Information on Menopause Dryness

Menopause is a time of many changes for a woman. Your periods end and so does your fertility. Other symptoms that may accompany the onset of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. Other lesser known symptoms are body aches and pains, headaches, and dryness. There are different types of this dryness that may occur. There is available information on menopause dryness.

Types of Dryness

With the variable levels of the hormones during menopause, specifically testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone, there will likely be some very uncomfortable symptoms.
Dryness is one of those symptoms. Dryness can be anywhere on the body. Let's take a look at what connection exists between menopause, hormone levels, and dryness.

Menopause may cause dry skin around the mouth and the nose. Eyes can become dry. Testosterone supports the lacrimal gland. This gland keeps the eyes moist and helps to produce tears. If testosterone becomes low, your sight could be affected. Your eyes may feel gritty, burn, or very tired. They may look red and be sensitive to light. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you are taking other medications as some of them can worsen dry eye.

Estrogen during menopause can cause dry skin and other areas of the body as well. Fluctuating estrogen levels can also cause vaginal dryness. Estrogen keeps the vagina moist by producing certain acids. Without estrogen or lower levels of estrogen, the vaginal lining could stiffen making intercourse very uncomfortable. Your body will become dryer with decreasing estrogen.

Remedies

Eating Omega-3 rich foods can be of benefit to the eyes and wearing sunglasses in the out of doors can also keep eye fluid from evaporation. Adding canola, olive, or flaxseed oil to your diet can help to maintain the dryness of menopause.

Quit smoking! It has been proven that smoking can escalate menopause in female smokers. Smoking is also known to make menopausal symptoms even worse. Smoking is often linked to other diseases such as lung cancer and Emphysema.

Remember the old adage - drink eight 8 ounce bottles of water daily? Drinking plenty of water will help to keep your body and eyes lubricated. Water can benefit your over-all wellbeing.

Moisturizers such as lubricating eye drops and body lotions can help to keep your skin moist. In a skin lotion, you want to be sure that it contains petrolatum (Vaseline), water, lanolin, and/or mineral oils.

Lip balms can also be used to keep your lips from becoming chapped. Lips can crack and bleed making even speaking painful. There are prescriptive treatments for extremely dry lips.

Herbal supplements are used for many conditions including easing menopausal symptoms. The ingredients should be standardized herbal extracts - this gives the guarantee of the same quality in each capsule and bottle. The ingredients should be tested extensively and they should be made to pharmaceutical grade standards. Before using the supplements, talk to your doctor because some herbs may affect the performance of prescriptions you may be taking for other health concerns.

Conclusion

Menopause brings on enough changes for women and then comes the dry skin. If you have dry skin, talk to your doctor. Simply eating a healthy diet, drinking enough water, and the use of moisturizers can help to alleviate the symptoms. Relief can be found for the symptoms that may be plaguing you right now. There is a wealth of information on menopause and information on menopause dryness.