Dyspareunia isn’t the only sexual problem older women face

It’s common for vibrant women to begin going through menopause in their fifties, but dyspareunia isn’t the only problem they may face as they attempt to maintain a healthy sex life.

Female dryness and menopause

The average age for a woman to experience her last period is 51, though this varies greatly from woman to woman. You can guess that you’re going through menopause when your periods stop, but that doesn’t mean you should make major adjustments to your sex life. Women should continue using contraceptives to prevent pregnancy for up to two years after the date of their last period.

Menopause isn’t instant; you don’t wake up one day and suddenly a switch inside your body has been flipped. Women do get pregnant in their late forties and early fifties (less than 1 in 100, but there are 7 billion people in the world), and it’s possible for you to conceive even in the early stages of menopause. Even after you reach the “safety zone” of menopause and are no longer at risk for pregnancy, you still need to protect yourself against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

But most women are less worried about preventing pregnancy and more about enjoying sex as they begin to go through this change. Low estrogen levels create hot flashes, mood swings and a variety of symptoms, include female dryness. Many women find they their own natural lubrication is lacking, even when they experience desire, as their menopause progresses. The painful intercourse that results, dyspareunia, may prevent some women from seeking out or engaging in sexual activity.

Treating dyspareunia

There are lots of ways women can go about treating dyspareunia. Vaginal lubricants help to supplement your natural lubrication, allowing you to enjoy sex again. Apply lubricant to the vagina prior to engaging in sexual activity to prevent dyspareunia. Vaginal estrogen cream may be used to increase your natural lubrication. The cream delivers a low dose of estrogen right where you need it most. Regular Kegel exercises for women help to strengthen the walls of the vagina to prevent dyspareunia.

It’s important to overcome dyspareunia, and maintain a healthy sex life during and after menopause. You should always take proper precautions to have safe sex, but don’t avoid this kind of intimacy entirely. As women age, they become at risk for vaginal atrophy. If you don’t engage in sexual activities, the walls of the vagina may change in nature and shrink, making your vaginal cavity smaller. In time, this can lead to atrophy that will completely prevent you from having vaginal sex.

Learn how to take care of yourself in our free special report, Top 5 Treatments for Vaginal Dryness and Dyspareunia (Sexual Intercourse Pain).