For many women, perimenopause And Menopause Come with a host of physical and emotional curveballs, including changes in their sex drive and sex experience.
However, some experts feel that it would be a big mistake to conclude from data that more sex will solve the medical issue of painful sex. In fact, the direction of relationship goes second, between sex and there is no possibility of painful sex, Lauren Stretcher, MDFounder Medical Director of Northwestern Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause in Chicago.
“This observation study has basically found that women who do not have pain during sex are having sex. And women who are in pain during sex are less likely to be sexually active – this is also not surprising,” Dr. Stretcher says, which were not part of the investigation.
While desire declined, sexual intercourse and sexual satisfaction remained the same
The study saw more than 900 Japanese women between the ages of 40 to 79, who were sexually active within the previous year.
Researchers divided them into two groups:
- Women who have been engaged in sexual activity in the last three months (“regular activity” group)
- Women who were not sexually active in the last three months, but were in the previous year (“low activity” group).
Major findings include:
- Women who were sexually active in the last three months reported less symptoms of vaginal dryness, pain and irritation during their daily lives.
- Desire, excitement and lubrication ability declined with age but Ogazam And satisfaction was about the same, especially among women who regularly maintained sexual activity.
- Women in the regular activity group were generally small and were more likely to be premenopause, which, according to the authors, could partially explain the conclusions. Nevertheless, regular intimacy and low symptoms remained even after adjusting for factors such as age, and hormone therapy.
Is there any truth to ‘use it or lose it’?
Stretcher says that for women with genitorinary syndrome of menopause, who experience pain during intercourse, sexual intercourse will not help sex more often to become less painful.
“Quite opposite,” she says. “If it is painful, sexual intercourse makes it worse. Your body goes into ‘defense’ mode – pelvic floor muscles are tightened and you have more dryness.”
Stretcher says, but for those people who have pain-free penetrating sex are called “use it or lose it”.
“If they are entering regularly, whether it is a gender or a toy or a vibrator or whatever they are using, it stimulates blood flow, it helps in lubrication, and it keeps the tissue elastic. So there is some truth to use or lose it, which is for those who do not pain with intercourse,” she says.
Having pain during sex? Talk to a menopause specialist to get treatment
“A great tech is here that pain with sex is never cured. If you have pain with entry, you should stop having sexual intercourse or penetrating sex. I don’t say this, ‘Do not have sex,’ you can do many ways other than penetration,” Says.
She says that you should talk to a healthcare provider – preferably a menopause specialist – to receive treatment, she says.
Monica Christmas, MDThe Menopause Society, an associate medical director and an associate professor, Obstaterix and Gynecology in Eucharkago Medicine, says that the conclusions highlight the importance of diagnosis and treatment of genitourinal syndrome of menopause.
“Unlike other menopause symptoms Hemorrhagic operator [hot flashes and night sweats] Or mood-related symptoms that can improve over time without treatment over time, do not perform genitourinary symptoms, ”Dr. Christmas says, who was not the author of the study.
Vaginal estrogen therapy is the most effective therapy
For mild discomfort during intercourse, over-the-counter moisturizer and lubricant may provide some relief, but when symptoms remain or are more moderate than severe, prescription therapy is warrant, called Christmas.
“Local low dose Vaginal estrogen therapy She says that Valvovaginal contributing to pain and intercourse is safe and highly effective in reducing symptoms, “she says.” Unlike systemic hormone therapy, there are almost no differences for local lower-low vaginal estrogen therapy. “A contraindication is a condition that causes not to take a certain treatment due to potential damage.
Vaginal estrogen therapy comes in many yogas, including a vaginal pill, inserted, and cream twice a weekly administered, or a vaginal ring that is inserted every three months. “It can be started at any time and continued indefinitely,” says Christmas.
While vaginal estrogen therapy is effective for many women, it will not solve this issue for all. “This is why it is important to see a specialist in the person for diagnosis,” she says.
Bottom Line: No one should suffer if there is a safe and effective treatment option. “And although optimal sexual health is an integral part for overall welfare, it is also mandatory to identify that these symptoms can have an effect on women who are not sexually active. Treatment should be introduced with any symptoms, whether they engage in sexual activity or not,” Christmas. “It should be a thing to normalize the use of local low-low estrogen therapy.”
