All About Sexual Side Effects Of Menopause
"Your generation did not invent sex!" is a common phrase that parents have been using to remind their children and teenagers especially when they are out of order with their sexual behavior. It is comforting for every midlife women to know "your generation did not invent menopause and sex!" there have been women before you and you definitely will not be the last one to experience the sexual side effects of menopause.
This is not meant to diminish the intensity and criticalness of the sexual side effects of menopause. As a matter of fact, research has found out that close to a third of women in the US are concerned that they do not find sex pleasurable anymore and that they no longer reach orgasm. While it is true that you are not the first one to undergo these changes, the truth is that there are those who had the challenges but took the time to handle them properly and so they have an inspiring story. There are however others who bore the brunt of the sexual side effects with some ending in separations and divorces as they couldn't handle it as a couple. This article aims at equipping you with the necessary facts and information so that you are better placed to handle the sexual side effects in a victorious way so that you are not the victim but the victor together with your spouse; you can still enjoy your menopausal years even with the sexual side effects.
Hormonal changes and sexual side effects of menopause
During the period leading up to menopause, there are a lot of changes that take place in woman's body. The body's production of reproductive hormones like estrogen, testosterone and progesterone starts to decline and fluctuate; this is the major source of sexual problems in women.
Estrogen is the primary female reproductive hormone. Estrogen plays a critical role in the general well-being of woman and specifically ensures that the vagina is moist, well supplied with blood and that it is elastic and stretchy.
During menopause, the amounts of estrogen produced by the body fluctuate with a general declining trend; this wrecks havoc in a woman's sexual life. The absence of estrogen would translate to less blood supply to the vagina, less elasticity and stretching of the vaginal walls and lining and also means a dry vagina. This would cause the vulva tissues to be thinner, drier and less elastic, a condition that is known as vulvovaginal atrophy. This condition is also enhanced by the less lubrication supplied to the vagina and an increased pH in the vagina and therefore, the vagina is less acidic just as it were at puberty. Most women at this stage would opt not to have regular sex; unfortunately, less regular sex would have the vagina shorter and narrower. When such a woman eventually tries to have intercourse, she is bound to experience pain because the vagina and vulva are dry, thinner and less elastic.
There is bound to be some tearing that would lead to bleeding during intercourse and whenever there is an attempt for penetration. This would affect her desire for sex as she associates sex with pain. It is preferable that a woman continues to have regular sex even during the menopausal time because it will help keep the vagina moist, elastic, and have it thick and long. This way a woman will continue to have pleasure during sexual intercourse.
Apart from these direct effects on the vagina, a reduction in the amounts of estrogen could indirectly affect the sexual life of a woman. Low estrogen leads to such menopausal symptoms as hot flashes, anxiety, stress, urinary incontinence and night sweats. This more often than not drains a woman's energy leaving her with very little sexual desire and sex drive.
Solutions sexual side effects during menopause
There are many menopause treatment and remedies for sexual side effects during the menopausal period.
Discuss with your partner and health provider
Sexual side effects of menopause definitely affect the sexual relationship of a woman. Many women shy away from discussing sexual problems in women but it is important that a woman takes time to discuss these effects with her partner and with her doctor. Your sexual partner is better placed to understand what you are going through and to support you through menopause if you share with them what you are going through; it builds trust between the two of you. You could together then approach your doctor who could give professional advice on how to combat the sexual effects of menopause in a healthy manner.
Lifestyle changes
Lifestyle changes are usually cheap and easy to implement. They include eating foods that can boost estrogen activity in the body like soy and eating balanced diets of healthy foods. It is important to take lots of water and engage in regular exercises like kegel and any other exercise that would promote the flow of blood. Having regular sex is good as mentioned above.
Avoiding alcohol, cigar and caffeinated drinks could also help keep you fit.
Alternative medicine and supplements
Alternative medicine and menopause supplements are a safe way of treating menopausal symptoms; they are now generally accepted among menopausal women for treating menopause symptoms like sexual side effects
Use of lubricants and moisturizers
Water based lubricants and moisturizers can help a lot when one wants to have intercourse, but the vagina is dry. Ensure that your choice does not cause any further challenge.
Hormone treatment
Hormone treatment seeks to restore estrogen levels in the body by supplying estrogen through the various forms of treatments. This, however, needs to be weighed to find out if the risks outweigh the benefits before it is administered.
How to Stay Happy and Healthy During Menopause?
The process of menopause is so hectic if you are not prepared early enough. It comes with additional diseases and more complications destroying your joy if you do not put it to control. There is no illness where can be happy due to early prescription and happiness, but as for menopause you will really need some treatment before it starts. Symptoms such as moods swings need someone who is patient and can handle small children with care. Hot flashes, headaches and increase in joint pains requires someone who is fast and financially stable but you have a lot of grace to handle with them. A doctor's prescription can handle even hot flashes, moods and joint pains.
