With age, the reproductive function of a woman changes, the menopause occurs when there is no menstruation. As a result of the physiological changes taking place in the body of a woman, there is a decrease in the most important hormone in the female body - estrogen. This is a consequence of the thinning of the vaginal epithelium, the level of lactic acid decreases, and the vaginal pH, on the contrary, rises. Such pathological microflora can cause inflammatory diseases. Such diseases include atrophic vaginitis (senile colpitis, senile atrophic vaginitis). It manifests itself no earlier than five years after the onset of menopause.
Atrophic vaginitis: causes
The main causes of vaginitis are the following:
- decrease in the level of estrogen as a result of artificial menopause (for example, after surgery or as a result of radiation therapy);
- general physiological changes in the body, causing aging of the basic organs and systems of man.
Postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis: symptoms
A woman may experience a feeling of discomfort in the presence of atrophic vaginitis and observe several signs:
- burning pain;
- dryness in the vagina;
- itching;
- burning;
- Dyspareunia (pain before, during or after intercourse);
- frequent urination or false urge;
- For a long time there may be rare spotting spotting;
- In the pubic region and labia, signs of baldness are noted.
Since the capillaries of the walls of the vagina are thin enough, bleeding may occur at the slightest contact with the partner. In some cases, the woman is marked with the vaginal wall dropping.
Postmenopausal atrophic vaginitis: prevention and treatment
It is important for older women to include as much milk products as possible in their diet, which will make up for the lack of useful lactobacilli responsible for the microflora of the vagina.
The only effective way to prevent the onset of atrophic vaginitis is properly selected hormone therapy. Medicamental therapy should be started one and a half to three years after the onset of menopause. In this case, there are higher chances for a woman to avoid such an ailment.
For prevention, you can also wash the external genitalia at least twice a day with the addition of potassium permanganate or sage infusion. However, such washing should be carried out no more than four days, otherwise a woman may slow down the physiological recovery of the vaginal microflora.
In the case of such a diagnosis, the hospitalization of a woman is not required, the treatment is done on an outpatient basis.
The doctor may prescribe to take estriol in the form of suppositories or ointments. It must be administered inside the vagina at night for two weeks.
Medicines that have systemic effects should be consumed within five years. They include: tibolone, angelic, estradiol, individual, cliogest, klimodien.
At least twice during the calendar year, a woman needs to visit a gynecologist for colposcopy, colpositis and an assessment of the pH of the vagina.
In the absence of adequate treatment, small ulcers may appear on the walls of the vagina.
In the case of the treatment started on time, the prognosis is usually favorable: the woman discomfort disappears, microcirculation and tonus of the vaginal walls are restored. And hormone replacement therapy allows to maintain the level of estrogens at the required level.