Symptoms of Vaginal Atrophy (& Natural Ways to Protect Vaginal Health)

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Symptoms of Vaginal Atrophy (& Natural Ways to Protect Vaginal Health)
Wellness Mama » Blog » Health » Symptoms of Vaginal Atrophy (& Natural Ways to Protect Vaginal Health)

I’m a huge advocate of giving women the information they need to improve their own health (which is one reason I love the menstrual cup so much!). When I received several questions in a row about vaginal atrophy (a topic I didn’t know anything about), I knew I needed to call in an expert!

I called my brilliant friend Dr. Anna Cabeca, a triple board-certified OB/GYN, formulator of a natural vaginal atrophy remedy, and expert in all things women’s health. She helped compile much of the research for this post and she explained what is really going on with vaginal atrophy and which natural remedies are available.

The good news?

There are many ways to remedy and even reverse vaginal atrophy!

What Is Vaginal Atrophy?

In short, vaginal atrophy is the thinning, drying, and inflammation of the vaginal walls. It’s also known as:

  • atrophic vaginitis
  • vulvovaginal atrophy
  • genitourinary syndrome

This change in the vagina is caused by a reduction in estrogen levels (but can be related to the reduction of other sex hormones). It is typically associated with menopause but can happen at other times when hormones are fluctuating, like after childbirth. It can also occur when hormones are out of balance for other reasons.

Symptoms of Vaginal Atrophy

The main symptom of vaginal atrophy that often bothers women is vaginal dryness. Other symptoms can include the following:

  • vaginal dryness and discomfort
  • painful intercourse
  • shortening and tightening of the vaginal canal
  • lowered libido and fewer orgasms
  • urinary problems like leakage when coughing, laughing, or sneezing
  • more frequent bladder and vaginal infections
  • vulvar or vaginal pain
  • vaginal discharge
  • urinary tract infections
  • loss of pelvic muscle strength (which can lead to pelvic prolapse, inability to eliminate, or need for surgery)

While we sometimes act like our health takes care of itself “down there,” reading this list of uncomfortable or even painful symptoms shows that is anything but true!

Many women believe that incontinence after motherhood is inevitable. But it doesn’t have to be (and can even be reversed).

Causes of Vaginal Atrophy

The main cause of atrophy of the vagina is a lack of estrogen.

Estrogen decline often happens more rapidly after menopause. But it can also happen at other times in life. Hormone production starts declining when a woman is in her 20s!

Add to that the toxic environments we live in and the lifestyle choices and chronic stress that can further throw off hormonal balance. It’s not a surprise that many women deal with vaginal atrophy.

You may be particularly at risk for low estrogen if you:

  • are post-menopausal
  • smoke (reduces blood flow)
  • use birth control pills (read about natural alternatives here)
  • receive hormonal treatments
  • have certain autoimmune diseases

Estrogen decline is a normal part of getting older but vaginal atrophy doesn’t have to be. There are many natural remedies for vaginal atrophy that are simple and safe to use.

Natural Remedies for Vaginal Atrophy

While quite common, it isn’t inevitable (and you can even reverse it!). The key is to do things to support vaginal and pelvic health throughout life to avoid getting vaginal atrophy in the first place. If it becomes a reality anyway, these remedies and treatment options can help improve the situation. Many of these are non-hormonal treatments!

Change Your Diet

Diet is always the first step in building health. We truly are what we eat. But the specific healthy diet we follow (paleo, keto, WAPF) is a matter of personal choice and how it benefits us.

Some people do better on one diet versus another, but one universal truth seems to be that alkalizing diets are better than acidic diets. That makes sense when you take a look at alkalizing foods (vegetables and fruits) versus acidic foods (meat, dairy, grains, processed foods, etc).

Dr. Anna Cabeca recommends a keto-green™ (or to be specific a keto-alkaline®) diet, which is essentially a keto diet done right. She says that this kind of alkalizing diet helps support a healthy gastrointestinal tract and vaginal pH.

Balance Hormones

When vaginal atrophy happens years before menopause, hormone imbalance may be the most likely cause. Hormones control so many functions in the body. From growth in children and reproduction in adults to weight, mood, bowel health, and vaginal health, hormones drive it all.

The endocrine glands in the body (as well as the ovaries in women and the testicles in men) produce these important hormones. When we don’t get enough of the building blocks for hormones the body tries to produce hormones with what is available. This can result in mutant hormones. Thankfully, there are some simple natural ways to get hormones back into balance.

