[toc]Vaginal dryness is an increasingly common problem faced by mostly post-menopausal women. A research suggests that almost half of the women aged between 50-60 years are affected by this condition.Another study suggests that some percentage of women between 18-49 years also experience this condition.
Vaginal dryness is known as atrophic vaginitis. It happens due to hormonal changes like the drop in the oestrogen level.
The symptoms related to it are, pain during sex, itching or a burning sensation in the vaginal glands and watery foul smelling discharge. Now, there are various causes for vaginal dryness. Here are some of the most common causes of vaginal atrophy.
Most Common Causes Of Vaginal Dryness
Post-Menopause
Like it has been mentioned earlier, almost one out of three post-menopausal women experience vaginal dryness at some time of life. In a healthy vagina, the vaginal walls are lubricated with a layer of fluid. Oestrogen helps in the production of this clear fluid. When the oestrogen level drops in menopausal women, they might suffer from vaginal dryness.
Medical Issues
Another cause of vaginal atrophy is some underlying medical conditions. People suffering from cancer and undergoing treatments of chemotherapy or radiation therapy often experience dryness in the vaginal glands. Also women who have removed both ovaries suffer from this condition.
Medications
Often certain medicines have side-effects that can be a cause for dry vaginal glands. Medicines that contain antihistamines for treating allergies and colds are the most common reasons for the dryness of vaginal walls. Therefore, if you are experiencing dryness and have been taking cold or allergy medicines, you might want to cut back on the pills!
Stress Or Depression
People suffering from stress or depression often agree to have a poor sex life. Stress or depression (and sometimes even anxiety) causes people to have a low libido. Since sexual arousal helps in lubricating the vaginal glands, lack of sexual desires could actually lead to vaginal dryness.
Child-Birth Or Breastfeeding
A very common cause of dryness in the vagina is child-birth. Research suggests that most women after child birth and who are breastfeeding often experience this condition. This may vary from women between 25-50 years of age. Post pregnancy the oestrogen level drops and this leads to lack of lubrication in the vaginal glands.
Irritants Or Allergens
Many women also suffer from vaginal dryness due to some irritants that may lead to several allergies. These are mostly caused by chemicals in products that come in contact with the vaginal glands. Detergents, perfumes, soaps, hygiene products etc. are some examples. It is therefore very necessary to make sure to use good quality hygiene products and wash your undergarments properly. It is also advisable to avoid the use of any type of perfumes in the vaginal area.
Sjögren’s Syndrome
Sjögren’s syndrome is a disease that affects the moisture glands in the body. Although the most common symptoms are dryness of the eyes and mouth, one may also experience vaginal dryness. It affects mostly women between 40-50 years of age. If you have been suffering from this condition, it is best to consult a doctor. These were a few common causes of vaginal dryness.
