Is this Menopause or something else?
Menopause comes with anatomical changes (how the body looks/appearances) and physiological changes (how parts of the body work).
You may see thinning of the vulvar and vaginal tissues, thinning of the labia, and narrowing of the vaginal opening. Many people who go through menopause also speak about:
decreased lubrication
dryness
burning
Irritation
bleeding after vaginal penetration
urinary changes
recurrent UTIs
discomfort with touch
and more!
What makes things more complicated is that these symptoms are also similar to other chronic medical conditions! So, what do you do?
First of all, seek medical attention if the symptoms are affecting your health and well-being. This includes social, emotional and mental health. It’s important to figure out if the collection of symptoms is truly and only because of a decreased level in estrogen or other hormones. If that’s the case, your doctor may recommend hormone replacement therapy and education on managing your symptoms on a daily basis.
If symptoms are getting worse, you have the option of seeing a pelvic health physiotherapist. Pelvic health physiotherapists can also provide an examination, both external and internal, to ensure the health of the skin and the pelvic floor musculature can be as fit as possible. Here’s a real-life example:
About a year ago, I had the privilege of working with a client who was going through menopause and needing some physiotherapy support. We discussed how to manage dryness, vulvar sensitivity and urinary changes. She complained of all the symptoms above but upon vulvar examination, she presented with some white, discoloured skin patches on her inner labia.
It looked as if the skin was puckering and I immediately asked her to see a gynecologist to get a formal assessment for an autoimmune condition called Lichens Sclerosus. Sure enough, she came back the following month and stated that she was diagnosed with Lichens Sclerosus and she received a prescription ointment to treat this condition. With this, we combined medical treatment and rehabilitation through dilator therapy (if you want to know more about this, stay tuned!) for the next few months. This client’s health and well-being improved significantly due to her hard work and commitment to self-care. Super proud of her!
So, if you are wondering if your dryness, itchiness and general vaginal discomfort is more than ‘just menopause’, seek more medical attention! You’re worth it!