Exactly about ladies’ health: Painful intercourse after menopause

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: i’m in my own belated 50s and now have recently unearthed that intercourse is starting to become quite uncomfortable. I’m presuming simply because I’m past menopause, but what’s the simplest way to help make sex less painful?

RESPONSE: Dyspareunia, the definition of for painful vaginal intercourse, is quite common. Quotes differ, but studies of postmenopausal ladies perhaps not on hormones treatment report dyspareunia in as much as 20 to 30 %. It’s often divided in to three groups: trivial pain, deep discomfort or both. Nearly all women complain of shallow pain, which happens upon vaginal penetration. Frequently, the pain sensation possesses sharp or burning quality. Deep pain does occur with deep penetration or thrusting. For a few females, dyspareunia is short-term. For other people, it can become chronic.

After menopause, painful sexual intercourse often is related to changes as a result of reduced estrogen amounts.

The genital cells have a tendency to become less elastic, more fragile, and much more prone to bleeding, tearing or discomfort during sex or within an exam that is pelvic. It could make intercourse painful and even impossible. The increased loss of estrogen causes problems that are urinary that also will make intercourse uncomfortable. Not enough sexual latin brides intercourse plays a part in lack of muscle elasticity and health.

Often, other facets are in play, including damage or traumatization, such as for example from childbirth, pelvic surgery or any sort of accident. Skin conditions like eczema or lichen sclerosus, or contamination in your genital area or tract that is urinary causes intercourse become painful. Involuntary spasms for the wall that is vaginal (vaginismus) make efforts at penetration painful or impossible. Continue reading