What's Causing Your Pain?
if over 40 and in perimenopause or menopause
You’ve been told your symptoms are “normal.”
Joint pain. Bloating. Headaches. Fatigue.
Part of aging. Hormones. Stress.
But what if your body isn’t breaking down.
What if it’s trying to communicate?
The Truth About Pain
Pain in perimenopause and menopause is rarely random.
It’s often driven by:
Chronic inflammation
Hormonal shifts
Gut dysfunction
Nervous system overload
And the key to healing isn’t guessing. It’s learning how to observe.
The LISTEN Method
A simple framework to begin decoding your symptoms:
L – Look at Patterns
When does your pain show up? Do you have morning stiffness? Or afternoon only headaches? Or more pain at night? Timing matters more than you think.
I – Inflammation Clues
What is triggering inflammation in your body? Food, stress, and toxins all play a role. And inflammation is at the root of most pain during perimenopause and menopause.
S – Stress & Sleep
This is a big one that is often overlooked. You cannot eat super healthy and exercise but NOT sleep and NOT handle stress well and expect to get better. It’s all connected in your body. Your nervous system directly impacts your pain levels. High cortisol equals more pain, more inflammation, and slower healing.
T – Triggers
Your body has specific sensitivities and triggers. What are yours? Start identifying them. Maybe yours is gluten which causes joint pain and bloating. Or maybe sugar which is causing your headaches or fatigue. Or maybe toxins from fragrances, chemicals, plastics you’re using in the house which causes skin issues or brain fog.
E – Energy & Digestion
Your gut and mitochondria are telling a story. Do you feel energized after a meal or exhausted? Do you have bloating, constipation, or reflux an hour or so after a meal? Your gut is central to everything including hormones, inflammation, and even pain. If your gut is not working right, you won’t have energy to live life.
N – Next Steps
This is where most women get stuck. They notice symptoms, but don’t know what to do next. You don’t need perfection, just awareness and a small action.
Start Simple
You don’t need a complicated protocol.
Start here:
Track your symptoms
Notice patterns
Remove one trigger (maybe gluten for 7-10 days)
Support sleep
Clarity comes from consistency with small steps.
Encouragement
Your body is not your enemy.
It’s your messenger.
And when you learn to listen, you can finally begin to feel better and heal.
I created a simple Pain Pattern Tracker to help you apply this.
👉 Click here and I’ll send it to you.
Leah Cheshire is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach who works with women over 40, helping them get to the root of their symptoms so they feel like themselves again. After her own health crisis — autoimmune issues, hormonal problems, Lyme Disease, arthritis, SIBO — she went back to school to be trained as a health and wellness coach. She now uses her experience and training to help others. She’d love to help you, too. Schedule a free 20- minute consult with her by clicking here.