Vaginal Dryness Intercourse
Vaginal dryness is one of the most common symptoms of menopause, affecting up to 80% of all women. In addition to being physically painful, vaginal dryness can completely ruin enjoyment of sexual intercourse and cause a host of feelings of guilt and relational problems that stem from that. Luckily however, there are many effective treatments that can help ease the symptoms of vaginal dryness.
Read over the following page for more information on overcoming the effects of vaginal dryness on intercourse.
First things first – what is vaginal dryness?
Put simply, vaginal dryness is the loss of the usual moist and soft feel of the lining of the vagina. This commonly occurs as a result of hormone imbalance suffered by menopausal women, but women of all ages may suffer its effects.
Vaginal dryness and intercourse
A woman’s vagina is naturally moist in order to function as a defense and self-cleansing mechanism. Given this, vaginal moisture also increases prior to having sex and helps to improve comfort and enjoyment. Consequently, when this doesn´t happen it can impede the desire or even ability to have sex.
Whilst vaginal dryness can be due to a number of different psychological factors, often women suffer the effects during menopause as a result of the drop in estrogen levels. For this reason various creams and extra lubrication is available via lubricating gels that can help ease dryness and improve comfort during sex.
Obviously, vaginal dryness during intercourse can be frustrating for both your partner and yourself. It is important to have patience and understanding of what is a fairly common phenomenon during this time.
What are some other symptoms of vaginal dryness?
Itching because of dryness can also become painful and annoying symptom. Likewise, incontinence often goes hand in hand with vaginal dryness. This is because as estrogen levels decrease, the walls of the vagina become increasingly weak and less able to prevent urine from escaping. Women with vaginal dryness are also at increased risk for developing vaginal infections like yeast infections, which are characterized by a thick, odorous discharge.
What can be done about vaginal dryness for intercourse?
As stated earlier there are a range of different creams and lubricating gels which help during intercourse. However, these are only temporary solutions to the problem of vaginal dryness.
Given vaginal dryness is normally caused by estrogen depletion suffered during menopause, restoring hormonal levels to normal is accepted as the most effective means of relief. A healthy diet and regular exercise regime are often helpful in giving the body support it needs to maintain estrogen levels.
Another option supplementing a healthy nutrition and exercise program should be alternative medicines. Natural medicines work by targeting the hormonal deficiency that many menopausal women face. There are also vaginal lubricants that can be prescribed by your doctor or purchased at the pharmacy.
For more specific information on treatments for vaginal dryness during intercourse click here.
Other Related Articles:
Vaginal Dryness Help
Vaginal dryness in post menopausal women
Lubricants for vaginal dryness
Vaginal dryness treated with testosterone and estrogen creams