Menopause And Dealing With Vaginal Discomfort

While the thinning and drying of the vaginal walls can cause some itching, that may not be a problem for some women. If your doctor wants to offer you treatment options and you don't feel as if you need them, let him know that you feel quite fine. If, however, you are sexually active during your menopause years, the changes that come your way may be a bit distressing. Because of the thinning walls and cells, there is no resistance to friction. As a result, even the slightest insertion can be quite painful and problematic. This can be even more problematic if a woman has not had sexual relations for a number of years. In these cases, the vaginal tissues shrink much faster, and it can turn to severe scarring in a hurry.  

Medical terminology calls the pain women experience during penetration “dyspareunia.” One of the most common things women do to combat this pain is use a lubricating jelly. While this will help in the short term, it cannot keep your thinning vaginal tissues from cracking. As a result, many women begin a regiment of estrogen therapy to help their tissues return to their normal state. Estrogen therapy comes in a number of forms. Some doctors prescribe an estrogen cream. While it can help, it also takes a lot of time to become effective. Another real drawback of the cream is that if progesterone is not included among the ingredients, it can be a dangerous medication. If you do end up using the cream, use it very lightly. There are three types of estrogen, and estroil is the only one that studies have shown does not cause cancer. In addition to treating the thinning cell walls associated with menopause, it is also useful in treating urinary tract infections. This version of estrogen, though, is a bit difficult to obtain in the United States. As a result, most doctors will recommend some type of oral hormone therapy. Those, too, though, have their side effects.  

As a result of the side effects of hormone replacement therapies, you might want to consult a healer who can give you some insight into more natural medications to deal with your vaginal discomfort. Apricot oil can be quite helpful during this trying time. The insertion of a vitamin E capsule may also help ease your pain.