7.
. DennisonEMArdenNKKellingraySCroftPCoggonDCooperC.Hormone replacement therapy, other reproductive variables and symptomatic hip osteoarthritis in elderly white women: a case-control study. Br J Rheumatol1998; 37: 1198–202.
. WaxmanJZatzkisSM. Fibromyalgia and menopause. Examination of the relationship. Postgrad Med1986; 80: 165–7, 170–1.
10.
. TorgersonDJCampbellMKThomasREReidDM. Prediction of perimenopausal fractures by bone mineral density and other risk factors. J Bone and Min Res1996; 11: 293–297.
11.
. WHO. Assessment of fracture risk and its application to screening for postmenopausal osteoporosis. WHO Technical Report Series, 843. Geneva 1994.
12.
. PunnKKChanLW. Analgesic effect of intranasal salmon calcitonin in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures. Clinical Therapeutics1989; 11: 205–9.
13.
. EastellR.Treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. N Engl J Med1998; 338: 736–46.