Do you have pains when you have sex with your spouse? Is your husband threatening to or has abandoned your matrimonial home to marry another woman? Do you know that marriage is to be enjoyed not to be endured?

My advise to married couples:
Don't blame each other over a simple issue as vaginal dryness. A problem shared is a problem half-solved. You can save your marriage from collapse. Get wisdom! Get understanding!

*WHAT IS VAGINAL DRYNESS?*

VAGINAL DRYNESS or
Atrophic vaginitis is the medical term for the condition when a number of changes occur in a woman's body that produces troublesome symptoms.

Vaginal dryness is frequently associated with menopause and the hormonal imbalance that often takes place during that transition, but it can be a problem for women at any age.

Vaginal dryness tends to be accompanied by a burning or itching sensation, painful intercourse, and increased urination.

Nearly 80% of women suffer from vaginal dryness at some point, and its causes are wide and varied. The problem can be treated once the symptoms are recognized. Lifestyle changes combined with herbal remedies are often the best way to cure vaginal dryness.

During menopause, estrogen production slows and then stops. When that happens, a number of changes -- many of them unwelcome -- happen in a woman's body. Periods become irregular and then stop. You may have hot flashes, mood swings, a deeper voice, and an increase in facial hair.

Vaginal dryness is another common symptom of menopause -- and close to one out of every three women experiences it while going through "the change." And it becomes even more common after menopause.

Note that Vaginal dryness can also occur at any age from a number of different causes. It may seem like a minor irritation. But the lack of vaginal moisture can have a huge impact on your sex life. Fortunately, several treatments are available to relieve vaginal dryness.

*WHAT CAUSES VAGINAL DRYNESS?*

Normally, the walls of the vagina stay lubricated with a thin layer of clear fluid. The hormone estrogen helps maintain that fluid and keeps the lining of the vagina healthy, thick, and elastic. During menopause, the drop in estrogen levels reduces the amount of moisture available. It also makes the vagina thinner and less elastic. This is called vaginal atrophy.

In addition to menopause, estrogen levels can drop from:

* Childbirth and breastfeeding
* Radiation or chemotherapy treatment for cancer
* Surgical removal of the ovaries
* Anti-estrogen medications used to treat uterine fibroids or endometriosis
* Immune disorders
* Smoking
* Certain medicines - such as those for colds and allergies - can reduce levels of moisture and trigger vaginal dryness.
* Emotional problems or medical conditions can also lead to this symptom.

*OTHER CAUSES OF VAGINAL DRYNESS INCLUDE:*

- Sjögren's syndrome (an autoimmune disorder that attacks cells in the body that produce moisture)
- Allergy and cold medications and certain antidepressants
- Douching
- Lack of enough pre-intimacy before sexual intercourse.

No matter what the cause, vaginal dryness can be extremely uncomfortable. It can lead to itching, burning, and painful intercourse.

Before the menopause (often called the change of life) the skin and tissues around your vagina are kept supple and moist by fluids and mucus. These are made by glands at the neck of your womb.

The female hormone, oestrogen, affects these glands. Oestrogen also affects your tissues in and around your vagina, causing the lining of your vagina to be thicker and more elastic. Oestrogen also stimulates the cells that line your vagina to produce glycogen.

Glycogen is a compound which encourages the presence of helpful germs (bacteria) which protect your vagina from infections.

After the menopause your ovaries make less oestrogen. The lack of oestrogen leads to thinning of the tissues around your vagina and a reduction in the number of glands that make mucus. You may also lose some fat tissue from around the genital area. This may make the area also look slightly different to how it was before the menopause.

In summary, the hormonal changes that occur during the menopause make your vagina shorter, less elastic and drier. These changes usually take months or years to develop after the menopause and vary from woman to woman.

*HOW COMMON IS VAGINAL DRYNESS (atrophic vaginitis)?*

After the menopause at least half of women have some symptoms related to vaginal dryness. You are also more likely to experience symptoms as more years pass after your menopause. It is probably even more common than that, as many women are embarrassed and feel they do not want to trouble their doctor with these symptoms

*SYMPTOMS OF ATROPHIC VAGINITIS*

The changes described above can occur without causing any symptoms or discomfort. However, some of the following symptoms may develop in some women.

Vaginal dryness is a common (and usually treatable) cause of the following problems. However, these problems can also be caused by other medical conditions.

*PAIN WHEN YOU HAVE SEX*
This may occur because your vagina is smaller, drier and less likely to become lubricated during sex compared with how it was before the menopause. Also, the skin around your vagina is more fragile and this can make the problem worse.