  • Eat enough healthy fats – Those hormones can’t be produced properly without the right building blocks, and healthy fats are key! Coconut oil, pastured butter and ghee, and animal fats from healthy animals are excellent building blocks.
  • Avoid chemicals – Chemicals in man-made products like mattresses, plastics, and other products can be endocrine disruptors. That means these chemicals mimic natural hormones and keep the body from producing them naturally. There are better mattresses out there, as well as easy ways to reduce plastic in the home. It won’t happen overnight, but it’s worth making changes step by step.
  • Get enough sleep and exercise – The body does a lot while we’re sleeping. It removes toxins, produces hormones, and recharges the mind and body. Making sleep a priority will do wonders for your hormones! Exercise is also important and can even trigger hormone production. A sleep and movement tracker may help awareness and healthy habits in both areas.
  • Support the gut – Gut health is so important that any of the other things we can do to improve hormone balance may not work without addressing the gut health issue first. Looking at your poop (yes, really) may give some important clues as to how your gut health is doing.
  • Address leptin – The master hormone leptin controls all hormone function. If it’s not in balance, the others won’t be either. Here’s how to know if you might have a problem with leptin resistance and what to do (hint: food cravings may be a sign).

Try Vulvar DHEA

Many women are prescribed estrogen in the form of estrogen cream or systemic estrogen therapy for vaginal atrophy symptoms. It works well for improving the thickness and elasticity of the vaginal lining. The problem? It doesn’t affect the deeper tissue or supporting muscles.

Additionally, there are negative side effects associated with systemic estrogen therapy. These include:

  • breast tenderness
  • stomach pain
  • vaginal bleeding
  • headaches
  • nausea or indigestion

According to Dr. Cabeca, research also doesn’t show that low-dose vaginal estrogen has any beneficial effect on incontinence.

But vaginal DHEA (an androgen hormone like testosterone) improves the musculature of all three layers. A 2016 study published in Menopause found that DHEA cream penetrates deeper to promote faster healing, while vaginal estrogen improves only the top layer. DHEA is an important hormone for libido and also affects skin, bones, and muscles.

You can find out more about this topic and grab a free trial of Dr. Anna’s Julva cream with DHEA at this link.

Bioidentical Progesterone

Progesterone is an important hormone for women when it comes to pregnancy and menstrual cycles. At the beginning of each menstrual cycle, progesterone is low. After ovulation, progesterone rises until the period occurs. Women who don’t experience this rise in progesterone can experience symptoms like vaginal atrophy and also depression. Dr. Cabeca explains that using progesterone from ovulation through the period can help ease these symptoms.

One caution: Make sure to stick with bio-identical progesterone. Progestins (synthetic progesterone) has been shown to react differently in the body than natural or bioidentical progesterone. Some research even points to a link between progestin and breast cancer. This is the cream I would use if supplementing progesterone since I know it has Dr. Anna’s seal of approval.

Use Natural Lubricants

While natural lubricants and vaginal moisturizers aren’t going to fix the underlying problem, they can be helpful to make sexual activity more enjoyable for women suffering from vaginal atrophy.

Some essential oils have been found to help moisturize the vaginal canal. Dr. Anna Cabeca recommends Salvia sclarea, Roman chamomile, Cape chamomile, rose, frankincense, lavender, and sandalwood. Always get essential oils from a quality source and dilute before use by adding them to any of the below oils:

Important note: Oils are not safe to use with condoms (oil can cause condoms to fail). Aloe vera is a good natural lubricant that is oil-free (and more natural brands of personal lubricants like this one now make it easy to use).

Have Sex

Want a totally free and natural fix? It turns out regular sexual activity helps increase blood flow to the vagina, which can help improve symptoms! This is another good reason to optimize hormones that support a healthy sex drive.

Exercise the Pelvic Muscles

As Dr. Anna Cabeca says, the “hammock” of the pelvic muscles is so important for vaginal health as well as urinary and fecal control. Without strong pelvic floor muscles organs can prolapse (come out of the body).

