Aside from hot flashes and night sweating, one of the dreaded symptoms of menopause and perimenopause is vaginal dryness. In fact, almost fifty percent of women between 40 and 60 years old suffer from this annoying predicament, which not only inhibits women from having an active sex life, but also causes discomforts, such as itchiness, soreness, and even burning sensation. Decades ago, women were not comfortable discussing their problems down there; so, they just suffered in silence. However, nowadays, more and more people are starting to recognize vaginal dryness as a serious problem, affecting not only the sex life of the sufferers, but their regular everyday activities as well.



Causes of Vaginal Dryness

Diet

Everything that you put inside your mouth actually affects your overall health, even your vagina's. A diet that is full of sweets, alcohol and caffeine can make vagina dry, even for women who are not in the menopause stage. women who also do not consume ample amount of water may also experience slight vaginal dryness. Water is important in keeping all organs in our bodies moist.

When you reach the perimenopause and menopause stages, you also need to understand that your body is no longer efficient in getting rid of toxins and waste products. If you consume unhealthy and caffeine-rich food, there is a big chance that you will make this symptom more severe.

Hormonal Imbalance

When a woman reaches the age of 40, her estrogen and progesterone levels start to decline because the body is preparing for future cessation of the ovulation cycle. Since one of the responsibilities of estrogen is to keep your vagina moist and well lubricated, just a slight dip in its level will surely lead to dryness. Women who have anorexia, hypothalamus problems and ovary problems also experience slight hormonal changes that can also bring about a dry spell down there.

Medications

Dehydration of the mucous membranes is one of side effect of common medications. Cold and allergy pills, as well as antidepressants are believed to be one of the many treatments that are known to contribute to vaginal dryness. Sometimes, even oral contraceptives, which usually contain synthetic hormones, also make your sex organ arid.

Chemicals And Other Harmful Ingredients

It is important to stress that your vulva and vagina are very delicate; thus, soaps with harsh ingredients can really strip moisture from such organs. You need to be careful in what you use as vaginal wash because even some douching products and mild soaps can cause genitalia irritation. Laundry detergents and chlorinated water in hot tubs and swimming pools can also cause drying of the delicate vaginal and vulvar tissues.

Stress

Not many are aware that stress is the main cause of many illnesses and conditions, including vaginal dryness. If you have chronic stress, the organs in your body are always on the max drive, which is not normal. In the long run, if you do not give your body time to rest and rejuvenate, your organs will start to function erratically, this includes changes in the level of estrogen in your body.

What You Need To Do

If you are still young and you are experiencing vaginal dryness, you first need to check your lifestyle. If you are in a state of perpetual stress, then you need to relax a bit and manage your stress. Quitting smoking and eating a healthy diet sans alcohol and caffeine can also help in treating your condition.

If you are in the perimenopause or menopause stage, however, you first need to address your unstable estrogen levels. You can opt to take hormone replacement therapy or take alternative treatments that contain phytoestrogen. One product that is known to help ease menopausal symptoms, including vaginal dryness, is Zalestra. Know more about this supplement by visiting www.Zalestra.com.