Vaginal dryness is an uncomfortable, but common condition that affects millions of women. You don't have to be menopause to experience dryness. Women who are "peri-menopaal" also experience dry vagina.
What is it? This is a condition in which the natural lubrication system of the vaginal is no longer working properly, leaving the vaginal area dry, itchy, burning and painful during intercourse. This is often caused by a hormonal imbalance. As a rule, it is a lack of estrogen, which causes not only dryness, but also in more extreme or prolonged cases of vaginal atrophy. Vaginal atrophy or atrophic vaginitis also causes changes in the cells of the vaginal lining, which leads to their thinner and fragile, leading to teething and bleeding. There are other causes of vaginal dryness of hormones such as dehydration, stress, side effects of drugs, such as birth control, antihistamines and autoimmune conditions, such as Sjogren's syndrome.
When you have vaginal dryness, you are more susceptible to urinary tract infections due to the lack of protection that lubrication provides. Natural lubrication of the vagina helps to keep bad bacteria, and without it, the normal flora of the vagina can become unbalanced, leading to more frequent urinary tract infections. However, many women who experience vaginal dryness have all the symptoms of UTI (urinary tract infection) without the presence of any bacteria. Symptoms, such as increased urgency, frequency, burning, and itching with urination, can be caused by vaginal dryness. It makes things rather uncomfortable there.
What can you do about it? Many women use hormone replacement therapy either systemically or vaginally. There are many options for replacing hormones, including natural bioidentical hormones, to traditional methods of hormone replacement therapy. Estrogen is the most common hormone that helps vaginal dryness. There are products that are made only for the vagina and vaginal dryness. Talk to your doctor about which one is right for you.
Other things to consider are hydration levels, make sure that you moisturize and drink enough water to keep your urine light straw paint for cleaning. Minimize stress, because stress affects many of our body's systems, including hormones, and can cause vaginal dryness or exacerbate it. Take a look at your medications to see if any of them can contribute to dryness. In all cases, advising your naturopathic doctor can provide you with the most complete and individualized treatment plan for your individual situation.
