In this section, there is recent information about “vaginal dryness” which is encountered widely by women. There are many causes for the vaginal dryness problem, which means that the vagina is not lubricated enough or lubrication is less than normal.
Before moving on this subject, it would be wise to know certain facts about vaginal anatomy.
Vagina is a female organ which is unequaled in every way. It has many perfections in both its anatomical structure and functions.
This organ, which is 9-10 cm long and normally, has its upper and lower walls adjacent to each other, during birth giving or the insertion of the penis, opens, flexes and widens almost like an accordion. This way, during birth giving, a baby, who has a head approximately 10 cm, body 52 cm and weighs almost 3500 grams, can come out.
Because the vaginal walls are full of nicks, sexual pleasure increases each time the penis goes in and out. If the vagina was a straight channel, both men and women would not be able to get so much pleasure during sexual intercourse.
Another feature of the vagina is the secretion glands located at the entrance part. Among these glands, most widely known are the “Bartholin’s glands” located at the entrance on right and left sides and the “Skene’s glands” spread around the urinary hole.
Both of these two groups of glands function to provide the vaginal region with lubrication especially during sexual intercourse. Because, vaginal dryness causes the person to have troubles such as, pain, inflammation and bleeding during a sexual intercourse. Leave aside sexual intercourse, even when a woman is walking, the inner lips rub on to each other and the dryness of this region may cause irritation.
Lubrication (wetting) is the wetting of the vagina by the fluids secreted from the vaginal glands and the cells constituting the vaginal walls. In these secretions which provide lubrication, may include certain viruses such as, AIDS, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Therefore, it is crucial to be very careful and to use condom in order not to be inflicted with a disease during a sexual intercourse.
Lubrication might be less than normal during a sexual intercourse. This is usually related to the deficiency in taking pleasure or sexual reluctance in a sexual relation. Not to have good sexual satisfaction, also reduces lubrication. However, this is not a definite rule, as some women, although they take pleasure, may get little lubrication during sexual intercourse and sometimes although lubrication is quite high, there may not be much pleasure.
On the other hand, in some women, together with lubrication being higher than normal during sexual intercourse, there may be decreases in sensuality and pleasure. Even certain noises may be heard in the vagina. For some people, as these noises cause their concentrations to break, it may turn into a problem.
Other Causes for Vaginal Dryness
We usually encounter vaginal dryness frequently as a hormonal problem in the menopause period due to the decreasing estrogen hormone. In this period, given local effective vaginal suppositories and creams would solve the problem of vaginal dryness and the related problems that the dryness instigates.
Again, in the puerperal and breast feeding periods after birth, increasing “prolactin” (milk hormone) suppresses the estrogen hormone in women and causes vaginal dryness.
Vaginal infections, certain medicines, hyperprolactinemia (increase in the prolactin hormone), vaginal bath (washing the inside of the vagina), stress, vaginal suppositories and medicines, again may cause the complaint of vaginal dryness.
Also in dyspareunia, which is the situation of experiencing pain during sexual intercourse, there is vaginal dryness. Underlying this is the situation that because a person is feeling pain during sexual intercourse, she cannot be stimulated, and due to this, glands do not produce secretion.
Precautions and Treatments in Vaginal Dryness
- The treatment of vaginal dryness depends on its cause
- If there is high prolactin hormone, this can be fixed
- In the deficiency of estrogen, as it is the case in menopause, local and systematic hormonal medicine treatments can be applied
- If it is related to vaginal infections, these infections can be treated
- If there is dyspareunia, its causes can be researched and a suitable treatment can be initiated
In cases where no causes are found, certain lubricants may be used.
These lubricants are sold in drugstores as suppositories, creams, gels, sprays or creams in certain applicators. We, as Hera Clinic, advise the usage of water based lubricants that are non allergic and non irritant.