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Four Steps to Non-Hormonal Treatment of Vaginal Dryness PDF Print E-mail
Written by Dr. Machelle Seibel   
Article Index
Four Steps to Non-Hormonal Treatment of Vaginal Dryness
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APPENDIX:


Table 1: Risks Associated with Bacterial Vaginosis

Pregnancy Related

  • Preterm Labor
  • Low birth-weight
  • Intra-amniotic fluid infection
  • Premature rupture of the membranes
  • Postpartum endometritis

Unrelated to Pregnancy

  • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
  • Cervicitis
  • Urinary Tract Infection
  • Sexually Transmitted diseases including HIV
  • Cervical dysplasia
  • Postoperative infection


Table 2: Contributing Factors to Vaginal Dryness

Medical Conditions

  • Diabetes
  • Sjogren’s Syndrome
  • Cancer

Low-Estrogen Conditions

  • Endometriosis
  • Menopause
  • Cancer
  • Radiation
  • Psychological (see below)

Chemical

  • Douches
  • Perfumes
  • Soaps
  • Bath or body products

Infectious Conditions

  • Bacterial Vaginosis
  • Yeast infections
  • Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

Psychological

  • Hypophalamic amenorrhea, stress
  • Prior miscarriage
  • Sexual assault, abuse
  • Depression
  • Trauma


Table Y

Recommended Treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)


Antibiotic Treatment

  • Metronidazole 500 mg orally twice daily x 7 days (2 g orally in single dose works slightly less effectively) or
  • Metronidazole gel 0.75%, one full applicator (5 g) intravaginally daily x 5 days or
  • Clindamycin cream 2%, one full applicator (5 g) intravaginally at bedtime x 7 days (300 mg orally twice daily x 7 days or 100 g intravaginal ovules at bedtime x 3 days works slightly less effectively)

Follow-up treatment

  • RepHresh Vaginal Gel every 3 days for at least 6 weeks to prevent re-infection.
  • It is important also that the patient avoids douching, as this doubles the risk (Brown D. J Reprod Med.2004;49:781-86)

