The effects of menopause on Women's Health
The body undergoes different significant changes during menopause. Vaginal dryness is most common in menopause.
The drop of estrogen and progesteron hormones cause a variety of symptoms in menopause like vaginal dryness, hot flashes, headaches, depression, anxiety, joint pain and urinary incontinence etc... It helps to manage the various symptoms that affect women due to the end of their reproductive years.
How does estrogen help regulate your monthly cycle?
Estrogen helps regulate your menstrual cycle. The levels of estrogen and progesterone fluctuate during ovulation, menstruation, and pregnancy.
Also, estrogen makes cervical cells less susceptible to HPV viruses, which can cause cervical cancer in women who have never been exposed to these viruses.
What causes vaginal dryness?
During menopause, your ovaries stop producing two female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Those hormones help keep vaginal tissue healthy by making it thick and elastic. Without estrogen and progesterone, vaginal tissue can become thin, dry and itchy. Many things can cause vaginal dryness:
Surgical removal of reproductive organs Cancer treatments Hormonal imbalances Other medical conditions It's not clear why some women have worse symptoms than others.
Estrogen made outside your body—the kind you take as a pill or cream—won't protect you from cervical cancer or other serious problems that happen during menopause.
But doctors may prescribe those medications to treat severe symptoms such as vaginal itching or burning.
Common causes of vaginal dryness
Menopause is not a disease, but it does come with certain symptoms. Among them is vaginal dryness, which happens due to changes in hormone levels.
The drop in estrogen and progesterone leads to a thinning out of tissues in and around vagina, making it extremely dry and sore.
Some women experience pain during sex at this stage. Vaginal dryness is common among postmenopausal women who have completed their families.
Treatments for vaginal dryness
Lubricants can help with vaginal dryness. However, if you don’t like using lubricants for whatever reason, there are a few other options available to relieve dryness and increase moisture. Natural remedies include:
1) Baths—Add some Epsom salts to your bathwater, which will naturally increase moisture levels by drawing water into your cells.
2) Water intake—Drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day helps to flush out toxins in addition to hydrating you from within and preventing tissue dehydration.
3) Humidifier—This creates a moist environment in your home and decreases overall dryness symptoms.
Other things to consider about menopause and vaginal dryness
The term menopause refers to a natural transition that occurs in every woman's life, marking her final menstrual period before ending a reproductive life.
Women are most likely to experience vaginal dryness and other uncomfortable symptoms during or after their menopausal years. These symptoms, like hot flashes and vaginal dryness, vary in severity and may become more intense as time goes by.
Even though they can't be prevented entirely, it is possible to reduce your risks for developing any serious health conditions related to them.
Here's what you need to know about treating your menopausal symptoms—and keeping yourself healthy in general—during these years
How does cancer affect women going through menopause?
Vaginal dryness is only one of many symptoms women face during menopause. Some studies have shown that cancer can also lead to menstrual irregularities and even premature menopause.
Premature ovarian failure, a condition that occurs when a woman goes through natural menopause at an unusually early age, increases a woman’s risk for developing certain cancers, especially those related to reproductive organs.
One study found that as many as 19 percent of cases attributed to familial breast cancer could be attributed to early or premature ovarian failure in women who were either infertile or had an unusually high number of miscarriages.
Although vaginal dryness is not life-threatening, other conditions caused by estrogen loss may be more serious.
How do you know if you have cancer?
A number of cancers are discovered by chance during a routine checkup. But, cervical cancer is one type that can be detected early on with a test for abnormal cells in your cervix.
Doctors use regular Pap tests and HPV (human papillomavirus) testing to screen for these cancerous cells, which can help stop cervical cancer before it starts.
If you notice any unusual symptoms—particularly discharge or bleeding that seems abnormal—be sure to let your doctor know so they can run additional tests and keep an eye out for any further problems.
Women over 40 should get regular screenings; women over 65 will need them more often than others, depending on their age at menopause.
What are the most common types of cancer affecting women today?
Two of the most common types of cancer affecting women today are cervical cancer and breast cancer. The word cancer strikes fear in even healthy people, but there is no need to be afraid because it is possible to detect these cancers at an early stage and treat them effectively.
Here's more information about how to prevent or spot these forms of cancer. Cervical Cancer Most cases of cervical cancer begin with changes in a woman's cervix cells that occur over time due to a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV).
These changes usually occur over many years and can happen at any age.
Treatment Options Available For Cancer Diagnosis During Menopause
Cancer diagnosis during menopause can put you through an emotional roller coaster. Diagnosis of cancer during menopause does not mean that it is more aggressive or has a higher rate of mortality than when diagnosed in pre-menopausal women.
Cancer treatment options available for women who are going through these difficult times differ according to cancer type and stage at diagnosis. Most common types of cancers diagnosed in post-menopausal women include cervical, breast, colorectal, endometrial and ovarian cancers.
Women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer have better chance of being cured after treatment if they undergo hysterectomy at time when they have just completed their childbearing period.
Bottom line
During menopause, your ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone. This leads to hormonal imbalance and can affect your menstruation cycle. Hormonal imbalance is one of many physical symptoms caused by menopause.
Menopausal women may also experience hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal dryness and itching, pain during intercourse and bone loss as they age. If you’re in perimenopause or are entering into early menopause, talk to your doctor about how to manage each symptom.
Although there is no cure for menopause at present, some research shows that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may be effective in reducing some symptoms.
Speak with a medical professional before beginning any new treatment protocol for an endocrine disorder like menopause.
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