Health Blurbs

Atrophic vaginitis, aka vaginal atrophy, is tissue inflammation, thinning and shrinking of your vaginal walls caused by a decrease in estrogen. A loss of estrogen may also cause vaginal dryness, rigidity and fragility.

A drop in estrogen levels causing vaginal atrophy may occur because of:

• menopause
• breast feeding
• perimenopause
• ovaries removed
• chemotherapy cancer treatment
• pelvic radiation cancer treatment
• breast cancer hormonal treatment

Not all menopausal women develop atrophic vaginitis.

Your symptoms associated with vaginal atrophy may include:

• dysuria
• increased UTIs
• vaginal dryness
• painful intercourse
• vaginal sores, cracks
• watery vaginal discharge
• post intercourse bleeding
• vaginal soreness ~ itching, burning
• vaginal canal shortening, tightening
• increased frequency, urgency of urination

If you’ve never given birth vaginally, then atrophy dryness of your vagina may be more likely.

Atrophic vaginitis increases your vaginal infections risk because it reduces the acidity within your vagina. This creates a proliferating environment for infection causing bacteria and yeast.

Effective treatments are available for this causer of painful intercourse. Typically, treating vaginal dryness is more effective with topical estrogen rather than oral.

Topical vaginal estrogen treatment is brought to you in a couple of ways:

• tablets ~ applicator places them in your vagina
• cream ~ applied directly into your vagina with an applicator
• ring ~ inserted in the upper part of the vagina by your health care person

Noticeable improvement may be experienced within a couple of weeks. However, severe atrophy may take longer.

Your mild vaginal dryness and intercourse pain symptoms may find relief with OTC vaginal lubricants or moisturizers.

If you’ve had breast cancer, then estrogen use isn’t generally the recommended treatment for a healthy lubrication.

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