Menopause is hard to tackle. Coming to terms with aging is difficult enough, but when aging begins to affect you in a way that you can’t ignore, it can quickly become incredibly overwhelming. You may feel powerless. That you’re incapable of doing anything to prevent your body from well, becoming old. There’s a lot of health issues associated with menopause, such as weight gain, osteoporosis, and many more. One health issue that’s not addressed enough is Dyspareunia. Which is just a fancy way of saying “painful sex.” Dyspareunia is not only painful, it’s also challenging on an emotional and existential level. “Not only am I getting old and getting wrinkles, but now I’m unable to enjoy sex? This sucks!” It’s a tough situation, and you might feel there’s nothing you can do. That Dyspareunia is just part and parcel of aging. Well, lucky for you there’s actually many treatment methods that have been shown to be very effective in treating Dyspareunia. Hormone replacement therapy is considered by many to be the most effective form of treatment. With one study stating, “Estrogen administration have demonstrated that they are effective at relieving Dyspareunia in most postmenopausal women who have vaginal atrophy.”[1]
Low Estrogen and Dyspareunia
Countless studies have shown that having low estrogen levels can potentially lead one to develop Dyspareunia, “Postmenopausal dyspareunia occurring concurrently with vaginal atrophy is strongly associated with a lack of estrogen in the genital tract.”[2] Estrogen deficiencies can lead to vaginal atrophy and can prevent your body from producing enough natural lubrication, which can lead to painful intercourse. “Lack of estrogen can also lead to vaginal narrowing and shortening, thereby increasing the likelihood of painful intercourse.”[3] Additionally, “drop in circulating estrogens is thought to be the cause of vascular changes resulting in diminished physiological arousal to sexual stimulation and lack of lubrication.”[4] Overall, it’s been shown in many studies that having an estrogen deficiency can potentially cause Dyspareunia.
How Hormone Therapy Can Help
Hormone replacement therapy is the “go-to” treatment for Dyspareunia, “Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has long been considered the frontline and almost exclusive treatment for painful intercourse in postmenopausal women.”[5] Hormone replacement therapy helps treat Dyspareunia by “reversing vaginal atrophy, increasing vaginal blood flow and promoting lubrication during intercourse”[6]
When to Take Action
It’s hard to know when to seek help. You may feel this is just an unfortunate aspect of aging that you just to have to accept. Or you might feel uneasy approaching the your doctor about the subject. But if you’re consistently experiencing pain when taking part in sexual intercourse, you may want to discuss it with a doctor.
What Now?
If you’re a woman who’s experiencing pain during intercourse you may want to get your estrogen levels checked. A blood test will be able to pin down if any of your hormone levels are irregular. If they are medically irregular, a doctor may recommend bioidentical hormone therapy or BHRT for short. Bioidentical hormones are man-made hormones that are chemically similar to hormones produced by humans. Many argue that BHRT is a more safe and consistent form of hormone therapy.
BHRT therapy is done by implanting hormones in your skin. Implanting hormone pellets is a simple and non-invasive procedure, typically taking less than five minutes. This treatment is called pellet-based therapy and is quickly becoming one of the preferred methods of hormone therapy for both providers and patients. Essentially, a provider will subcutaneously place hormone pellets in your skin. This subcutaneous placement of hormones allows patients to receive a steady flow of hormones 24/7. This constant flow helps you potentially avoid unwanted side effects.
If you’ve decided to pursue Hormone Therapy, it’s critical you find a provider that will dose hormones precisely, and every provider that works with Simpatra™ has access to a cutting-edge dosing technology. This technology eliminates the guesswork when it comes to dosing and allows physicians to accurately dose patients based on each individual’s unique blood tests — ensuring that your treatment will be efficient and effective. Simpatra™ will also provide additional tools that allow for your patient journey to remain consistent throughout the whole process.
Hormone replacement pellets must be of the highest quality to ensure the best results, and all Simpatra™ providers receive their pellets from highly reputable and respected manufactures. To learn more about BHRT or to find a provider near you, visit us at www.simpatra.health.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms you might want to take our general wellness quiz.
Disclaimer: The Simpatra website and blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Content from the Simpatra website and blog is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment.The information provided on this website is intended for general consumer understanding only. The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. As health and nutrition research continuously evolves, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information presented on this website.
[1] Kao, A., Binik, Y. M., Kapuscinski, A., & Khalife, S. (2008). Dyspareunia in postmenopausal women: a critical review. Pain research & management, 13(3), 243–254. doi:10.1155/2008/269571
[2] Kao, A., Binik, Y. M., Kapuscinski, A., & Khalife, S. (2008). Dyspareunia in postmenopausal women: a critical review. Pain research & management, 13(3), 243–254. doi:10.1155/2008/26957
[3] Bachmann, Gloria A., and Sandra R. Leiblum. “The Impact of Hormones on Menopausal Sexuality: a Literature Review.” Menopause, vol. 11, no. 1, 2004, pp. 120–130., doi:10.1097/01.gme.0000075502.60230.28.
[4] Goldstein, Irwin, and Jeanne Leventhal Alexander. “Practical Aspects in the Management of Vaginal Atrophy and Sexual Dysfunction in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women.” The Journal of Sexual Medicine, vol. 2, 2005, pp. 154–165., doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2005.00131.x.
[5] Goldstein, Irwin, and Jeanne Leventhal Alexander. “Practical Aspects in the Management of Vaginal Atrophy and Sexual Dysfunction in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women.” The Journal of Sexual Medicine, vol. 2, 2005, pp. 154–165., doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2005.00131.x.
[6] Sarrel, P. M. (2000). Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy on Sexual Psychophysiology and Behavior in Postmenopause. Journal of Womens Health & Gender-Based Medicine, 9(supplement 1), 25–32. doi: 10.1089/152460900318830