Oh, the woes of women! Have you experienced one of the most common girlie problems also known as Vaginal dryness? If so, then you may have experienced the problems associated with it. It is the common problem faced by women, but it is easy to treat. All women in the world must have experienced the issue at some point in their whole life. Therefore, it requires no introduction.
Vaginal dryness is not restricted to a certain age. Women of any age can experience the issue. But, menopausal women have the issue more compared to others. Women going through menopause or experienced it has a higher probability of getting the issue.
What Exactly Is Vaginal Dryness?
Vagina or the female sexual organ needs lubrication for its healthy functioning. So, vaginal dryness occurs with less lubrication of the vagina. The vaginal tissue can get dry resulting in health complication. Women in their older age can experience the condition more than a young girl. That doesn’t mean young women are not vulnerable to the condition. Therefore, it is important to take necessary action. Failure to address the issue may lead to severe yeast or bacterial infections.
Vaginal dryness is a condition that you need to address immediately. It can cause discomfort or pain during physical intercourse. So, it can make your love life problematic. Ultimately, it will result in creating problems between you and your partner.
What Happens In Your Body Leading To Vaginal Dryness?
It is a natural question that enters your mind. You need to understand that your body produces natural lubrication. The glands in the cervix situation at the neck of the womb are responsible for it. So, the main function of the glands is to keep the vagina supple and moist. It produces acidic lubrication to keep the bacteria and infection away. Therefore, it is responsible to keep the vagina healthy.
It keeps away infections like thrush. It also produces extra lubrication during sexual intercourse. So, you can feel more stimulated. It makes the physical intimacy enjoyable. But, women after the age of 50 can experience vaginal dryness. It causes immense pain during sex.
Symptoms Of Vaginal Dryness
So, how can you detect vaginal dryness? Some women can experience certain symptoms at particular times. While others experience it all the time. Therefore, you need to watch out for the issue to seek necessary treatment. The major signs of the issue include:
- Vaginal irritation
- Itchiness in the vaginal region
- Discomfort during sex
- Burning sensation
- Decreased sex drive
- Unable to get stimulated during sex
- Inability to orgasm
- Thin and pale looking vaginal region
- Frequent need for urination
- Getting UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) frequently
Vaginal dryness can cause severe discomfort in your life. But, many women feel embarrassed to talk about. So, it pulls them back from seeking medical assistance. Never ignore the seriousness of dry vagina.
Main Causes Of Vaginal Dryness
The hormones are responsible to keep the balance in the female body. Estrogen is one of the main hormone associated with the healthy sex life of women. Therefore, the estrogen is responsible for producing lubrication to keep the vagina healthy. The low estrogen levels can disrupt the body balance causing vaginal dryness.
Many issues can reduce the estrogen levels in your body. Some of the main causes that lead to vaginal dryness are:
Menopause
It is the common reason in women causing the vaginal dryness. The increasing age of women causes the low production of estrogen. Therefore, it results in persistent vaginal dryness. It is also known as atrophic vaginitis or vaginal atrophy.
Childbirth
Women experience hormone fluctuations during childbirth and breastfeeding. The estrogen levels can get low in both instances. So, it makes women feel vaginal dryness.
No Stimulation
The body produces natural lubrication with arousal. Therefore, it makes the lovemaking pleasurable. Without any arousal, the vagina does not produce a natural lubricant. Subsequently, it results in having pain or discomfort during sex.
Sides Effects Of Contraception
The combination of contraceptive injection and contraceptive injection can cause side effects in some women. One noted issue is the vaginal dryness.
Cancer Treatment
Various cancer treatment can result in vaginal dryness. It is the side-effect caused specifically due to the chemotherapy, hormonal cancer treatment or the radiotherapy to the pelvic region.
Health Issues
The dry vagina is also caused by lifestyle disease like diabetes or due to the attack on the glands responsible for producing the fluid (Sjögren’s syndrome).
Diagnosing The Issue Effectively
If you suspect vaginal dryness, meet your doctor immediately. Your doctor can confirm the issue by performing a pelvic exam. So, your doctor can check the vaginal walls to know the thickness and color. A thin vaginal wall can cause vaginal dryness.
Your doctor may also test the hormone levels. You can determine if you are going through menopause or not. The vaginal discharge is also checked for other underlying issues that cause dryness. So, you need to seek immediate medical attention to eliminate the problem. Ignoring the problem can lead to severe complications.
Treatments for vaginal dryness
You can get the advice of your doctor to overcome the issue of the dry vagina with ease. The doctor may perform a detailed check up to detect the severity of the issue. So, your doctor may recommend one of the following treatment methods.
Lubricants
The external liquid or gel can guarantee good lubrication. You need to just apply it directly to your private parts. So, to make sex pleasurable, you can apply it on the vagina, vulva or your partner’s penis. It provides the necessary lubrication to keep the vagina most. Lubricants act as a temporary solution to the vaginal dryness. You can access the different brands of lubricants with no prescription. Therefore, you can experiment with the products to find the ideal one.
Vaginal Moisturizers
The moisturizers work exactly the same way as the skin moisturizers. It keeps your vagina moist and soft. You need to apply it inside your vagina for the best results. It relieves the vaginal dryness by keeping the tissue supply. The vaginal moisturizers can restore the elastic properties of the vaginal wall. The products get tested for the safety and effectiveness. Therefore, you can relive the issues caused by vaginal dryness. It is better than lubricants as it lasts longer. You can choose from:
Source: Amazon.com
Water-based Moisturizers
The water-based vaginal moisturizer can mimic the natural lubrication. So, it does not cause any allergic reaction on sensitive skin. The water-based product is easy to clean and does not cause a stain on the undergarments.
