From hormonal changes and brain structure differences to the way they respond to pain, the health needs of women and men differ.
In the recent four-part women’s health series, “The Women’s Wellness Eras Tour,” The Christ Hospital Health Network focuses on empowering women to understand their unique needs and take control of their health.
In the fourth and final webinar, “Walking Fearless: Strong Women, Strong Bodies,” Jennifer Chung, MD, physical medicine and rehabilitation physician; Samantha Baker, DPM, podiatrist; and Jessica Pykosz, PA-C, orthopedic physician assistant, discussed the unique health needs of women.
Learn what they say about common concerns, like headaches and orthopedic issues, such as joint and foot pain—and how addressing these can keep women active and moving.
1. Headaches are common, but they do not have to slow you down.
Women are three times more likely than men to experience headaches and migraines mainly due to hormone changes.
“Women also carry a lot of the mental load and stress of the household and day-to-day life,” Dr. Chung says.
And while that stress can contribute to headaches and migraines, she says, these concerns “are not all tension or stress-related.”
Knowing what causes your headache is essential for finding the proper treatment.
Dr. Chung says genes can contribute to the development of migraines. But other headache causes include
“Cervicogenic headaches are very common, especially in this day and age of technology and cell phone use where we’re all hunched forward,” Dr. Chung says. “Our posture isn’t as great as it could be. And the neck pain this causes can trigger a migraine-like headache.”
In these cases, doctors can evaluate your cervical spine (neck) for arthritis or a pinched nerve to determine what treatments can help the most, including epidural injections, radio frequency ablation, acupuncture, and physical therapy.
Dr. Chung recommends keeping a headache diary. This record can help you identify headache triggers and patterns, which are essential to share with your doctor.
Even if your headaches happen only one to two times per month, they can severely interrupt your life. Do not hesitate to talk to your doctor. While you can manage some headaches on your own with a well-balanced diet and enough water, sleep and exercise, other headaches may require treatment.
Headache treatments include:
Lifestyle Changes
Physical therapy and modalities such as cervical traction
Medications (preventive or abortive)
Regenerative therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy or prolotherapy
Trigger point injections
Acupuncture
Dry needling
Botox injections
Dr. Chung says Botox injections are particularly effective for treating migraines.
“Botox is truly one of the most effective treatments I have seen,” she says. “It is life-changing for many of my patients.”
2. Joint pain and stiffness don’t have to be ‘just a part of aging.’
Joint pain (osteoarthritis) and stiffness may seem like an inevitable part of getting older. But they don’t have to be. Age is indeed a risk factor for osteoarthritis, but you can take steps to preserve your joint health and stay active.
Osteoarthritis commonly affects your knees, hips, hands, spine and feet. Risk factors include:
Excess weight
Genetics
Prior injuries
Smoking
Pykosz says hormones also play a role.
“Osteoarthritis—at least reported cases—rises exponentially after the onset of menopause,” she says.
Common signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include stiffness and pain, especially after sitting for prolonged periods. Some people experience limited mobility or pain at the end of the day after doing a lot of activity.
But Pykosz says you can lessen the risk of osteoarthritis by staying active.
She recommends low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, biking or using an elliptical machine. Aquatic exercise is particularly good at taking the weight off your joints while allowing you to move.
Maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking and following a balanced diet all support joint health.
If you do get joint pain, Pykosz says conservative treatments can help. She recommends over-the-counter topical creams and anti-inflammatory oral medications. Physical therapy can also help.
“Even if you are a very active person, physical therapy can teach you the correct way to do things, so you have proper form,” Pykosz says.
Treatments such as cortisone or gel injections, nerve blocks and surgery are available for more severe cases.
3. You can prevent age-related bone loss.
It’s easy to overlook bone health. But osteopenia and osteoporosis—both related to low bone density—affect millions of people. These conditions are especially prominent among women. The good news: you can prevent and treat both conditions.
Low bone density also increases your risk of fractures.
“Half of all postmenopausal women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lifetime,” Pykosz says. “We call these fragility fractures. And there are more than 2 million each year.”
Bone density screening with a DEXA scan can help detect bone loss. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends a DEXA scan for women beginning at age 65.
This recommendation may be different for you, especially if you have a strong family history of low bone density. Your doctor may also recommend an earlier DEXA scan if you experienced early menopause, had a hysterectomy early in life or take certain medications.
