Vaginal dryness is characterized by the thinning and inflammation of the vagina walls due to changes in declining estrogen levels. It is a common condition especially in premenopausal and menopausal women, but it is also common in women of any age for different reasons. The main symptoms of vaginal dryness include:
- Frequent urination
- Prolonged periods
- Burning and itching around the vaginal area
- Soreness
- Pain or light bleeding during sexual intercourse
When should you talk to your doctor?
Vaginal dryness is an important medical condition that you should not ignore or feel embarrassed to talk about with your doctor. The best time to contact your doctor is as soon as you notice that your vaginal area is dry, you feel uncomfortable, or have some of two or more of the aforementioned symptoms.
What treatment options do you have?
- Water based lubricants
- Compounds like soy and soy beans, which have the ability to mimic the effects of estrogen
- Vaginal moisturizers
Alternative options: Hormone therapy. Although this type of treatment might not suit everyone, it can be helpful. This treatment helps replace estrogen and ease the dryness, but like most of the treatments, it comes along with side effects, such as weight gain, nausea, fluid retention, headaches, breast tenderness, spotting of the skin, and increased risk of stroke.
You can talk with your doctor about all of the options and decide what treatment option could work best for you.
Do you suffer from vaginal dryness? See if you qualify!
CURRENTLY ENROLLING for Segal’s clinical research study on Vaginal Dryness! Fill out the pre-screen form below to see if you qualify!
Source: Healthline
