In partnership with AMAG Pharmaceuticals and the PAINFULLY AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS campaign, I have created this post to make it easier for women to start a conversation about the reality of painful sex due to menopause. All opinions are my own.
Painful sex due to menopause is a common and treatable condition. Knowing the facts and the right information about your body, hormonal changes during and after menopause, and the simple HOWTO’s could transform a woman’s life dramatically.
A woman’s body is a complex and multi-faceted mechanism that includes physical, biological/hormonal, psychological/emotional changes during her entire life. Learning about your health at every stage of life is a must for a healthier, happier you
What Is Menopause?
The end of menstrual cycle marks the beginning of the menopause. It can happen any time between early 30’s and early 50’s due to natural hormonal changes or as the result of surgery (removal of ovaries) or certain medications.
Sex after menopause does not have to hurt. If you are a woman, learning about the biological changes inside your body during and after menopause will prepare you to react with the right measures to make a change. Let us share the foundation and the “secret” behind painful sex after menopause.
What Are the Symptoms of Menopause?
Obviously the first symptom for the onset of a menopause is saying goodbye to your period. But this is not the only symptom our new bodies are getting adjusted to. Take a look at some of the most common symptoms women may experience with the onset of menopause.
• Hot flashes
• Heavy sweating
• Trouble sleeping
• More frequent vaginal or bladder infections
• Weight gain
• Mood swings
• Changes in joints and muscles: aches and pains
What is the Connection Between Painful Sex and Menopause?
As a woman’s body is transitioning from a child-bearing stage to a postmenopausal stage, here are the key physical changes that happen to her with her sexual health; to be precise, to her vagina. All these changes may cause dryness and irritation leading to a painful sexual experience.
• Loss of vaginal tissue
• Loss of lubrication
• Loss of flexibility of the remaining tissue
These physical changes occur to the drastic reduction of estrogen and other sex hormones. Take a look at this simple flowchart to better understand HOW the flow of estrogen and other sex hormones change in your body with age.
BEFORE menopause, estrogen originates from 2 Sources: your ovaries and from DHEA, a substance produced by the adrenal glands.
AFTER menopause, the ovaries stop production of estrogen. DHEA remains the ONLY source for estrogen production.
With AGE, the production of DHEA continues to decrease.(*1)
As we are getting older, the decrease of sexual hormones could lead to painful sex after menopause.
Facts About Vulvar And Vaginal Atrophy (VVA)
• For many women, VVA symptoms do not start for several years after the onset of the menopause
• About 32 Million of women – approximately one out of two post-menopausal women in the US – suffer from VVA, which can cause painful sex (*2)
• VVA symptoms will not get better with time, unlike hot flashes; VVA symptoms usually get worse without treatment.
• Many women are unaware that painful sex may be linked to menopause. According to a survey of more than 3,000 women, only 24% of women attributed these symptoms to menopause (*3)
• VVA effects not just physical, but also emotional health (*4)
Painful Sex Due to Menopause and VVA
Don’t be worried when seeing this abbreviation VVA! Get the facts first!
VVA stands for “vulvar and vaginal atrophy.” It is a common and treatable condition affecting about 32 million women in America.
With the decrease of sexual hormones in a woman’s body, there comes a natural loss of vaginal tissue, lubrication and flexibility. As a result of these changes, symptoms like dryness and irritation, frequent urination, and painful sex can follow.
Vaginal Tissue Before MENOPAUSE
Vaginal Tissue After MENOPAUSE
Unlike menopause symptoms, VVA symptoms will not get better without treatment and may get worse.
What Can You Do About Painful Sex Due to Menopause?
Educate yourself on painful sex due to menopause, and learn how to feel comfortable discussing this condition with your healthcare provider.
One of the most important things every peri- and post- menopausal woman can do is talk to her healthcare professional. A good connection to your healthcare provider is as important as a good night’s sleep – it’s a must! You can learn from a credible source the facts, the symptoms, and the treatment options that are available.
You Are Not Alone In This!