The following are ways in which you can stay happy and healthy during menopause
Early treatment
Let your personal doctor know of anybody changes for him to give you advice on how to sail easily during menopause. The doctor will administer proper medication that will fight off any other form of menopause symptoms. Early treatment is an advantage since it also helps you cut down excess costs incurred treating so many menopause symptoms.
Proper diet
It involves balanced diets which improve body immunity and fight any illness coming on the way. Human body does not operate without food hence require to be full always prevent hunger. 'A hungry man is an angry man'' bringing in the issue of mood swings due to hunger hence maintain a full stomach and enhance a happy mood. Let the diet have menopause supplements as an addition which will help in improving appetite and slowing down symptoms such as hot flashes.
Exercise
It helps to reduce anxiety ensuring proper blood circulation and a fresh mind. You can deal with mood changes especially by maintaining happy mood. In combination with some of the best menopause supplements exercise will improve your body immunity. No symptom will let you down since your white blood cells are strong enough to safeguard your body from any disease attack. You will be able to shed any excess weight that comes along as a symptom of menopause triggering joint pain. Due to old age you can complain that exercise is vigorous but there are those that can suit you well such as jogging, walking, biking and swimming. They help you from having physical signs of old age such as wrinkles and frequent joint pains due to arthritis.
Limit caffeine
It is very addictive components that increase menopause signs as you continue taking it. It makes insomnia a difficult problem to deal with once consumed at night. Let fresh juice replaces these teas and coffee to give body enough time to relax and sleep. Menopause supplements fight insomnia instantly allowing you to sleep as much as you can with a peaceful mind. This is because you are deemed to have less menopause symptoms in presence the menopause supplements.
Limit alcohol and smoking
The human body responds so negative health wise once you come into contact with alcohol and smoking. Avoid them and add menopause supplements during menopause and you will guarantee peaceful menopause process. To be able to avoid alcohol and smoking you need determination and discipline, whereby you have to keep off from your friends wisely and replace your free time with another constructive activity.
Treat stress and depression
Visit your doctor and let stress/ depression treated properly. Follow you doctor's advice and take the drugs as prescribed. You will be guaranteed a fresh mind without any life issue left out unsolved. Menopause supplements have the ability to reduce the level of stress and depression in a human body.
Have enough sleep
Sleep helps to relax the brain and the whole body in general. You are guaranteed good health once you take enough sleep. Also, there are the menopause supplements which can silence most of the menopause symptoms making the body to be less tired once you get to sleeping mode.
Conclusion
Love your body more than your hobby, enabling you to have enough time based on good health. Peace of mind is generated from a sound and satisfied body. Aging is a process involving specific process that has to happen such as menopause. It comes along with complications such as joint pain. Diabetes, arthritis, blood pressure, mood swings, low immunity poor daily routine performance among many others. It will be difficult for you to maintain a happy mood during menopause without medication of a kind. Notify your doctor once you notice that menopause has begun, let him / her study the symptoms and decide on how to treat them. Follow the doctor's prescriptions to the latter and you will be able to have an easy time.
Can You Trust Hormone Replacement Therapy?
During Menopause your diminishing hormones wreak havoc on your emotional and physical well-being. The loss of estrogen can make you depressed, anxious or both. The emotional strain you go through is compounded by the often worse physical symptoms. As your body goes through this change of life and you are hit with hot flashes and insomnia, it can feel like it's too much to bear. There are many ways to manage your menopausal symptoms, the most common being Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). HRT is extremely effective, but there is some serious risk involved as well, which has many women wondering: can you trust hormone replacement therapy? We will explain everything you need to know about menopause and HRT so you can decide if you trust in the treatment and want to try it.
Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy.
During menopause your body's estrogen levels drop as it loses it's fertility and your menstrual period comes to an end. The drop in estrogen levels results in physical symptoms that can be intense and frequent, including hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, depression, a drop in sexual libido and depression. Hot flashes in particular can be difficult to handle and can occur without warning, often times at night, where they are referred to as night sweats. During hot flashes your body temperature rises, your skin becomes flushed and you break out in a cold sweat. The heat can be quite uncomfortable, and in rare instances dangerous.
Hormone replacement therapy can effectively diminish the frequency and intensity of hot flashes, as well as other menopause symptoms, which is why so many women use it. HRT involves taking estrogen, in combination with progestin, to replace the hormones you have lost, leveling your system and eliminating physical symptoms.
Women suffering from menopause are at higher risks of bone loss. HRT has also been know to have additional benefits, such a helping to stop bone loss and helping to prevent heart disease. It is a temporary treatment: it is not meant for prolonged use as it could increase your risk of breast cancer, but until recently it was seen as a viable treatment option. There are 2 types of HRT: systemic hormone therapy and low-dose vaginal preparation.
Recent clinical studies have brought some troubling information to light in regards to side effects and risks, making many physicians wary to recommend HRT. These studies linked HRT to an increased risk for certain types of cancer, most notably breast and ovarian, as well as an increase in your risk for a heart attack or stroke. The results of many of these studies found the risks outweighed the benefits, but now even more studies have been done saying the risks might be worth it-leaving many women confused and unsure. Here are the facts on HRT to help you separate fact from fiction:
The Benefits of HRT:
With systemic estrogen you can ingest it orally, through a patch or from a cream,gel or spray. It is the most effective way to combat hot flashes and night sweats. It also alleviates other vaginal symptoms, including:
Dryness
Itching
Discomfort during sex
Burning
It is also still proven to help prevent osteoporosis, or bone loss and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat this condition.