*DISCOMFORT*
if your vulva or vagina is sore and red.

*VAGINA DISCHARGE*

There may be a white or yellow discharge. Sometimes this is due to an infection. Infection is more likely if the discharge is smelly and unpleasant.

*ITCHING*
The skin around your vagina is more sensitive and more likely to itch. This can make you prone to scratching, which then makes your skin more likely to itch, and so on. This is called an itch/scratch cycle which can become difficult to break and can be distressing.

*URINARY PROBLEMS*
Vaginal dryness may contribute to various urinary problems. This is because of thinning and weakening of the tissues around the neck of your bladder, or around the opening for urine to pass (the urethra). For example, urinary symptoms that may occur include an urgency to get to the toilet and recurring urinary infections.

*TREATMENTS FOR VAGINAL DRYNESS (atrophic vaginitis)*

Not all women have all of the above symptoms. Treatment usually depends on which symptoms are the most troublesome. Because the problem is mainly due to a lack of oestrogen, it can often be helped by replacing the oestrogen in your tissues

OESTROGEN CREAMS and other topical preparations

A cream, vaginal tablet or ring containing oestrogen is often prescribed. A vaginal tablet is a very small tablet that you insert into your vagina with a small applicator. The ring is a soft, flexible ring with a centre that contains the oestrogen hormone. This ring releases a steady, low dose of oestrogen each day and it lasts for three months.

These preparations work to restore oestrogen to your vagina and surrounding tissues without giving oestrogen to the whole body. Usually the treatment is used every day for about two weeks, and then twice a week for a further three months.

Note: the oestrogen creams may damage latex condoms and diaphragms; if you are using these types of contraception then it would be preferable either to use vaginal tablets or the vaginal ring.

HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (HRT)

This means taking oestrogen in the form of a tablet, gel or patches. This is often the best treatment for relieving your symptoms, especially if you are experiencing other symptoms of the menopause.

Note: There are disadvantages of using HRT. See separate post on Hormonal Imbalance & Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for more details.

LUBRICATING GELS
If vaginal dryness is the only problem, or hormone creams are not recommended because of other medical problems, lubricating gels or moisturisers may help.
VAGINAL MOISTURISERS such as Replens MD® and Hyalofemme® can work really well to improve the moisture in your vagina. These need to be used regularly.

Note: Vaseline® can break down the latex in condoms, so is not recommended for women whose partners are using condoms.

Your symptoms should improve after about three weeks of treatment. You should see your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, as sometimes these symptoms can be due to other conditions. It is also very important to see your doctor if you have any bleeding from your vagina if you are receiving hormone treatment.

*HERBAL REMEDIES AND SUPPLEMENTS FOR VAGINAL DRYNESS* include:

*DONG QUAI*
A phytoestrogenic herb similar to the Chinese herb dong quai, which helps relieve vaginal dryness by introducing plant-based estrogen into the body.

BLACK COHOSH
A perennial plant native to North America was used by Native Americans to treat gynecological problems and is currently used to lighten menopausal symptoms like vaginal dryness.

*SOY ISOFLAVONES*
Generally, women in cultures that incorporate a lot of soy into their diet suffer less from menopause symptoms. This could mean that adding or increasing the amount of tofu, soybeans, soymilk, and edamame in your diet is beneficial in alleviating vaginal dryness.

*HORMONE-REGULATING SUPPLEMENTS*
An alternative to phytoestrogen herbs, these don't contain any estrogen, but instead nourish hormonal glands to help them produce the proper amounts of natural estrogen to keep your body healthy.

*OTHER REMEDIES* include

*Parsley, Vitamin C, Fennel*, Flaxseed, *Omega 3 fatty acid* are believed to ease the pain and discomfort of vaginal dryness and improve general gynecological health.

GOOD NEWS:

Swissgarde 40 plus for women contains *Dong quai, Soy protein & Isoflavones*.

Omega plus contains *omega 3 fatty acid* which helps the vagina walls to secrete cervical mucus to lubricate & moisten the vagina, ease penetration and ensure enjoyable sex experience.

Defender contains *Parsley & Vitamin C* to help fight harm bacterial that may be the cause of vaginal dryness.

Body detox tea contains *Fennel* which also removes toxins caused by medications they may have caused vagina dryness.

*Recommended Swissgarde products* 40 plus for women, Omega plus, Defender, Body Detox Tea.

You do not need to live with vaginal dryness or suffer in silence anymore!

To order your herbal remedies and supplements for vaginal dryness.
To place your order call or whatsapp Bridget on 08023432141