Every Woman Should Seek Help Without Embarrassment!
Another powerful thing any woman can do is to start the conversation about the changes in the body that happen after menopause with her close friends and her life partner. Watch actress Cheryl Hines start the conversation around painful sex due to menopause with her friends during brunch! The women support and encourage each other to take back their sex life in AMAG Pharmaceutical’s PAINFULLY AWKWARD CONVERSATIONS campaign.
The more you know about painful sex after menopause, learn how you can start the conversation with your healthcare provider, and when to include your close friends and life partner – things only change for the better.
Menopause won’t go away – it is here to stay. It is up to you to make the life with it much more vibrant and to celebrate your body in every stage of your life. Sexual health after menopause is one of the vital components for a happier and more fulfilled you.
The talk can be awkward – but it’s WORTH it!
REFERENCES
1. Wysocki S, “Kingsberg A, Krychman M. Management of Vaginal Atrophy: Implications from the REVIVE Survey. Clinical Medicine Insights: Reproductive Health. 2014; 23
2. Kingsberg SA, Wysocki S, Magnus L, and Krychman ML. Vulvar and vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women: Findings from the REVIVE (Real Women’s Views of Treatment Options for Menopause Vaginal Changes) survey. J Sex Med 2013; 10:1790–1799.
3. Nappi RE, Kingsberg S, Maamari R, Simon J. THE CLOSER (Clarifying Vaginal Atrophy’s Impact On Sex and Relationships implications of vaginal discomfort in postmenopausal women and in male partners. J Sex Med. 2013; 10(9):2232-2241
4. The North American Menopause Society. Changes in the Vagina and Vulva.
22 thoughts on “Painful Sex After Menopause Facts And HOW Women Can Treat It”
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Thanks for sharing. I didn’t know that this could be a possibility!
Heather,
This day and age, things call for research and comparison. The more you know, the better off your decision making.
There are even stuff that I don’t about this. Thanks for the advice and tips, learned plenty of new stuff.
This is an interesting read, and I admit that menopausal is the journey that I am preparing in advance. It scares me yes (and I’m only 33!). So learning about this is very helpful 😀
I think it will be good to know how to prepare for this before it happens. I am a few years away from menopause, but not many!
As someone who went through early menopause I can relate. Glad to see I’m not the only one who went through this.
I have a lot of years till menopause. But it’s good to know all these possibile problems in advance!
I am far from this stage but my Mom is close to this. She has trouble sleeping and it made her sick. This post will be a great help for her and others/
Oh gosh we as women have to go through so much. Glad you have this info I’m a good ways away from this but I need to know what will be going on in the future
This is good info to know. I am not there yet but I am over 50 so I need to be prepared.
Oh wow, that is a lot of stuff I had not even considered before. I have several years before that happens to me. Though it is always good to be prepared.
This is such an important thing to talk about! It can be hard to adjust as your body changes. I’m glad you’re so open about these things!
I think this is a wonderful post. It’s great that some are actually talking about it. I’m not looking forward to going through menopause, but all women will. Glad to get more good info on this topic.
I haven’t gone through menopause but can only imagine that sensations change as our hormones fluctuate and bodies change. It’s reassuring to know there are ways to treat it.
Wow! This is scary! I have heard of some of the side effects of menopause but I had no idea just how many there are! I am hoping I have many more years because I hit menopause. No thanks!
This blog is really helpful for women especially those having their menopausal stage. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
This is super interesting and I do believe that I am in pre-menopause…. so good info to have on hand. I did not realize all of the changes that I have to look forward too. 🙂
What a great post, it’s so important to talk about these issues and know that there’s help out there!
Noted on the info for future reference. I hope many women find this post helpful.
As a woman, it helps to know about these issues. I have not reached that stage yet. I hope I won’t experience the pain. Thank you for spreading awareness regarding this issue.
Menopause can change so many things! You are right, it is so important to trust your healthcare provider and talk to them, my ob/gyn is literally my favorite doctor in the world.