|
Article Excerpt
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD A JOKE suggesting that sex invariably goes ever downhill or totally crashes after menopause? Like yesterday? This concept was boldly reaffirmed without reference to reliable research--at a conference on menopause held by the National Institutes of Health in 2005! So, if you ask your doctor about sex after menopause, she or he will likely agree that the outlook is gloomy. On the flip side, the golden-years myth is heavily promoted by TV ads for erection drugs, which portray the "Cialis woman" always blissfully ready for intercourse whenever her partner drops a pill.
Fortunately, women's health advocates, sexologists, and researchers vigorously question these equally unrealistic projections for sexuality and aging--of a bleak sexual desert or a pharmaceutical Niagra--and have identified numerous helpful strategies for maintaining and enhancing sexuality after menopause. Here's a survey of some of the most common problems and strategies to help make sex during this life phase more comfortable and rewarding.
VAGINAL DRYNESS
By far the most common sexual problem that women report in their post-reproductive years is dyspareunia--pain or discomfort during or after intercourse or insertion of fingers or sex toys into the vagina. After menopause, reduced levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone result in less natural lubrication that may result in bleeding, tightening of the vaginal opening, and/or narrowing and shortening of the vagina. All of these can make intercourse uncomfortable or even intolerable.
Solutions: Many women and sex therapists report the reality of the use-it-or-lose-it factor: regular sex, either with a partner, through masturbation, or a combination of the two, definitely helps keep vaginal tissues more supple and moist. Extended sex play before insertion is always helpful even if discomfort isn't severe. Liberal use of a water-soluble lubricant is often enough to make intercourse more comfortable. Having intercourse after a long time without it can be painful or impossible, but don't give up. You may need to work up to it. Over a few weeks, the vaginal opening can be comfortably stretched using lubricants and successively larger blunt objects such as vibrators or dildos,...
|
|
More articles from Women's Health Activist
Join us in New York for the National Women's Speakout for Action on He..., March 01, 2009
First FDA decision on contraception after the election ... coming soon..., March 01, 2009
The treatment and mistreatment of chronic "urgency and frequency"--gat..., March 01, 2009
A randomized, six month study explored whether skills training on how ..., March 01, 2009
Researchers evaluating race and hysterectomy have found that Blackwome..., March 01, 2009
Looking for additional articles?
Search our database of over 3 million articles.
Looking for more in-depth information on this industry?
Search our complete database of Industry & Market reports by text, subject, publication
name or publication date.
About Goliath
Whether you're looking for sales prospects, competitive information, company
analysis or best practices in managing your organization,
Goliath can help you meet your business needs.
Our extensive business information databases empower business
professionals with both the breadth and depth of credible,
authoritative information they need to support their business
goals. Whether it be strategic planning, sales prospecting,
company research or defining management best practices -
Goliath is your leading source for accurate information.
|
|
