Menopause and Sexual Health
Menopause causes an array of changes in a woman’s body. Your menstrual cycle may end, but a slew of symptoms arrives in its place. Symptoms may include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and painful intercourse. Fortunately, there are treatment options to relieve these unwanted changes.
How does menopause affect my sexual health?
Some women go through menopause without even thinking about it. Unfortunately, others may experience more severe symptoms. Some of the possible changes that may occur with menopause include:
• Vaginal atrophy – Lower hormone levels can make your vaginal tissue thinner and drier. This can cause sex to be more painful or uncomfortable. For more information on vaginal atrophy and treatment options, please click
here.
• Lower sex drive – Lower hormone levels may decrease your sex drive, and it may take longer to feel aroused.
• Night sweats – Night sweats can disturb your sleep cycle causing you to feel tired.
• Emotional changes – emotional changes due to hormone changes or the end of your menstrual cycle may make you feel stressed or irritable.
What can I do to improve my sexual health before and after menopause?
Taking steps during perimenopause and after menopause may improve your sexual health. Steps include:
• Physical activity – Being physically active can boost your energy levels, elevate your mood, and potentially improve your body image. All of this may boost your interest in sex.
• Don’t smoke – Cigarette smoke can reduce blood flow to the vagina and lower the effects of estrogen, which are already low after menopause. This can make arousal more difficult.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol – Drugs and alcohol can slow down how your body responds.
• Allow time to get aroused – Moisture from being aroused can make sex more comfortable and protects vaginal tissues.
• Pelvic floor exercises – Practicing pelvic floor exercises can increase blood flow to the vagina and strengthen the surrounding muscles.
• Avoid products that could irritate your vagina – Bubble baths and strong soaps can be irritating to the sensitive tissues of the vagina.
• Talk to your doctor about prescription options that may increase your sex drive – Your doctor can discuss options that may increase your sex drive including hormonal and non-hormonal options.
What prescription options are available at Compounding Solutions Pharmacy & Wellness?
Compounding Solutions offers personalized options to alleviate any sexual issues you may be experiencing. We offer hormonal and non-hormonal options that suit
everyone’s needs. Hormonal options can include a variety of hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, or DHEA, to reduce symptoms associated
with menopause. Hormones can be applied topically, inserted/applied vaginally, taken orally (except testosterone), or injected. Hormone pellets that are inserted are also available. For more information on compounded bioidentical hormone therapy, please click here.
Options include:
• Testosterone – Testosterone is typically associated with men, but women also have testosterone in much lower levels. In research, testosterone supplementation in women was found to increase sexual desire. They also found that women that used a combination of estrogen and testosterone reported a two-fold improvement in sexual interest, compared to women who only used estrogen. When compounded, testosterone is available in a variety of dosage forms including topical/vaginal creams, troches (a lozenge placed between the gum and cheek), injectable, or implanted pellet.
• Dream Cream – Dream cream is a compounded prescription that includes a combination of multiple ingredients. Ingredients include aminophylline, arginine,
nifedipine, sildenafil, testosterone, or menthol. These ingredients can improve blood flow to the vaginal area. Dream cream is applied directly to the vaginal area 15-20 minutes prior to sexual activity.
• Oxytocin Nasal Spray – Oxytocin is also known as the “love hormone,” and naturally occurs in our bodies. It has been studied for a multitude of conditions including lactation, uterine contractions during labor, social bonding, and behavior management. Oxytocin nasal spray is typically used 30 minutes prior to sexual intercourse. Researchers found that women using oxytocin nasal spray reported increased intensity of orgasm and sexual contentment compared to placebo. It
may also improve symptoms of depression in post-menopausal women.
• DHEA miniserts – DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, is a precursor to many other hormones in the body, including estrogen and testosterone. It may improve
symptoms of vaginal atrophy, increase sexual desire, and reduce discomfort during intercourse. Miniserts are small vaginal tablets that dissolve in the vaginal tract to provide localized treatment.
What are over-the-counter options are available?
Over-the-counter options are available. They are best suited to help with vaginal dryness that causes mild discomfort. Options include:
• Water-based vaginal lubricant – Water-based lubricants used during sex may decrease the discomfort
• Vaginal moisturizer – Vaginal moisturizers are designed to moisturize the vaginal tissues after menopause. You may need to use it every few days.
If over-the-counter options don’t help, then speak with your doctor about prescription options that may reduce any discomfort as well as increase moisture and sensation.
Sources:
https://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause/menopause-and-sexuality#:~:text=In%20the%20years%20around%20menopause,to%20be%20thinner%20or%20drier.
https://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/news/20030626/testosterone-increases-libido-in-women#:~:text=Investigators%20found%20that%20boosting%20testosterone,libido%20and%20reduced%20sexual%20arousal. https://pccarx.com/Documents/M-Files/99248_TrmtOpt_FemaleSexDys.pdf
https://pccarx.com/Documents/M-Files/98539_VaginalAtrophy.pdf