Vaginal Dryness - Causes And Treatment!

Desire is an elusive thing, especially in women. Anything can disturb it- a scent, a wrong touch or physiological reasons like vaginal dryness. If you want the top ways to treat this desire-dampener, read on.

Causes:

One of the most common causes of vaginal dryness is a decrease in estrogen levels during menopause or perimenopause, after childbirth, or during breastfeeding.

One in every three women falls prey to vaginal dryness during menopause. It can afflict younger women too for a couple of reasons like chemotherapy, breastfeeding, removal of ovaries, certain medicines and endometriosis.

The moisture in vagina keeps it elastic and once it tapers off, interest in sex wanes and intercourse becomes painful and the vagina feels itchy and stretched. It becomes thinner too.

The condition is diagnosed through a pelvic exam by your gynaecologist. And the good news is that it can be treated easily.

Treatment:

Topical oestrogen therapy is the most common treatment for vaginal dryness due to low oestrogen levels. This provides oestrogen to the vagina for relieving symptoms. You can choose one of these three types of vaginal oestrogen:

1. Vaginal Oestrogen Ring, Estring: This can be inserted into the vagina. It is a soft and flexible ring and releases a steady stream of oestrogen directly to the vaginal tissues. It needs to be replaced every three months.

2. Vaginal Oestrogen Tablet, Vagifem: This tablet can be inserted into your vagina with an applicator as per instructions of the gynaecologist.

3. Vaginal Oestrogen Cream, Estrace, Premarin: This cream can be inserted into the vagina using an applicator again as per the doctor’s instructions.

Several side effects are associated with these oestrogen products like vaginal bleeding and breast pain.

It is also contraindicated for women who have breast cancer or those with a history of endometrial cancer. If you have any vaginal bleeding or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should not use such products.

In order to keep the vagina more lubricated, try using a vaginal moisturizer like Replens, Lubrin instead.

Using a water-based lubricant like Astroglide and K-Y jelly before intercourse can take away the pain of intercourse.

 

Eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and proteins. Include more of these- Raw pumpkin, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna for their fatty acid content.

 

Also include foods with high plant oestrogens like flaxseed, soy, legumes, cherries, nuts, apples and celery.

 

Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. And, last but not the least, do regular exercise. Twenty minutes of fast walking will keep your heart strong and up the blood supply to your pelvic region and improve your hormonal balance.