Petroleum-based Moisturizers
The petroleum-based moisturizers offer a silky feel. But it can sometimes cause vaginal irritation and damage the latex condoms.
The market is flooded with options. So, you need to experiment with different brands to find the apt one that suits to the best.
Vaginal Estrogen
Your doctor can recommend the use of vaginal estrogen to overcome the dryness caused by menopause. So, with the use of the products, your estrogen levels will increase. Your body loses the estrogen during menopause. So, the product can effectively restore the vaginal lubrication. It is more effective than lubricants. It is available in the following forms:
- Vagina Pills or Suppositories
- Creams
- Patch
- Rings
It will take a few days or weeks to work positively on the body. So, you need to use other options like moisturizer or lubricant till it starts working. Once you start using it, you need to continue for a long time. The effects start wearing out after you discontinue the treatment.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
It is a long-term solution to the vaginal dryness. Your doctor may recommend you to take medication that replaces the depleting hormone. So, it is quite effective for women undergoing menopause. The prescription drug offers positive and long-lasting results on the body. So, it is better than lubricants or vaginal estrogen. But, you can take it only after the doctor’s recommendation as it has side-effects. Therefore, your doctor may monitor you closely to detect the side-effects. It is available in the following forms:
- Tablets
- Gel (easy to apply directly on the skin)
- A Skin Patch
- Implant under the skin
Home Remedies For Vaginal Dryness
You can also try some home remedies. It may act as the alternative treatment for dry vagina. But, before starting it, talk to your doctor. Some people may have an allergic reaction to the alternate therapy. So, seek medical advice before including it in your daily life. You can use the following natural items like:
Soybeans
It is rich in the substance known as isoflavones. It can mimic the function of the estrogen in the body. So, your body will get enough supply of estrogen to eliminate the issue. You can eat food rich in soy like tofu, whole soya beans, soy milk, etc. Therefore, it will eliminate the issue of vaginal dryness.
Wild Yam
Wild Yam is an effective remedy for vaginal dryness. Women use the cream that contains wild yam to overcome dry vagina. Therefore, the natural remedy has proven effects to overcome the issue. But, it has no scientific backing. So, you need to maintain caution while using it.
Black Cohosh
It is an herb with properties that can relieve menopausal symptoms. You can take it as a dietary supplement to eliminate the issue of vaginal dryness.
All the alternative suggestion have no scientific. So, it may or may not have positive results on your body. Each person is different, so the reaction varies with people.
Preventing Vaginal Dryness
How to prevent the issue? You can easily prevent vaginal dryness by taking a few preventive steps. You can easily include the preventive measures in your daily life to make drastic changes. So, it will help you overcome the discomfort with ease.
Diet
Your diet holds the key to your good health. So, to prevent vaginal dryness, you need to make some positive changes in your diet. The vaginal muscles produce good lubrication, but the vaginal fluids come from your bloodstream. The vaginal fluid is rich in the following:
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Proteins
- Electrolytes
It seeps through the vaginal cells to get into your vaginal canal. So, you need to include a good diet rich in proteins and omega-3 fatty acids to ensure good lubrication.
Ideal Food Plan
Food rich in fatty acids and isoflavones can prevent the declining of estrogen levels in the body. So, you include the following items in your diet to produce good vaginal lubrication:
- Raw Pumpkin
- Sunflower Seeds
- Fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel, etc.
- Flaxseed
- Nuts
- Apples
- Cherries
- Soy
- Legumes
- Celery
External Supplements
Taking external supplements can improve the hormonal balance in your body. So, you take the Vitamin A or Vitamin B supplements. It will nourish your body with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. You can also take the multivitamin or multi-mineral tablets after consulting with your doctor to ensure a good balance in the body. Therefore, the combination of vitamin tablets can ensure good blood flow. It will have positive effects on the vaginal secretions and lubrication.
Good Hydration
Drinking plenty of water daily can keep you hydrated. It flushed out the toxins. So, your skin and body look healthy. It also strengthens the vaginal lining. Therefore, water, which is good for your skin is also beneficial to the vagina.
Exercise
Daily physical activity can improve the blood flow to the vagina. It ensures you maintain good health by keeping all the hormones in the body balanced. Including at least twenty minutes of cardio work out three times, a week can keep the body fit. It also guarantees good cardiac health. Therefore, with regular exercise, you can maintain the estrogen and testosterone levels. The stimulation of the ovaries and adrenal glands by exercise will decline the issues of menopause.
Vaginal Lubrication
Your body produces natural lubrication with stimulation. It increases the blood flow in the vaginal area. So, the muscles in the genital area produce lubrication. An extended foreplay ensures adequate lubrication to make sex enjoyable. It also prevents any trauma to the urethra or the vaginal lining. Natural lubrication also keeps the infection at bay. You can use natural lubricants like coconut oil, aloe jojoba or Vitamin E suppository to increase the lubrication without any side effects.
Conclusion
Vaginal dryness is a common problem. So, you can find others with the same issue. As you get older, you can experience the problem. You can take the necessary steps to overcome the issue without seeking a doctor.
But, if the problem escalates, consult a doctor immediately. Your doctor will offer you several feasible solutions to optimize the vaginal health. So, you can restore the vaginal lubrication in easy steps without any problem.