The Impact of Menopause on Vulva and Vagina Pain
As Vulva Doctors explain: Vaginal dryness is very common in post-menopausal women. Indeed, “the problem affects about half of postmenopausal women — most of whom, possibly as many as 90%, don’t seek treatment for their symptoms, which include not only dryness, but also irritation and pain during sexual intercourse”. The International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health refer to this combination of menopausal symptoms, which are brought on by a drop in the body’s oestrogen production, as genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) [1]
So Why Do So Many Women Not Seek Treatment?
The main reasons for this seem to boil down to several factors:
• Many women feel embarrassed about disclosing their condition, and do not want to have to answer intimate questions
• Many women do not feel comfortable discussing such a sensitive matter with their GP, if they are male
• Their GP may be constantly busy, and so the patient may feel that they will not have sufficient time to explain everything they are going through, in the kind of detail that they they would like to impart
• Unless sufferers have read a book, such as Viva La Vulva, or seen articles dedicated to vulva pain, in a health magazine, or online, then they may not be aware that Vulva Pain Doctors (often referred to as Vulva Pain Specialists, or Vulva Pain Consultants), actually exist. Therefore, they have not opted to have an in-person or online consultation with a Vulva Doctor (who first qualified as a general practitioner, before going on to study pain, pain medicine, and the latest state-of-the-art treatments; and then practised the aforementioned in specialist units in hospital and clinics), in order to gain superior expertise in the field, which specifically includes vulva pain and vulvodynia
Facing Facts
Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) which encompasses dryness, as well as irritation and pain during sexual intercourse: “can significantly reduce quality of life, similar to other chronic conditions. While other menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, typically decline over time, vaginal dryness tends to linger because it results from physical changes in the vagina — specifically atrophy of tissues, which become thinner, drier, and less flexible because of oestrogen loss” [1]
So What Can Vulva Pain Doctors Do to Help?
When you have your first consultation with a Pain Specialist in order to get help for your vulva and vagina pain, you should feel relaxed and at ease. – Remember that they are very mindful of the sensitive nature of the issue at hand. They will explain everything to you in layman’s terms, and be happy to discuss any questions or concerns that you may have..
After first reviewing your medical history, and then asking you pertinent questions, they may then arrange for any necessary tests or scans. Of note, there are symptoms which are similar to those that are apparent with GSM. – These include several dermatological conditions, including:
• Lichen planus, which generates purplish, itchy bumps on mucous membranes and other areas of the body; and
• Lichen sclerosus, which generates thin, patchy white skin on the genitals
• A vaginal yeast infection
• A herpes virus
• Dysplasia (a pre-cancerous condition) [1]
Once other potential conditions (outside a drop in oestrogen production), are eliminated as the cause of your vulva and vagina pain, your Pain Doctor can then devise a Holistic Personalised Treatment Plan, that you can get started on right away. They will also give you important self-care advice, in regard to the type of personal products you should use, etc.
Reference
[1]. Harvard Health (2021). “Don’t ignore vaginal dryness and pain.”
https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/dont-ignore-vaginal-dryness-and-pain