Dr. Ravi Gupta

How to treat vaginal dryness?
Production of estrogen slows down and eventually stops during menopause. Quite a few changes take place when this happens. Often these changes are unwelcome. Irregular menstruation happens and finally stops. Mood swings, hot flashes, increased facial hair and deepening of the voice may happen as well. Another common menopause symptom is vaginal dryness, as it affects one third of all women. Any age group can experience vaginal dryness due to various factors. It may initially appear to be just an irritation, but reduced vaginal moisture may adversely affect sexual performance. Thankfully, multiple treatment options are available for relieving vaginal dryness.

Vaginal dryness caused by reduced estrogen levels can be easily treated by applying topical estrogen. It compensates for the body’s reduced estrogen production Three common vaginal estrogen types used by most women are:

• Estrogen tablet: Disposable applicators can be used for inserting a tablet inside the vagina, once daily during the initial two weeks or so of treatment. The dosage is reduced to twice weekly till it is no longer needed.
• Estrogen Cream: An applicator can be used to apply the cream inside the vagina. Usually the cream is used daily for up to two weeks and then the frequency is reduced to thrice weekly or as recommended by the doctor.
• Estrogen Ring: It can be inserted by your doctor or you in the vagina. It is a flexible and soft ring that steadily releases an estrogen stream directly into the vaginal tissues. The ring has to be discarded and replaced with a new one after three months.

To keep the lubrication in the vagina constant, one can use vaginal moisturizers. These can be bought from a supermarket or at a drugstore, however, bubble baths, douches, lotions and scented soaps should be avoided. Such products may increase vaginal dryness.

However, topical estrogen should be avoided by women:
1. Who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, more so when they are using aromatase inhibitors
2. Who have had/have endometrial cancer
3. Who suffer from vaginal bleeding, the cause of which cannot be identified
4. Who are breastfeeding or are pregnant

If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

A three month therapy of ayurvedic medicines can cure your menstural cramps and associated problems.
Tips.
1. Ayurvedic medicines
2. Hot fomentation
3. Clove tea
4. Warm oil massage

Using contraceptive methods is the easiest method for a couple to avoid pregnancy and enjoy a tension free physical relationship. People have used birth control methods for thousands of years. Today, we have many safe and effective birth control methods available to us.

All of us who need birth control want to find the method that is best for us. If you're trying to choose, learning about each method may help you make your decision. Only you can decide what is best for you. Some contraceptives, such as condoms, will also protect a person from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

The methods can be categorised into temporary and permanent methods:

Temporary methods:

1. Withdrawal method: This involves removing the penis from the vagina before ejaculating. Ejaculation should be away from the introitus. However, it requires extreme self-control on the part of your man.

2. Barrier methods: These methods prevent sperm from entering the uterus. Barrier methods are removable. Types of barrier methods include:

a. Condom: This is the oldest barrier method. A condom is a thin tube that the man puts over his penis. This keeps the sperm from getting to the egg. Condoms are also called rubbers.
b. Female condom: This is like a condom, but it goes in the woman's vagina.
c. Diaphragm and cervical cap: These are put in the woman's vagina to cover the cervix
d. Contraceptive sponge: This is a sponge that is filled with spermicide and is put in the woman's vagina over the cervix.
Barrier methods can be easy to use and have few side effects.

3. Hormonal methods: These can only be used by women. Hormonal methods cause changes in the woman's reproductive cycle and include birth control pills, birth control patches, emergency contraception pill, Implants and so on. Unlike barrier methods, hormonal methods do not interfere with sex.

4. Intrauterine methods: In this method an object called an intrauterine device or IUD is put in the woman's uterus. There are two types of IUD: the copper IUD or an IUD with hormones implanted on it. The hormonal IUD has better protection against pregnancy but costs more. You need not do anything once it is inserted. Also, it is effective for up to 10 years.

Permanent methods:

Of course, the permanent methods are more effective for preventing pregnancy than the temporary methods. The decision to proceed with a permanent method should only be made if a person is absolutely sure that no more children are desired. The biggest problems after a permanent procedure is regret that it was done.

Sterilization is a permanent form of birth control that prevents a woman from getting pregnant. These procedures usually are not reversible.

a. A sterilization implant is a non-surgical method for permanently blocking the fallopian tubes. The doctor places a coil in each Fallopian tube through the vagina and uterus block each tube completely. It may take up to 3 months to completely block the tubes.

b.Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure in which a doctor cuts the fallopian tubes. This procedure blocks the path between the ovaries and the uterus. The sperm cannot reach the egg to fertilize it and the egg cannot reach the uterus.

c. Vasectomy is a surgical procedure that consists in cutting the tubes that carry sperm. This procedure blocks the path between the testes and the urethra due to which the sperm cannot leave the testes and hence cannot reach the egg. It can take as long as 3 months for the procedure to be fully effective.