- Vaginal dryness: symptoms
- Vaginal dryness: causes
- Vaginal dryness and medications
- Treatment of vaginal dryness
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Vaginal dryness is an embarrassing condition that reduces the comfort of life. What can cause vaginal dryness? The ailment most often happens to mature women, but it can also affect young women. Find out what causes vaginal dryness.
Vaginal drynessis in other words toolittle lubrication of the vaginaand vulva. May be the cause or a symptom of vaginal disease. Vaginal dryness is manifested by vaginal itching and burning. In a he althy woman, the vagina produces mucus that moisturizes the walls of the vagina and prevents vaginal dryness.
It has a protective role by preventing the penetration and multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms and enables sexual intercourse, because during arousal it is produced much more than normally. Disorders in the production of vaginal mucus cause unpleasant sensations, infection and avoiding sex that becomes painful.
Vaginal dryness: symptoms
The itching and burning of the vulva and vagina, as well as pain during intercourse, may testify to insufficient vaginal lubrication. Unpleasant stinging and burning sensations can be felt even when walking. Sometimes it is accompanied by a feeling of unpleasant pressure or throbbing in the vagina. It also happens that there are yellow or yellow-green discharge visible on underwear. Vaginal dryness can also contribute to urinary problems, such as frequent urge to urinate.
Vaginal dryness: causes
Vaginal dryness is most often associated with fluctuations in estrogen levels. Some women experience vaginal dryness before estrogen levels naturally decline.
Vaginal dryness can also appear during pregnancy, especially in the first months and after the baby is born. The relationship between vaginal lubrication and estrogen levels is most evident during the menopause. Then there is a clear decrease in the level of estrogens. The vaginal walls become thinner, less flexible and much less moisturized. This is the reason why mature women experience unpleasant sensations and avoid sex, which becomes unpleasant and painful. Hormonal changes after menopause often lead to atrophic vaginitis, which is manifested by burning, itching, pain, redness and a tendency to bacterial infections andfungal.
Vaginal dryness can also be one of the symptoms of a bacterial or fungal infection. On the one hand, these vaginal diseases are often the result of dryness and, on the other hand, they make it worse.
Vaginal dryness and medications
Vaginal dryness can also be a consequence of medication. Sometimes it accompanies hormonal contraception (both in tablets and patches or the use of a vaginal ring with hormones). Vaginal dryness can also be caused by antiallergic drugs (e.g. over-the-counter drugs), pharmaceuticals used to treat urinary incontinence, to treat uterine fibroids, and some antibiotics.
Treatment of vaginal dryness
Vaginal dryness can be de alt with if we know what is causing it. That is why you need to tell the gynecologist about your ailments. When vaginal diseases are the cause: fungal or bacterial infections, they must be treated and the natural flora of the vagina restored.
In the case of unpleasant consequences of hormonal contraception, you need to change the preparation you use. Very often, switching to a different pill, with a different composition and ratio of hormones, eliminates the problem.
Hormone replacement therapy is sometimes associated with menopausal women. However, it is not a panacea for everyone - it eliminates the symptoms of vaginal dryness in about half of women. However, vaginal creams or estrogen pessaries can be used. They prevent not only vaginal dryness, but also the thinning of its walls and loss of elasticity.
In each case, vaginal moisturization brings relief thanks to the use of moisturizing globules, creams or gels containing hyaluronic acid.