Low-dose vaginal estrogen comes in a cream, tablet or ring and is mostly for easing vaginal symptoms and some urinary problems, like UTI (urinary tract infection) which often occur during menopause. This from also limits the amount of estrogen your body absorbs, limiting your cancer risk.
The Risks of HRT:
Clinical studies found HRT to be associated with:
Stroke
Cancer
Blood clots
Heart disease
Estrogen is often given with progestin to prevent your uterus lining from growing, since estrogen promotes it's development and increase your cancer risk. However, when taking a combination of these 2 drugs it can make breast tissue more dense, which can cause physicians and specialist to miss cancerous tissue. Liver disease can also arise from HRT, since systemic estrogen, when taken orally, is passed through the liver. It should also be noted that these studies found many of these risks were higher when other factors, such as advanced age, a history of cancer or prior liver disease were also present and HRT was given over a long period.
Can You Trust Hormone Replacement Therapy?
After all the testing and studies, physicians have determined that hormone replacement therapy is safe and effective when applied as follows:
To women with no medical history of cancer or liver problems
Over a short period of time at the onset of menopause
To women with moderate to severe menopause symptoms
In women under the age of 45
In women suffering from bone loss
The best way to determine if hormone replacement therapy is right for you is to sit down with your physician to discuss the pros and cons of this treatment. Your physician will give you a complete check up to make sure HRT is an option for you and recommend how to use it an how often. If your physician trusts hormone replacement therapy then so can you.
Bleeding After Menopause: Should I Have to Worry?
Common causes of post-menopausal bleeding
Vaginal bleeding after menopause has completed is considered to be abnormal and should be investigated by a professional health care provider. It signals the presence of some type of gynecological problem. One of the potential causes could be a hormone imbalance. This is common for women who have undergone hormone replacement therapy. The deficiency of estrogen can lead to dryness in the endometrial area (lining of the uterus). Blood vessels in this region may become compromised and begin to bleed.
Another common cause of bleeding is the presence of fibroid tumors or polyps. There are two ways that the initial symptom of their presence is distinguished. Most times fibroids result in heavy bleeding that may require surgical intervention. It is estimated that one in 5 women with fibroids actually have a cancerous condition. Polyps generally cause lighter bleeding. Not all growths in the uterine are cancerous; in fact the majorities are not.
How health care providers diagnose the causes of post-menopausal vaginal bleeding?
Health care professionals begin with a review of the health history and then if required, conduct a pelvic exam to physically assess if there are any abnormalities that can be felt. The cervical and vaginal areas are examined thoroughly. This may be followed by diagnostic imagery. Cultures and biopsies may be taken to further help identify the causes of the bleeding. If cancer is found, surgery and other treatment, such as radiation and chemotherapy may be required. Ovarian cancer is also an issue that can be the cause of vaginal bleeding. If this is diagnosed, surgery is required to remove one or both of them.
Other causes of bleeding after menopause
Another cause of bleeding can be from the use of certain pharmaceuticals, or even sexual intercourse in some rare cases. Vaginal atrophy and dryness that has caused the vaginal tissues to become fragile can result in tearing of the tissues in severe cases.
Vaginal infections can also cause bleeding. Bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections are highly treatable conditions, but their symptoms may be a bit frightening. In addition, sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, trichomonas and gonorrhea may also cause post-menopausal vaginal bleeding. The large varieties of different conditions that can be culprit require testing for accurate diagnosis and the best treatment.
How to know if you're having an emergency?
Whenever vaginal bleeding becomes so heavy that you are soaking a full sized pad an hour, there is cause for strong concern. This is abnormal and emergency help should be sought immediately. Such conditions can cause severe anemia, or result in the risk of disability or death.
Conclusion
Vaginal bleeding after menopause is abnormal. The first thought that generally crosses a woman's mind is the dreaded disease of cancer. There is a possibility that this may be the case, but there are many other conditions that can be the cause of vaginal bleeding after the completion of menopause. Benign growths such as polyps or fibroids are common and only roughly 20 percent of fibroids turn out to be malignant.
Hormonal imbalances can also lead to post menopause vaginal bleeding as a lack of estrogen can lead to vaginal atrophy and a weakening of the surrounding tissues. These can become damaged, causing bleeding. Certain cancers are also a possible cause of vaginal bleeding. In addition, vaginal infections and certain sexually transmitted diseases may be the cause.
If you experience any type of vaginal bleeding after the completion of menopause, there is reason for concern because it is considered to be abnormal. A thorough investigation by your health care provider can help to isolate the cause and hopefully put your mind at ease, while treating the condition properly. Waiting to be tested can be costly as most serious or life threatening conditions have a higher cure rate when caught in the very early stages.
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