Pykosz says you can take steps to prevent bone loss. These steps include:
Adding medications to slow or stop bone loss progression
Asking about current medications and their impact on bone health
Eating a balanced diet
Getting doctor-recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D
Limiting alcohol consumption
Performing weight-bearing exercises and resistance training
Staying active
Stopping smoking
4. Your feet work hard for you. Help them out.
You probably don’t notice your feet until they start to hurt. Foot pain—from bunions to plantar fasciitis—is incredibly common, especially among women.
Dr. Baker says understanding how to prevent or manage foot issues can make a world of difference in your quality of life. Common foot conditions include:
Bunions
Bunions, the painful, bony bumps near the big toe joint, are often genetic. However, tight calf muscles, rheumatoid arthritis, and even poor footwear choices like narrow or high-heeled shoes can also cause them.
“Narrow toe boxes crowd the toes,” Dr. Baker explains. “Over time, this pressure can push the big toe out of alignment. The same can happen with high heels, which put increased pressure on the ball of the foot.”
To prevent bunions, you can wear shoes with a wider toe box and supportive arches.
If you want to wear heels, Dr. Baker recommends a two-inch or less block or wedge heel. She also says to limit the amount of time you spend in heels.
If you already have a bunion, over-the-counter gel sleeves, toe spacers and moleskin patches can prevent painful rubbing.
Hammer toes
Hammer toes, the bends in the middle joints of your second, third or fourth toes, commonly appear alongside bunions. Hammer toes occur for many of the same reasons bunions do and have similar prevention and treatments. Roomy shoes and custom orthotics and devices like crest pads or splints—found at foot and medical supply stores—can prevent rubbing and inflammation.
Equinus
Equinus, a tightness in the calf muscles or Achilles tendon that limits ankle bending, is common in women. Causes include genetics, neuromuscular issues, a sedentary lifestyle and prolonged sitting. Wearing high heels can also cause equinus.
With limited ankle flexibility, people with equinus often walk on their toes or the balls of their feet, leading to pain in that area and the heel or arch of their foot.
Stretching is key to preventing equinus. Dr. Baker suggests performing three specific calf stretches in the morning, before bed and before any physical activity. These stretches include:
Wall calf stretch: Face a wall and place one leg behind the other. Put the heel of your back leg on the floor. Keep your back knee straight and lean forward until you feel the stretch.
Step calf stretch: Stand on the bottom stair with your heels hanging off the edge. Alternating legs, allow your heel to drop down until you feel a stretch in your calf.
Towel calf stretch: Grab a towel or fitness band and sit on the floor with your legs extended. Wrap the towel around the ball of your foot. Pull the towel toward you to feel a stretch in your calf. Alternate feet and repeat.
Dr. Baker says you can also relieve equinus and improve flexibility with over-the-counter night splints or temporary heel lifts inside your shoes. Some people even benefit from physical therapy.
Plantar fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation or thickening of the plantar fascia ligament, which runs along the bottom of your foot from your heel to your toes.
Symptoms include a sharp, stabbing pain in your heel—especially during your first steps in the morning or after a long period of sitting.
Intense training or overuse is one cause of plantar fasciitis. Other causes include flat feet, high arches, tight calf muscles or Achilles tendons, and shoes that lack proper support.
“Plantar fasciitis is by far the most common foot issue I see in my practice in both women and men,” Dr. Baker says. She recommends treating plantar fasciitis at home with many approaches, including:
Anti-inflammatory medications
Calf stretches
Custom orthotics
Massaging the bottom of your heel with a frozen water bottle
Night splints for 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime
Supportive shoes
When home remedies aren’t enough, Dr. Baker recommends steroid injections and physical therapy.
Morton’s neuroma
A Morton’s neuroma is an inflammation or thickening of one of the nerves in the bottom of the foot.
“People with Morton’s neuroma often complain of a feeling like their sock is bunched up in their shoe, or they’re stepping on a little pebble or a rock around the ball of their foot,” Dr. Baker says.
The causes of Morton’s neuroma are similar to those of bunions and hammer toes. High-impact activities also cause the condition.
Wearing supportive shoes is key to preventing Morton’s neuroma. Dr. Baker says avoiding walking barefoot for long periods is also essential, especially on hard surfaces.
Morton’s neuroma treatments include icing, non-steroidal or arch supports. Prescription steroidal anti-inflammatories and steroid injections can also help.
5. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
Women tend to care of everyone else and often neglect themselves.
“That carries over to our health,” Dr. Chung says. “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Taking steps to prevent headaches, joint pain, foot pain and bone loss can keep you moving through life.
Call 513-585-3000 to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic, physical medicine or podiatry specialist. Not sure who you need? Call our ezCare Concierge nurse navigator at 513-809-1817 for help finding the right provider for you.