Vaginal Dryness

Did you know as you go through menopause, your vaginal walls may be thinning as your hormonal levels decrease? The result is atrophic vaginitis, vaginal dryness and itching, a major complaint among menopausal women.

Without support of a progesterone cream or another effective treatment, vaginal dryness can cause irritation during sexual activity because a dry vagina tends to create painful friction during intercourse. This problem can be compounded by a hormonally induced decline in libido. However, when older married women are compared to older married men, the percentage who has sex is almost identical.

The pH levels in the vagina may also change, increasing your risk of infections. There are, however, some safe remedies for this problem. Lubricants provide moisture such as Astroglide, Replense or K-Y Jelly, as well as Vitamin E oil or suppositories.

Dr. John Lee recommends using topical lubricants and natural progesterone cream to correct vaginal dryness. If this doesn't work, he suggests using intravaginal estriol cream available as a prescription from your doctor. This is safe and natural. Natural progesterone over time builds up the mucus. Since it takes a while, topical lubircants comes to the aid. Progesterone can also help increase your low libido.

Many herbs and nutrients can help improve vaginal moisture and lubrication by increasing blood flow to uterine tissue. Essential fatty acids taken as evening primrose oil or borage oil might help. Other useful herbs are chaste tree berry, wild yam cream, natural progesterone cream, St. John's wort, calendula, motherswort, licorice root, black cohosh, dong quai, damiana, sarsaparilla, burdock root, peony root, oatstraw and raspberry leaf.

Please note that there can be other causes. This is for education only. It is not intended to treat, prevent or cure a medical disease. If you have a medical condition, please consult a health care professional.