You may want to try kegels to help with this (here’s how), but kegels are just one isolated way of strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. There are many other things we can incorporate into our day that help strengthen these muscles like:

  • Get moving more – We’re meant to move around all day long, not sit in front of a computer (I’m guilty of this too). Incorporating more movement into the day can help strengthen those muscles.
  • Squat – Squatting is great for keeping the pelvic floor strong and healthy.
  • Hip movement – Moving the hips in circles activates all of the muscles in your core including the pelvic floor, hips, back, and abs. Dancing is a great natural way to do this.

Keep in mind that these exercises are most helpful when you use proper posture and support core strength.

Other Options to Improve Vaginal Health Naturally

The above are the core ways to support the body to remedy vaginal atrophy. After I hung up the phone with Dr. Anna, I also researched a couple of other topics of interest on this issue. There are all kinds of promising non-invasive options to help women with this delicate and important area of health. I’ve learned about most of these from doctors on my podcast, so check out the episodes mentioned below to get all of the details:

Soundwave Treatments

Evidence now shows that sound waves can help tissue regenerate and heal. Soundwave treatments use low-intensity sound waves to support the growth of new healthy vaginal tissue and more responsive nerve receptors. Benefits of soundwave therapy include:

  • restoring sensation
  • enhancing natural lubrication
  • making it easier to achieve orgasm
  • reversing the symptoms of urinary incontinence

Vanessa Gaudin, board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and expert in women’s health and wellness at HealthGAINs explained in this podcast how soundwave treatment stimulates dormant stem cells that can enhance tissue growth and healing.

This procedure is more invasive and certainly more expensive than the treatments listed above.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

Platelet-rich plasma sounds a little strange but it can also be a remedy for vaginal atrophy. In the same podcast episode Vanessa Gaudin explained:

PRP, platelet-rich plasma, is an autologous product derived from your own whole blood. And what’s done is that it’s processed through a centrifuge. And what that is, is separating the red blood cells from the platelets and the plasma. Once that’s completed, it actually is taken and placed back into your body, just the plasma, just the platelets. And with that being completed, you’re actually able to help promote the natural process of wound healing, soft tissue reconstruction.

Often used in joints and for other types of injuries, this method is new and quite pricey. But a 2017 study published in Journal of Menopausal Medicine found that PRP can be an effective treatment for relieving vaginal atrophy symptoms. Some people report great results but there can be side effects and it is often necessary to have the procedure more than once.

Dietary Phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens are foods that mimic estrogen in the body. In healthy people, it’s not a good idea to load up on these kinds of foods as it can cause estrogen dominance in women (and testosterone imbalance in men). But in women who are experiencing low estrogen (and who know that’s the cause of their symptoms), phytoestrogens may be a short-term fix.

Phytoestrogenic foods include:

  • soy (if you choose to eat soy, stick with traditionally fermented options)
  • apples
  • carrots
  • zucchini
  • pomegranates
  • strawberries
  • cranberries
  • grapes
  • black tea
  • green tea
  • hops
  • flaxseed

If hormonal imbalance (especially in younger women) is the cause of vaginal atrophy, I would be cautious about eating too many phytoestrogens. If we eat things that mimic estrogen, our bodies may stop producing that hormone. That’s exactly what we don’t want in this situation. With this and all health choices, consult your healthcare provider for what’s right for you.

Supplements and Herbs

There are also some supplements that are beneficial for improving vaginal atrophy symptoms:

  • Sea buckthorn oil – Sea buckthorn oil can improve moisture and elasticity in the vaginal-vulvar area. This helps relieve vaginal dryness and irritation. A 2014 Finnish study shows that sea buckthorn oil is beneficial in helping heal vaginal tissue and is a good alternative to vaginal estrogen.
  • Vitamin D Vitamin D plays many parts on overall health and may be helpful for vaginal atrophy too. One Iranian study found that vitamin D had a beneficial effect on menopausal women experiencing vaginal dryness. It helped lower vaginal pH and reduced dryness.
  • Maca – Some research shows maca stimulated natural hormone production in postmenopausal women. This resulted in a reduction of symptoms. Dr. Anna has formulated a high-quality maca supplement to help support female hormone health. It’s an especially interesting remedy because it seems to treat the underlying cause of vaginal atrophy and not just the symptoms.

Prevention Is Key!

We don’t always like to talk about it, but bottom line, uncomfortable vaginal symptoms shouldn’t have to be a natural part of getting older or having children. I’m glad to know now that taking care of vaginal health from early on can help avoid unpleasant problems later. Natural remedies can even help reverse symptoms once they do appear. As always, consult with your doctor to find the right remedies for your situation.

