Understanding Menopause Dryness

A lot of people underestimate the psychological effects of menopause dryness on women. Though primarily a condition triggered by physiological changes in the body, the general sensation of dryness at menopause or perimenopause (the phase leading up to menopause), is enough to send feelings of aging, inadequacy and embarrassment. Another devastating effect that menopause cause. What exactly is happening down there?

Menopause dryness is very common. When your estrogen levels go down, as they do at menopause, the decrease in lubrication causes vaginal tissues to thin, shrink and become dry and less elastic, a condition also medically known as vaginal atrophy (or atrophic vaginitis). The vaginal area begins to feel less moist and soft, and may then lead to itching and irritation. The act of sex—if at all you feel the urge—becomes uncomfortable, painful, and slight bleeding may even occur. Other signs of menopause dryness include stinging, burning, incontinence, pressure and general discomfort in the vaginal area. Not desireable effects that the menopause causes.

Besides decreased estrogen levels, other factors come into play when it comes to menopause dryness. Emotional

instigators are stress, anxiety, depression, and other emotional problems—all common symptoms that menopause cause. There may also be some underlying medical conditions like an infection, autoimmune disease (an overactive immune system that attacks the body’s own healthy cells), or use of certain drugs.


There are very basic steps that you can do to relieve menopause dryness. Altering your daily diet to include more canola, soy flour, and flaxseed oils is one. Cutting back on the alcohol and cigarettes also helps curb vaginal dryness. Douching should be stopped (it’s something you really shouldn’t be doing anyway) and you may also want to look into your laundry detergent, feminine wash, or soap which may contain allergens that contribute to the dryness.

Lubricants or vaginal moisturizers are tried-and-tested solutions. You may also discuss vaginal estrogen treatment, like a low-dose vaginal estrogen cream or Estring (an estrogen-filled plastic ring inserted in the vagina), with your doctor. A more radical treatment is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but do note that women who have undergone HRT are also said to find themselves suffering from worse menopause dryness after going off it.
And then there’s the option of sex. Yes, as odd as it may sound, sexual intercourse stimulates vaginal lubrication. Easier said than done, really, considering that at this stage in your life—and with menopause dryness at that—sex is probably the farthest thing on your mind.

Menopause dryness is conflicting and it can lower your self-esteem. But this condition is temporary, and pretty soon the dry spell will go away.