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Women's Health Archive
Articles
Calcium beyond the bones
Calcium can accumulate in our bodies where it doesn't belong. Is too much calcium intake to blame?
Calcium is the most plentiful mineral in the human body. Almost all of it — 99% — is stored in the skeleton, where it serves to maintain healthy bones and teeth. But that's not all it does. Calcium is also essential for the normal functioning of muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. Tiny amounts are dissolved in the fluid inside and outside every cell in the body. Too much or too little calcium can be deadly to those cells, so the body carefully controls its blood levels.
Managing postmenopausal vaginal atrophy
Vaginal dryness is one of the most irritating symptoms of menopause. Here are some ways to relieve it.
Within a few years of menopause, roughly 50% of women develop symptoms related to vaginal atrophy, also called atrophic vaginitis — the deterioration of vaginal tissues due to loss of estrogen. The most common symptoms of vaginal atrophy are dryness, irritation, and pain during intercourse.
Although menopause is the most common cause, vaginal atrophy can result from anything that lowers estrogen production. That includes chemotherapy, radiation, removal of the ovaries during hysterectomy, and use of anti-estrogenic therapies such as aromatase inhibitors, tamoxifen (Nolvadex), and drugs like leuprolide (Lupron) and nafarelin (Synarel), which are used to treat fibroids and endometriosis. Unlike hot flashes, which usually subside with time, vaginal atrophy is likely to persist and become worse without treatment.
Dealing with the symptoms of menopause
You could argue that the physical and mental changes that occur during menopause aren't really "symptoms." The term is usually associated with a disease, which menopause is not. Also, it is often hard to say which changes are a direct result of a drop in hormone levels and which are natural consequences of aging. Some of the symptoms overlap or have a cascade effect. For example, vaginal dryness may contribute to a lower sex drive, and frequent nighttime hot flashes may be a factor in insomnia.
Hot flashes and vaginal dryness are the two symptoms most frequently linked with menopause. Other symptoms associated with menopause include sleep disturbances, urinary complaints, sexual dysfunction, mood changes, and quality of life. However, these symptoms don't consistently correlate with the hormone changes seen with menopause transition.
By the way, doctor: What can I do about strep B vaginitis?
Q. I'm 61 and recently began to have a vaginal discharge. It's not itchy, but sexual intercourse is painful. My doctor diagnosed it as strep B vaginitis and prescribed amoxicillin, which helped. But the discharge returned within a week. What do you recommend?
A. Some vaginal discharge is normal. It helps to protect against vaginal infections and provides lubrication for the vaginal tissues. The discharge consists of vaginal skin cells, mucus, and fluid, as well as Candida (a type of yeast) and vaginal flora, the bacteria normally found in the vagina. Strep B, or group B streptococcus, is one possible constituent of the vaginal flora. Most of the time, vaginal flora and Candida co-exist peacefully. But a change in the balance and in vaginal pH (acidity) may result in vaginal inflammation, or vaginitis.
Recent Blog Articles
Can AI answer medical questions better than your doctor?
How to stay healthy during a drought
Opill: Is this new birth control pill right for you?
How well do you worry about your health?
Ready to give up the lead vest?
Why eat lower on the seafood chain?
What complications can occur after prostate cancer surgery?
When should your teen or tween start using skin products?
Is snuff really safer than smoking?
Ever worry about your gambling?
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