Do you suffer from vaginal atrophy? What remedies have helped you?

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Anna Cabecca, MD, OB/GYN and medical advisor for WellnessMama.com. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

19 responses to “Symptoms of Vaginal Atrophy (& Natural Ways to Protect Vaginal Health)”

  1. Erica Avatar

    JenQ! I’ve been considering doing this as well after seeing the price of a commercial hylauronic acid/glycerine product. May I ask how you did it?

    I’ve been suffering with this for a long time — since surgical menopause in my 30s — and the estrogen products only do so much.

    Thanks much!

  2. Janice Avatar

    ‘No unethical’…a beautiful bird gets killed for it’s oil, there is no way to ethically slaughter, spin it how you like…

    1. Connie Avatar

      Hi Janice,
      Dr. Anna has received your feedback as well as others. Dr. Anna is currently working on a new formula of Julva that will not include Emu Oil.  Please be on the look out for additional information as to when this item will be available to purchase.

      Dr. Anna’s Happienss Team

  3. Janice Avatar

    The Julva cream uses emu oil…therefore it is not vegan, incase anyone else was wondering and is also kind of like…wtf?! It’s amazing what passes as ‘natural’ these days!

      1. Connie Avatar

        Hi Katie,

        Believe me, we understand the thoughts and controversy around emu oil and appreciate the discussion.

        As a gynecologist and specialist in women’s sexual health Dr. Anna knows there really is a paucity of truly helpful and restorative solutions for conditions such as vaginal dryness, incontinence, vulvodynia, lichen sclerosis, vestibulitis, and the list goes on. 

        Surgical procedures and potent medications are often resorted to with less than fantastic results, not to mention over 40% of women over 50 suffer without treatment.  In over twenty years of OB/GYN practice, Dr. Anna experimented with vaginal and vulvar topical (even non estrogen containing) hormonal therapies with excellent results, but the best healing results were, without a doubt, when she used emu oil in her combinations.

        Yes, she was conflicted about this, especially as she worked to create an over the counter solution for women that could be applied cleanly to the vulva and get restorative results, improving quality of life and relationships. 

        There are no unethical or mutilation practices with the Emu’s. They are treated very well on large multi-acre farms as they thrive in open spaces. The meat and oil are both very valuable.

        The Julva emu oil is AEA (American Emu Association) 100% Certified fully refined. (some are not). Creamy, odorless oil with no separation, all natural,  with no chemicals used in the processing and contains no allergens.

        In over 4 years of formulation, emu oil, combined with the other ingredients, got the best results and has really restored women’s sexual health, desire, and confidence that they won’t leak anymore when they exercise!  Seriously, a little bit of emu oil goes a long way and can really improve some devastating conditions.

        Dr. Anna truly tried many other combinations, but safety and efficacy wins out with this combination. 

  4. Tara Langdale Avatar
    Tara Langdale

    If sex is painful, you may have a pelvic pain condition such as Vulvodynia, Vaginismus, Vaginal Atrophy or Vaginal Stenosis. Pelvic Floor physical therapy can be very beneficial as well as vaginal dilator therapy.

  5. Maria Avatar

    Dear all,
    I am a 20-something woman and suffered from this problem. I was diagnosed over 1 year with all sorts of vaginal infections and fungi and a doctor also suggested I was merely depressed (which I was not) and another one suggested the possibility of surgery (to what, I never figured out!). One day I heard of a physiotherapist that was claimed to work wonders in such cases. All it took was to be brave and talk about this with my closest friend – who was the one who heard about this physiotherapist. There is a lot of stigma with regard to these issues and as a young woman I felt I was failing in my relationship. It was truly hard.
    I found that stopping the contraceptive pill and physiotherapy (specifically targeted at pelvis muscles) and pelvic exercise at home completely solved my problem in less than 6 months with no need to take meds. This physiotherapist was actually specialized in pelvis – meaning that the same sort of techniques applied for both this problem and blatter control issues. Wish you all the best ?

  6. Sue Avatar

    Thanks for providing info on vaginal atrophy and how to reverse and manage it. Timely for me!!

    1. Connie Avatar

      Hi Sue,

      Thank you for the wonderful feedback, it is greatly appreciated!

