Vaginal dryness is a common symptom of menopause, but can also occur before and after. It can cause discomfort, itching, and pain during sex, and may be a sign of other conditions. Treatment depends on the underlying cause.
The symptoms of vaginal dryness aren’t extensive but they are certainly noticeable. This condition is a common complication of menopause and some women start to notice that they have a little less discharge in the vagina a few years before menopause occurs, especially when they reach their 30s and 40s. There are also other conditions that may result in less vaginal discharge and these should be taken into consideration if vaginal dryness occurs long before menopause or the perimenopausal state.
Most women who experience vaginal dryness symptoms are well aware of it. Because many women are used to having some degree of lubrication in the vagina at all times, most women notice its absence. All women have varying levels of lubrication during their menstrual cycle and may notice an increase in lubrication as the cycle reaches its midpoint, and then a decrease in the second half of the cycle before menstruation begins. These fluctuations are normal and can be more observed when women use the bathroom.
In pronounced cases, the symptoms of vaginal dryness are not necessarily related to fluctuations in your cycle or there may be no cycle, such as in menopause, with which to mark the changes. Instead, the vagina may feel dry and there may be little or no mucus present on the toilet paper during cleaning. The sensation may persist most of the time, and some women have a dry or itchy feeling that seems to come on all the time. Some women have likened this feeling to having a yeast infection.
Sometimes this itching and other vaginal dryness symptoms make women feel like they need to use the bathroom more frequently. This isn’t because you really need to go more often, but it might feel like you need to empty your bladder more. Such a feeling can disrupt sleep, and increased use of the bathroom may be due to persistent burning sensations, which also promote great discomfort.
Perhaps the best known of the symptoms of vaginal dryness is discomfort or even light bleeding resulting from intercourse. Even if dryness symptoms are minimal, women are advised to use a good lubricant during intercourse. This helps prevent irritation of the vagina and can greatly increase sexual pleasure. Without this measure, some women become very uninterested in sex because it can be painful and usually not pleasant. Generally this is a symptom that can respond to some adaptation measures such as generous use of lubricant.
There are other conditions with similar symptoms, including bladder or urinary tract infections, some STDs, or yeast infections. When the cause is unknown, women should consult their doctors. There are ways to treat vaginal dryness with things like hormone suppositories. Treatment depends on the cause, which is why other conditions should be ruled out first.
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