Atrophic Vaginitis

Atrophic Vaginitis – General Information

Atrophic Vaginitis is also known as Vaginal Atrophy and Vaginal Dryness and is associated with the inflammation of the vagina, as a result of the thinning and shrinking tissues, and also the result of the insufficient lubrication of the vagina’s walls. The inflammation is due to the decreased levels of estrogen and even the lack of estrogen (the estrogens are a class of steroids). The common cause of the Atrophic Vaginitis is the decreased level of the estrogen in the premenopause and the increased level of estrogens in the post menopause, but it is also true that it can be due to other medical conditions.  After the menopause (the menopause is the permanent stop of the menstruation, which usually occurs at the age of 45-50 years) installs the ovaries produce less quantities of estrogen, and this leads to the thinning of the tissues and the losing of the fats around the genital area. As a result to the lack of the estrogens the vagina losses a part of its elasticity and of its lubricating mucus, and also becomes shorter. What can cause the Atrophic Vaginitis except the premenopause and the postmenopause periods are:

• Child births
• Lack of pregnancy
• Cesarean
• Surgical removal of the ovary
• Breastfeeding
• After exposure of the pelvis to x-rays

Diagnoses are established after the doctor examines the pelvis and the vagina. The doctor also checks the levels of the estrogen from the vaginal tissue by making a Papanikolaou test. You may have to do some blood tests in order to see if the levels of the hormones in the blood are normal.

Atrophic Vaginitis - Symptoms

It is well known the fact that any medical disorder (including Atrophic Vaginitis) can trigger a variety of symptoms. Therefore, some of this medical condition's most uncommon symptoms have not been listed (mentioned) here. This is why we strongly recommend you to contact your personal health care provider whenever you develop any unusual, bothersome or unpleasant symptoms. Your personal physician will be able to tell you if you are suffering from Atrophic Vaginitis or from any other medical disorder.
The most common symptoms and signs of Atrophic Vaginitis are the followings:

• Urinating problems like
• Frequency
• Urgency
• Loss of urine
• Pain
• Burning
• Itching
• Pressure
• Vulvar itching
• Vulvar burning
• Bleeding
• Spotting
• Vaginal soreness
• Pain after sexual intercourse
• The thinning of the vaginal lining
• Red vaginal lining
• Vaginal skin inflammation
• An increased vaginal vulnerability to candidiasis and other infections
• Stress incontinence
• Urge incontinence
• Cracks
• White vaginal discharge and in some cases yellow vaginal discharge
• Malodorous vaginal discharge
• Watery vaginal discharge
• Puruitus vaginal discharge
• Erythema vaginal discharge
• Thin vaginal discharge
• Bleeding after intercourse
• No vaginal secretions
• Post coital spotting
• Blood in the urine
• Discomfort
• Bacterial vaginosis
• Trichomoniasis
• Yeast infections
• Smaller vagina

The symptoms usually worsen after a sexual contact and after the menstrual period. Although some women may experience the symptoms above, there are women who are completely asymptomatic.

Atrophic Vaginitis - Treatment

The most common types of vaginitis are:

• Bacterial vaginosis – which is usually treated with gels and creams applied in the vagina. Such gels and creams are: metranizdazole (Flagyl and Metrogel) or clindamycin (Cleocin).
• Yeast infections – are treated with antifungal cream and even with suppository like miconazole (Monistat). These infections can be treated with oral antifungal drugs such as fluconazole (Diflucan).
• Trichomoniasis – the common treatment is based on metronidazole tablets
• Noninfectious vaginitis – is based on an allergy to some factors (such as soap, detergent, sanitary napkins, tampons). The treatment is based on eliminating the possible factors and on avoiding them.
• Atrophic Vaginitis – is treated with estrogen creams, tablets or rings.

The goal of the Atrophic Vaginitis is to ameliorate the symptoms and it can be treated by:

• Hormone replacement therapy
• Applying estrogen cream in the vagina
• Applying a water soluble lubricant

The treatment of Atrophic Vaginitis is also based on the symptoms that each patient has. The hormone replacement therapy used in Atrophic Vaginitis, also known as HRT, consists in taking estrogens under the form of tablets, gels, implants and patches. The role of the estrogen creams is to restore the hormone in the vagina and in the tissues around it. The creams need to be used everyday for about two weeks in order for the results to appear, and after they appear the patients are usually recommended to use it for another month but only twice a week. In the prolonged estrogen creams treatment, the patients are usually prescribed a hormone, known as progestogen. This has to be taken in every month of the treatment only a few days, the number of the days will be established by the patient’s personal health care provider. The lubricant gels are used when the vaginal dryness appears or when the estrogen creams can not be used to an allergy or other medical conditions. These gels are available at any pharmacy. Such gels may be KY jelly, Replens or Senselle.
Here is a list of the possible prescribed medications in the treatment of Atrophic Vaginitis:

• Activella
• Alora
• Cenestin
• Climara
• Clinogen LA 40
• CombiPatch
• Conjugated estrogens
• Delestrogen
• Dep Gynogen
• Depo-Estradiol
• Depogen
• Divigel
• Elestrin
• Enjuvia
• Esclim
• Esterified Estrogens
• Estradem
• Estradiol
• Estradot
• Estragyn LA 5
• Estrasorb
• Estratab
• Estring
• Estro – Cyp
• Estro L.A.
• Estrogel
• Estropipate
• Estropipate vaginal
• Fempatch
• Femring
• Femtrace
• Gynodiol
• Gynogen LA 20
• Menaval – 20
• Menest
• Menostar
• Oestradiol
• Ogen
• Ortho - Est
• Ortho - prefest
• Prefest
• Premarin
• Premphase
• Premplus
• Prempro
• Vagifem
• Vivelle