References

  1. The Gallup Target Market Report on Vaginal Dryness, (2004)., and Gallup Study of Female Sexual Dysfunction. (2002).
  2. The Gallup Target Market Report on Vaginal Dryness, (2004).
  3. Sobel, J. D. (2000). Bacterial vaginosis. Annu Rev Med, 51, 349-56.
  4. Matovina, M., Husnjka, K., Milutin, N., & Ciglar Srecko, G. M., (2004). Possible role of bacterial and viral infections in miscarriages. Fertil Steril, 81, 662-69.
  5. Bauters, T. G., Dhont, M. A., Temmerman, M. I., & Nelis, H. J. (2002). Prevalence of vulvovaginal candidiasis and susceptibility to fluconazole in women. Am J Obstet Gynecol., 187, 569-74.
  6. Geller, M. L., & Nelson, A. L. (2004). Diagnosis and treatment of recurrent and persistent vaginitis. Women’s Health in Primary Care, 4, 137-46.
  7. Seibel, M. M., (2003) The Soy Solution For Menopause. Simon & Schuster. New York.
  8. Goss, P.E., Ingle, J.N., Martino, S., et al. (2003). A randomized trial of letrozole in postmenopausal women after five years of tamoxifen therapy for early stage breast cancer. N Engl J Med., 349, 1793-1802.
  9. Carranza-Lira, S., & MacGregor-Gooch, A. L. (2004). Differences in vaginal dryness according to hormone therapy schedule using pH test strip in two groups of postmenopausal women. Int J Fertil Womens Med., 49, 88-90.
  10. Cottrell, B, H., (2003). Vaginal douching. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs.,32, 12-8.
  11. Culhane, J. F., Rauh, V., McCollum, K. F., Hogan, V. K., Agnew, K., & Wadhwa, P. D. (2001). Maternal stress is associated with bacterial vaginosis in human pregnancy. Maternal Child Health J., 5, 127-34.
  12. Kingsberg, S. (2004) Talking to patients about sexual function. Sexuality Reprod Menopause, 2,199-203.
  13. Sarkadi, A., & Rosenqvist, U., (2003). Intimacy and women with type 2 diabetes: an exploratory study using focus group interviews. Diabetes Educ., 29, 641-52.
  14. Morley, J. E., Tariq, S. H. (2003). Sexuality and disease. Clin Geriatr Med.;19:563-73.
  15. Handa, V. L., Harvey, L., Cundiff, G. W., Siddique, S. A., & Kjerulff, K. H. (2004). Sexual function among women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Am J Obstet Gynecol., 191,751-6.
  16. Rask-Anderson, A., Boman, J., Grangsjo, A., Silverdal, M., Lindberg, M., Lundberg, M., & Svensson, L. (2000). Asthma, skin symptoms, and allergy in a condom factory. Allergy, 55, 836-41.
  17. Broeckel, J. A., Thors, C. L., Jacobsen, P. B., Small, M., & Cox, C. E. (2002). Sexual functioning in long-term breast cancer survivors treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Breast Cancer Res Treat., 75,241-8.
  18. Thompson, E. A., & Reilly, D. (2003). The homeopathic approach to the treatment of symptoms of oestrogen withdrawal in breast cancer patients. A prospective observational study. Homeopathy., 92,127-4.
  19. Allan, J. D., (2004). Rampant obesity: What you can do. Sexuality Reprod Menopause., 2,195-98.
  20. Bygdeman, M., & Swahn, M. L. (1996). Replens versus dienoestrol cream in the symptomatic treatment of vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women. Maturitas, 23, 259-63.
  21. Loprinzi, C. L., Abu-Ghazaleh, S., Sloan, J. A., vanHaelst-Pisani, C., Hammer, A. M., Rowland, K. M. Jr., Law, M., Windschitl, H.E., Kaur, J.S., & Ellison, N. (1997). Phase III randomized double-blind study to evaluate the efficiacy of a polycarbophil-based vaginal moisturizer in women with breast cancer. J Clin Oncol., 15, 969-73.
  22. Bachman,G. A., Notelovitz, M.., Gonzales, S. J., Thompson, C., & Morecraft, B. A. Vaginal Dryness in Menopausal Women, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Women’s Medical and Diagnostic Center and Climacteric Clinic, Gainesville, FL.
  23. Frishman, G. N., Lucianom A, A., & Maier, D. B. (1992). Evaluation of Astroglide, a new vaginal lubricant: effects of length of exposure and concentration on sperm motility. Fertil Steril., 58, 630-2.
  24. Nyirjesy, P., Weitz, V., Grody, M. H. T., Lorber, B. (1997). Over-the-counter and alternative medicines in the treatment of chronic vaginal symptoms. Obstet Gynecol., 90, 50-3.
  25. Krebbs, E. E., Ensrud, K. E., MacDonald, R., & Wilt, T. J. (2004). Phytoestrogens for treatment of menopausal symptoms: a systematic review. Obstet Gynecol, 104, 824-36.
  26. Chiechi, L. M., Putignano, G., Guerra, V., Schiavell, M. P., Cisternino, A. M., & Carriero, C. (2003). The effect of a soy rich diet on the vaginal epithelium in postmenopause: a randomized duble blind trial. Maturitas, 45, 241-6.
  27. Giardinelli, M. (1952). Effect of alpha-tocopherol in some disorders of the menopause and in atrophy of the vaginal mucosa. Minerva Ginecol., 4, 579-87.
  28. Mignogna, M. D., Fedele, S., Russo, L. L., Muzio, L. L., & Wolf, A. (2005). Sjogren’s syndrome: the diagnostic potential of early oral manifestations preceding hyposalivation/xerostomia. J Oral Pathol Med., 34, 1-6.
  29. Brown, D. (2004). Clinical variability of bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis. J Reprod Med., 49, 781-786. Fiorilli, A., Molteni, B., & Milani, M. (2005). Successful treatment of bacterial vaginosis with a policarbophil-carbopol acidic vaginal gel: results from a randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. European J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol., in press.


 



Last Updated ( Friday, 19 May 2006 )