A Taboo Topic: Menopause, Vaginal Dryness, and Painful Intercourse

Menopause: A Natural Biological Process 

Menopause can be a difficult transition in a woman’s life.  The average age for menopause is 51 and marks the permanent end of menstruation and fertility.  It is a natural biological process, but can often leave women feeling less feminine and even less healthy, vital and sexual.  One side effect of menopause that hinders women from enjoying a robust sex life after menopause is vaginal dryness.  We don’t like to talk about these types of things; lets be honest, they might even make a snicker a little under our breath.  But for those women suffering from vaginal dryness, it’s no laughing matter.

A Miracle Pill for the Woes of Menopause

On the flip side of our embarrassment over talking about vaginal dryness, we see the opposite for men–a plethora of commercials tout the benefits of Viagra or Cialis for erectile dysfunction.  That’s right–we’ve got no issues talking about men’s flaccid penises, but a woman’s dry vagina?  Come on, lets not be so uncouth.  But Dr. Oz is taking up the issue and so are others who say that we should hear women’s cries for help and offer a more effective solution than lubricants that don’t really do the trick.  One pill might just be the answer to those unanswered requests for help–Ospemifene.  Ospemifene is a daily oral pill that is approved by the FDA and can help alleviate vaginal dryness.  It works by targeting vaginal tissues that line the uterus and alleviates painful intercourse by addressing vaginal atrophy.  Vaginal atrophy is the primary cause of vaginal dryness in postmenopausal women, and is a result of the decreased estrogen in the body that marks menopause.  It is characterized by inflammation, thinning and drying of the uterine walls, and up until now there haven’t been any viable options to treat the condition.

A Ripe Time for Hearing Postmenopausal Women’s Silent Cries for Help

According to sexual health experts, many postmenopausal women don’t want their husband or partner to know of their struggles with vaginal dryness for fear of insulting them or being viewed as less than feminine.  In fact a recent study to be published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, 81% of women polled used a local vaginal estrogen behind closed doors to ensure their partners don’t see it, while others simply grit their teeth and bear painful intercourse.  Although Ospemifene is not a “cure-all” for vaginal dryness, it is a step in the right direction in helping the estimated 32 million postmenopausal women who suffer from vaginal dryness and painful intercourse who aren’t getting help elsewhere.