Struggling With Painful Sex After Menopause? There Are Solutions

If you’re like many women, the hormonal changes of menopause can put you through the wringer, both physically and emotionally. You may have experienced hot flashes, weight gain, or even urinary issues. 

For some postmenopausal women, sex becomes uncomfortable, or even painful, which affects the intimate connection that’s an important part of a full life.

Our OB/GYN, Dr. Leonardo Longoria, provides compassionate support to menopausal women here at Longoria OBGYN in El Paso, Texas. If your sex life is being affected by menopause symptoms, let Dr. Longoria work with you to find the best approach to resolving your symptoms.

Menopause and sexual pain

During menopause and perimenopause, your hormones and fertility undergo changes. Your estrogen levels decline, and your menstrual periods may become erratic. You reach menopause a year after the complete cessation of your menstrual cycle. Your ovaries no longer produce eggs, and your childbearing years come to an end. 

Some women experience a feeling of loss and may struggle to still feel sexy after menopause. But emotions and stressful symptoms aren’t the only challenges of a healthy sex life during menopause.

Even after the hot flashes and night sweats have passed, you might still find yourself negatively impacted in bed after menopause. Falling estrogen levels cause changes in your vaginal tissues. As a result, you might find intercourse to be uncomfortable or painful due to vaginal dryness and sensitivity. 

In fact, up to 45% of postmenopausal women report that sex is physically painful, a medical condition called dyspareunia. Left untreated, chronic vaginal dryness may lead to bleeding and tearing of sensitive tissues during intercourse. These issues with sexual function can seem embarrassing, but there is help available. 

How to restore your sex life

You should know that Dr. Longoria and our compassionate and experienced team are here to help with all of your menopause-management needs. We have several ways to treat postmenopausal women with dyspareunia.

Hormone replacement therapy 

Dr. Longoria may recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to restore lubrication to your vaginal tissues. Depending on your individual needs, you receive a topical or oral medication, an injection, or a time-released pellet placed under your skin. HRT readjusts your hormone levels and brings your body – and your sex life – back into balance.

Vaginal revitalization

You may benefit from vaginal rejuvenation treatment with noninvasive ThermiVa® therapy. This nonsurgical, painless procedure uses radiofrequency energy to treat intimate tissues and is ideal for women suffering from sexual pain due to menopause.

In a 15-30 minute ThermiVa treatment session, Dr. Longoria uses a handheld device to gently heat your external and internal vaginal tissues. This stimulates your tissues to boost their natural collagen levels. The treatment can help correct vaginal dryness to make sex comofrtable again.  

You may need multiple ThermiVa treatment sessions spaced about a month apart. Dr. Longoria often recommends three treatments for optimal results.

If you need help with menopausal symptoms, reach out to us to schedule your consultation with Dr. Longoria by calling now or using the online booking tool.