Vaginal dryness: Causes and easy treatment options
Women who suffer from ongoing issues such as vaginal itching and discharge, painful intercourse and urinary tract infections may not realize that their symptoms could indicate an easily treatable condition known as vaginal dryness.
What causes vaginal dryness?
Often, vaginal dryness is part of a larger condition called vaginal atrophy (atrophic vaginitis). Symptoms include thinning, drying and inflammation of the vaginal walls, often due to a drop in estrogen production. Dryness can lead to vaginal irritation and pain, but can also involve urinary symptoms. Because the vaginal and urinary symptoms are interconnected, painful or burning urination is a sign of vaginal dryness.
Vaginal symptoms
Vaginal dryness can be disruptive to daily life and impact overall pelvic and urinary health. Symptoms can include:
- Vaginal burning
- Vaginal discharge
- Urinary incontinence
- Burning with urination
- Urgency with urination
- More urinary tract infections
- Genital itching
- Bleeding after intercourse
- Discomfort or pain during
- Lack of vaginal lubrication during sexual activity
- Vaginal burning
- Vaginal discharge
- Urinary incontinence
- Burning with urination
- Urgency with urination
- More urinary tract infections
- Genital itching
- Bleeding after intercourse
- Discomfort or pain during
- Lack of vaginal lubrication during sexual activity
Causes of vaginal dryness
A drop in estrogen production, whether caused by menopause or medical interventions, is the most common cause of dryness. Without estrogen, the vaginal walls become thinner and less elastic. The lack of natural lubrication makes sensitive vaginal walls more vulnerable to irritation or injury.
Several conditions cause a drop in estrogen levels:
- Menopause and peri-menopause
- Breastfeeding
- Postpartum hormone adjustments
- Removal of the ovaries
- Medications such as aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer treatment
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Immune disorders
- Menopause and peri-menopause
- Breastfeeding
- Postpartum hormone adjustments
- Removal of the ovaries
- Medications such as aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer treatment
- Radiation therapy
- Chemotherapy
- Immune disorders
Talk to your provider about your health history, your specific symptoms and potential causes of vaginal dryness.
Don't Just Survive. Thrive.
Don't Just Survive. Thrive.
Addressing the problem
Far too many women believe that vaginal dryness is just part of aging and they have no treatment options. Or, they may think UTIs or yeast infections are the culprits. Most just don't realize vaginal dryness is to blame. And others don't want to talk with their doctors for fear of embarrassment. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of vaginal dryness, talk to your healthcare provider. There are easy treatment options that can offer almost immediate relief.
Treating vaginal dryness with diVa®
Women suffering from vaginal dryness can find long-lasting relief from their symptoms using diVa® laser vaginal therapy. diVa® uses dual laser technology to stimulate the growth of new cells on the surface of the vaginal wall while stimulating deeper tissue layers to strengthen the vaginal structure. The new surface cells and stronger structure improve overall vaginal function and natural lubrication. We perform this painless procedure in a few minutes in our office, and there is zero recovery time. Women may need to have three or four treatments over the course of a few months to optimize the results of diVa® and then treatment every 12 months to maintain the effects. Women should not have to live with vaginal pain, compromised intimacy and stress that come with vaginal dryness.
Treating vaginal dryness with ThermiVa®
ThermiVa® uses radio frequency energy to address vaginal dryness. A wand, applied to either the inner or outer tissues, uses heat to trigger your body’s own natural responses to improve your symptoms. This heat promotes natural development of collagen which, in turn, tightens the skin without surgery. This procedure can improve function and tightness of both the labia and vagina. It takes 15-30 minutes with little to no pain or downtime.
Other vaginal dryness treatment options
During your consultation with the experienced and caring team at Integrative Wellness, we can assess your current health, your health history and the probable causes behind your vaginal health issues.
Other options for treatment include:
- Lubricants - In some cases, over-the-counter lubricants may provide relief for minor symptoms.
- Estrogen therapy - Estrogen can be applied to the skin, taken orally or absorbed from a vaginal ring. Estrogen treatment isn't suitable for women who are on hormone-blocking drugs or who would be put at greater risk for cancer or other health conditions by using estrogen. Talk to your provider about your complete health history before opting for estrogen therapy.
- DHEA therapy - DHEA is not a hormone, but is converted to hormones, including testosterone and estrogen, by the body. It can be used to balance hormone levels.
You deserve a life free of vaginal dryness, pain and emotional stress! Integrative Wellness will help you explore all the options so you can have the best treatment plan for long-lasting relief from vaginal dryness symptoms.