Vaginal dryness alternative treatments
Alternative treatments for vaginal dryness
External structures of the female reproductive anatomy include the labium minora and majora, the vagina and the clitoris. Internal structures include the uterus, ovaries, and cervix.
The uterus is a hollow muscular organ located in the female pelvis between the bladder and rectum. The ovaries produce the eggs that travel through the fallopian tubes. Once the egg has left the ovary it can be fertilized and implant itself in the lining of the uterus. The main function of the uterus is to nourish the developing fetus prior to birth.
The vagina is a thin-walled tube which lies between the bladder and rectum. It is often called the birth canal, since it provides the passageway of delivery of an infant.
Information
Question:
Is there a drug-free treatment for vaginal dryness?
Answer:
There are many causes of vaginal dryness. It may be caused by reduced estrogen level, infection, medicines, and other things. Before treating yourself, talk to your health care provider.
Water-based lubricants and vaginal moisturizers work very well. Lubricants will moisten the vaginal opening and lining for several hours. The effects of a vaginal cream can last for up to a day.
There are several prescription non-estrogen creams available to treat vaginal dryness that have been shown to be effective. If the usual remedies are not effective, you may ask your provider to discuss them.
Soybeans contain plant-based substances called isoflavones. These substances have an effect on the body that is similar to estrogen, but weaker. Therefore, it seems that a diet rich in soy foods may improve symptoms of vaginal dryness. There continues to be research in this area. The ideal sources or dose is still not known. Soy foods include tofu, soy milk, and whole soybeans (also called edamame).
Some women claim that creams containing wild yam help with vaginal dryness. However, there is no good research supporting this claim. Also, extracts of wild yam have not been found to have estrogen- or progesterone-like activities. Some of the products may have synthetic medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) added. MPA is a derivative of progesterone and is also used in oral contraceptives. Like all supplements, MPA-containing products should be used with caution.
Some women use black cohosh as a dietary supplement to relieve menopausal symptoms. However, it is not known if this herb helps with vaginal dryness.
References
Kos C. Soy isoflavones and other constituents. In: Pizzorno JE, Murray MT, eds. Textbook of Natural Medicine. 5th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2021:chap 114.
Wilhite M. Vaginal dryness. In: Rakel D, ed. Integrative Medicine. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 59.
Version Info
Last reviewed on: 7/13/2021
Reviewed by: John D. Jacobson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
