Vaginal Dryness: Causes, Symptoms, and Effective Treatment

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There may be many reasons for dryness in the vagina, the main factors include hormonal changes, the side effects of any medication including contraceptive pills and menopause. The problem of dryness in the vagina can occur to any woman at any age. However, most women at a young age undergo such issues, and at their mature age, they experience the dryness after menopause. In most of the cases women who are between 50-60 years of age experience vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness causes itching, discomfort during sex and pain due to dryness.

Symptoms

Among women, the symptoms of dryness in the vagina arise during the intercourse in most of the cases. Vaginal dryness can occur due to the following reasons:-

Thinning of the vaginal layer
Vaginal anaesthesia
Vaginal infection
Uneasiness
General unhappiness
Lack of moisture during intercourse
Frequent urine
Having sex
Cortisone
Light bleeding during intercourse

In addition to these, different women can experience different types of symptoms.

Many types of treatment are available to cure vaginal dryness. However, let’s take a glance at some of the most practical steps to remedy this condition.

1. Lubricants

Simply put, lubricants are the gel substance that lets the vagina remain moist during sex. Lubricants can be applied on the penis before penetration or can be put directly in the vagina to make it moist. This gives immediate relief from the vaginal dryness for a while. Lubricants are available in a range of varieties in pharmacies and shops. With expert assistance, you can pick up your most compatible lubricant.

2. Vaginal Moisturizer

Vaginal moisturizers are creams that keep the vagina moist. If dryness is not the only cause of problems during sex, then they can be better than lubricants, because its effect lasts for long. Usually, it needs to be applied consistently for a few days. Water-based moisturizers are generally considered to be the best, because latex condoms may not work well with oil or petroleum-based products, and occasional discomfort may occur in the vagina.

3. Vaginal Estrogen

If dryness in the vagina is due to menopause, the doctor can prescribe vital estrogen. It increases the low levels of estrogen during and after menopause. Vaginal estrogen comes in the form of pills that are usually meant to be tucked in the vagina itself much like the vaginal ring. Be it vaginal moisturiser or rings, all of them work equally well, however, using estrogen pills come off as comparatively more convenient.

It is commonly believed that Estrogen is more effective than treatment, lubricant, and moisturizer for women who are going through the phase of menopause. However, it may take a few weeks to start the work so you can use lubricant or moisturizer in the beginning. Typically, the treatment has to continue indefinitely because stuttering comes back when the medication is stopped.

4. Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT)

HRT is a treatment in which medicines are taken to replace those hormones which decrease in levels during menopause. Doctors prescribe these either as tablets or skin patches, implants in the skin or with gels on the surface. HRT has a more comprehensive effect on the body than in viral estrogen, so if you are experiencing other symptoms like menopause, such as hot flashes etc., it is a fairly good idea to use it. Given the side effects, it is always advisable to take full information from the doctor before usage. If there is any serious problem with their use, contact the doctor immediately.

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October is hailed as Breast Cancer Awareness month and is dedicated to creating awareness about the disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states breast cancer as the most frequent cancer among women, impacting 2.1 million women each year, and cause of the greatest number of cancer-related deaths among women. Early diagnosis has been determined to be key in cancer treatment by reducing barriers to care and/or improving access to effective diagnosis services. If breast cancer is identified at an early stage, it allows more effective treatment and reduces the risks of death to a great extent. Screening and testing women to even with no symptoms is vital and using tools like mammography, clinical breast exam and breast self-exam.

This month we bring to you stories of some popular women who fought their own breast cancer battles and conquered it, showing many others out there that resilience and courage can be key to fighting a deadly disease and if they can do it, so can many others. They prove that there is a life after it too.

Mumtaz

The famous yesterday actress Mumtaz who gave hits like Khilona, Apna Desh, Roop Tera Mastana, revealed recently that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in the year 2000 when she was 54, after identifying a malignant lump in her breasts. She overcame it with determination and family support after medical intervention and rounds of chemotherapy. Mumtaz quoted in a media interview, “I don’t give up easily. Even death will have to fight me.”

Martina Navratilova

The Wimbledon tennis champion was diagnosed with a non-invasive form of cancer, called ductal carcinoma in situ, which was detected during a mammogram in 2010. The cancer was surgically removed followed by radiation treatments, and Martina, who said she skipped her mammogram for several years, urged women to get the test done regularly.

Christina Applegate

Christina Applegate, who played Jennifer Aniston’s sister in the series Friends has undergone a double mastectomy after she was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. She had inherited the BRCA1 genetic mutation, a trigger for breast cancer, which her mother is also a survivor. In 2009, she founded Right Action for Women, which assists women at increased risk for breast cancer who don’t have the insurance or financial means to cover the high costs of breast screenings.

Sheryl Crow

Singer and a Grammy award winner Sheryl Crow was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 at the age of 44 and underwent minimally invasive surgery and radiation. “With your diagnosis comes a lesson, and for women who’ve shared their lesson with me, it’s always the same,” she told in a media interview. “Women are overachievers. We take care of the people around us while we work and do a thousand [other] things.” But she women must learn “to put on their oxygen mask first before putting it on anyone else.”

Gautami Tadimalla

Famous south Indian actress Gautami was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 35 and overcame it. She is known for her films Apoorva Sagodhararargal, Raja Chinna Roja, Dharma Durai, and Iruvar. She has also done Bollywood films Janta Ki Adalat, Pyar Hua Chori Chori, and Teesra Kaun? and also became a costume designer later.

“I received my diagnosis of breast cancer on a Valentine’s Day”, she wrote in her blogpost Life again in 2016. “I guess. I was fortunate. I had loved ones around me, supporting me in whatever way they could. And through it all was my daughter, who walked with me every step of the way”. She has found an NGO Life Again Foundation.

Tahira Kashyap

Actor Ayushman Khurana’s wife Tahira Kashyap has been in the news recently for her diagnosis of breast cancer and how she battled it bravely. Tahira had “stage 0” breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy procedure. She has a show, “My Ex-Breast”, a 7-episode series on Audible Suno, where she talks about fighting cancer and its effect on her family. She has also turned author with her recent book, 12 Commandments of Being a Woman.

These women have only fought through their sufferings to emerge stronger at life. Do you or someone you know has a cancer story to share? Let us know in the comments.