What is Vulvovaginal Atrophy?
Medical terminology simply translated to thinning of the vulva and vagina. Up to 84% of post menopausal women will develop vaginal and urinary symptoms related to thinning and dryness of the vulva and vagina.
5 Signs of Vaginal Atrophy
Below are 5 signs that you’ve fallen victim to the harm that our culture’s secrecy around vagina-talk and sexual health in women causes.
- If you have painful sex, you wonder what’s wrong with your body and you assume you should live with it because it is because you are old.
- You cringe through piercing pain during sex to please your partner and then one day you finally give up completely on sex.
- You are terrified to have another pee accident, so you stop doing activities you enjoy or feel embarrassed that you are wearing incontinence products.
- You didn’t know about some of the vaginal health struggles that come with menopause or post-partum until you get there, and you are embarrassed to discuss it with a health care professional that will listen and help you find a solution to these issues.
- You have given up on finding solution to your vaginal discomfort because the first health professional you spoke to about it told you it is part of aging or it is because you’ve had children, so live with it.
A Different Perspective
I am here to call you out of these mindsets While self-accountability definitely has its place, we forget that our society literally shapes our behaviour. It takes a plan, intentional re-wiring, and the right outside support to push you against the grain of the culture you live in. The society says only the young and beautiful enjoy good sex but women intimate wellness in modern day medicine says at every age, your sexuality should be anything that satisfies you without harming anyone else.
Decline in estrogen which is the hallmark of menopause results into thinning of the lining of the vagina and vulva. This results in reduced blood supply, loss of elastin and collagen in the tissue of the labia minor, major and vagina wall. Furthermore, it affects general health, sexual health and quality of life.
Symptoms of vulvovaginal atrophy can include urinary symptoms or vagina symptoms.
In this write up, I will be focusing more on the vagina symptoms. This includes but not limited to: –
- Vulva and vaginal dryness
- Burning in vagina
- Itching in vagina
- Painful sex
- Thinning and fusion of the labia
- Recurrent bacteria vaginosis
- Shortening of the vagina
- Low libido
- Lack of elasticity
- Small cuts in the vulva
Next posting we will be discussing some of the available treatments. Equally important is to remember that treatment is not one size fits all so reach out to us for a treatment tailored to your own symptoms and medical history.
It is OKAY to talk about it and I’m here to listen! Reach out to me and let’s work together towards a solution.
