Taking care of your vaginal health
A person’s sexual health is part of good general physical health. Whether or not a person is sexually active, genitals are a part of the body, and like any part of one’s body need some attention and care. Taking care of both the vulva and the vagina are part of a woman’s good physical health, and is simple and easy.
First, find a health care provider who is interested in answering your questions. Make sure you check out any of the following suggestions with your health care provider before beginning.
Lubrication:
Vaginal lubrication is a normal occurring moisturizer in the inside of the vagina. Since the vagina and the inner labia of the vulva are mucous membranes, like the inside of the mouth, the vagina and inner labia need to have regular moisture. Just as saliva lubricates the inside of the mouth, vaginal mucus is produced in the upper walls of the vagina and bathes the vagina and inner labia is a continual film of lubrication. This process goes on from before a woman is born until she is menopausal. The process of lubrication is stimulated in part by the presence of estrogen in the body.
Lubrication not only helps during sexual activity. Lubrication protects the vulva and vagina from getting too dried up, itching, feeling painful, or experiencing tiny cracks from all the dryness. Sometimes women feel like a burning sesnsation after urination or sexual activity as well.
Vaginal dryness is a normally occurring reaction to any of the following:
- Taking antihistamine medications, like hay fever medicines. These are medicines that try to dry up your sinuses. And they can dry up other parts of your body too.
- Taking some antidepressants or other psychopharmacologic medications.
- Many treatments for illnesses, like radiation, chemotherapy, or other medications can cause dryness.
- The normal process of perimenopause and menopause can cause vaginal dryness.
Lubricants can be purchased at drugstore.com or at any drugstore. They are usually located in the same area where condoms are sold, or may be in the section for women’s health with menopausal products.
A list of topical lubricants is available at this website (see Lubricant list)
Many women are also able to take localized estrogen in the form of a small suppository in the vagina (Vagifem), a ring placed over the opening of the cervix (Estring), or a cream applied directly to the vulva and vagina (Estrace cream). The doses are small and the estrogen stimulates normal lubricating activity in the vagina. Many women report that they experience positive side effects in increased urethral comfort and decreased urinary leakage with the use of this localized estrogen.
There are many women who are not able to take estrogen in any form, but many women, once they are post active treatment a certain length of time, are able to use this local estrogen. The localized estrogen is available by prescription and must be approved by a woman’s health care provider. It is worth checking with your doctor or nurse practitioner about this.
Vaginal stretching:
The vagina is surrounded by muscles. If a woman is perimenopausal or post menopause, these muscles can either tighten or become too lax. A woman keep her vagina and supporting muscles in great shape and increase her overall comfort through regular stretching exercises for the vagina.
Even if a woman thinks she will not be engaging in any penetrative sexual activity, the vagina remains an important part of her body and in need of attention as part of her general physical health. For instance, a woman will continue to have regular gynecologic exams, may have a yeast infection and need to insert a suppository. There are many reasons to continue to make sure the vagina is comfortable with some penetration.
Two types of stretching help. The first are Kegels.
The second type of stretching is to make sure that the vagina is comfortable being penetrated. A woman can do this exercise during her shower or bath. With wet fingers, insert one or two fingers into the vagina gently, pushing slowly up into the interior space and then make a small circular motion with the finger, assuring that all the walls of the vagina are comfortable being touched.
Next, take the index finger or thumb and gently in a circular motion, press all the way around the opening of the vagina (called the introitus) in clocklike fashion. The woman pulls her introitus gently open as she moves her finger around the circle. If you are having trouble imaging this, imagine opening your mouth and then taking your finger and pressing gently out in a circle against your lips, as if stretching your mouth wider. Your introitus will respond to this motion by great vaginal comfort when being penetrated.
To remind herself to do the stretches, a woman can take waterproof magic marker and write the word “STRETCH” on her shampoo bottle.
