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Women's Health
Don't ignore vaginal dryness and pain
The condition is treatable, although treatments likely won't provide complete relief.
Image: © vchal/Getty Images
Vaginal dryness occurs in women of all ages, but it becomes much more common after menopause. It's estimated that the problem affects about half of postmenopausal women — most of whom, possibly as many as 90%, don't seek treatment for their symptoms, which include not only dryness, but also irritation and pain during sexual intercourse.
The North American Menopause Society and the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health refer to this combination of menopausal symptoms, which are brought on by a drop in the body's estrogen production, as genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).
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A Guide to Women's Health: Fifty and forward
Midlife can be a woman’s halftime celebration. Not only can it be an opportunity to reflect on and rejoice in the life you’ve lived, but it is also a good time to plan your strategy for the future. A Guide to Women's Health: Fifty and forward will help you determine the conditions for which you are at greatest risk and do your best to avoid them. It will also help you to better manage chronic conditions that may erode your quality of life, and to deal with physical changes that are more bothersome than serious. It is designed to give you the information to make the choices today that will ensure you the best health possible tomorrow.
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