      Connie

  7. Katherine Avatar

    Katie,

    You have done it again. Just when I have been searching for information about a certain health aspect in my life – and gotten quite overwhelmed by the different (and sometimes competing) strands of information… you bring it ALL together into one comprehensive post.

    It was frustrating to feel that most of the non-traditional or big pharma advice was simply a bunch of woo-woo for one’s hoo-hoo.

    It was disturbing that the term hoo-hoo entered my vocabulary!

    We need more detailed discussion about nutrition, sleep, hormones, natural products, professionals, ages and stages, plastics and environment, not-so-healthy birth control, and how all of these things come together to impact our bodies – including our sexual health and our “taken for granted when functioning normally” vaginas.

    I have a terrific doctor who leans natural, looks for root causes, and is an advocate and practioner of NaproTechnology, but even he did not seem to have much advice for “vaginal atrophy” beyond one particular natural cream… . Am looking forward to printing this article and sharing with him. And also to listening to the podcast for myself.

    Plus, once again, will be forwarding a WellnessMama post to many friends and family. Many thanks!

    Happy living in good and joyful health!

  8. gina Avatar

    Outstanding comprehensive article. Thank you so much for all great information. All women will deal with this as they age and I loved all the natural ways to help with this situation versus just getting on a prescription of hormones.

  9. Nora Avatar

    These problems make women live their lives in misery and suffer from trouble, specifically during the sexual relationship and when entering the bathroom.

    Thanks for this wonderful article

    1. Eddi Marks Avatar
      Eddi Marks

      How are the essential oils used? Inside the vagina, or just outside? Same with the julva-

  10. JenQ Avatar

    Darla, I too made my own vaginal suppositories and they did provide some relief. I used coconut oil, sea buckthorn oil, and vitamin E oil. However, in the last few months I’ve been using hyaluronic acid serum (which I make myself) vaginally every other day, and that has worked even better for me (I use my old Estrace applicator). I decided to try it after reading this study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26070127

    I can’t advocate anything for anyone else because everyone’s responses are different, but this has worked very well for me, better than Estrace (mood swings) and better than the oil-based suppositories that I made.

  11. Terrie Johnson Avatar
    Terrie Johnson

    Thank you. I really needed this information. My doctor put me on estrogen to help with my weakened vagina and bladder leakage. This explains clearly what is happening and the steps I can take to restore my health.

  12. Darla Knutzen Avatar
    Darla Knutzen

    Thank you for such a well written article Katie! I have benefited from being on the tail end of the baby boom generation for many aging issues. On this particular issue, not so much. Too many are afraid to discuss such a sensitive topic. I was not aware of how vaginal atrophy could affect your life, but fully aware of it now.
    I have done research, talked with ND’s and MD’s, and am still working on my best plan. I love Dr. Anna’s Julva product, but found DHEA was not fully working for me. Her product did work great for exterior dryness, but not for my vaginal atrophy. I have tried homemade vaginal suppositories with some relief. I put a mixture of coconut oil and vitamin E in a silicone mold with small squares, like a candy mold. Chill, then store in a mason jar in the refrigerator. I would like to try this using sea buckthorn oil next.
    I did not want to use vaginal estrogen suppositories from all the bad studies to come out regarding Estrogen years ago. But my ND spent an hour discussing this with me and I feel confident the benefits will be worth it. Estriol Suppositories are much safer than taking an oral medication. Even breast cancer survivors are allowed to use this product as it targets just the vaginal walls. So far, it is the only relief I have had in many years. Here is a link to the compounding pharmacy’s research on this if you want to learn more.
    https://nwremedies.com/hormone-therapy-for-women.php

    1. Jessica Avatar

      Hi Darla! Thank you for trying Dr. Anna’s Julva product! It has normally shown to be very effective with vaginal atrophy. Perhaps you were not using enough? The recommended dosage is 1/8 tsp but it is safe to use up to 1/4 tsp daily. Please contact our customer service team via email at team@cabecahealth.com if you have any questions! 🙂

  13. Michelle Avatar

    THANK YOU for addressing an uncomfortablly “private” subject with usable advice and accessible sources! Due to allopathic medicine and surgical interventions, I’ve experienced menopause 3 times between my late 30’s and 40’s. The medical interventions ended with a complete hysterectomy and gallbladder surgery on the same day, because the treatment I received for endometriosis was liver- unfriendly. Who knew?

    I’m excited to finally have a natural plan for wellness, rather than prescription Premarin and steroid ointments.

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