Each year, the World Menopause Day is celebrated on October 18. The International Menopause Society (IMS) founded World Menopause Day in 2009 to raise awareness of menopause and improve the experience of women around the world. Each year, on World Menopause Day, the spotlight is on the challenges facing women during the menopause transition and highlight improvements in research, education and support. About Menopause Menopause, typically occurring between ages 45 and 55years, is a natural life stage marked by hormonal changes that can affect the symptom burden, quality of life and chronic disease risk. While not a disease, the transition often requires individualized, holistic care. Theme 2026 - Chronic Pain At Midlife Chronic pain affects a significant proportion of women during and after the menopause transition, yet it remains underestimated in both research and care. The 2026 campaign brings together trusted information and practical guidance to support better recognition and care worldwide. Women can be empowered to navigate chronic pain at midlife with confidence and support, through gender-sensitive, individualised, and multidisciplinary care - addressing conditions such as joint and muscle pain, migraine, and pelvic pain. What you need to know Chronic pain is common in midlife. It becomes more likely during the menopause transition. It often shows up as more than one type of pain at once - for example, joint pain and migraine together, or pelvic pain and tiredness. Falling estrogen affects your nerves, joints and muscles. It also affects how your brain processes pain signals. At the same time, many women deal with poor sleep, low mood or hot flushes. All of these can make pain feel worse. For some women, pain conditions they already had change during this time. Sometimes they improve. Sometimes they get worse. For other women, pain appears for what feels like the first time. This pain is real. It has physical causes, even when scans or blood tests look normal. There is no single fix. But there are things that can help. It's worth asking your doctor for a plan, rather than accepting pain as something to just live with. What can I do to help myself? Movement can help, even when it feels like the last thing you want to do. Regular activity, especially strength-based exercise, is one of the most helpful things for joint and muscle pain over time. Sleep and stress are part of the picture too. Poor sleep can make pain feel worse. Pain can make sleep harder. So improving one often helps the other. Be careful with online "miracle" fixes. Many supplements and detox products for menopause pain are not well supported by evidence. They can also be expensive, for little or no benefit. Talk to your doctor before trying something new. Source : World Menopause Day website