Causes of Vaginal Dryness

Complications such as night sweats and muscle cramps can be blamed on an imbalance of bodily systems and the diminishing functioning of organs because of aging kidneys and loss of estrogen. The kidneys become overworked because of the stress that estrogen loss has put on the organ, working harder to filter blood and regulate blood pressure and sugar levels. Without estrogen, the vital organs in the body become weak and can't balance water throughout the body, contributing to vaginal dryness.

Other sources of vaginal dryness include medications (antibiotics, tranquilizers, antihistamines, antidepressants, blood pressure), chemotherapy and hysterectomy, and problems with the nervous system. Factors that contribute to dryness include douches, drying soaps, vaginal creams that can affect pH balance, and infections.

A Signal of More Serious Problems?

Chinese medicine views vaginal dryness as a sign of depletion within the category of internal secretions that they term 'essence', which is stored in the kidneys and provides moisture to other organs. According to Chinese medicine, age dries vaginal tissues, eyes, skin, and hair while also affecting other organs like the liver, heart, spleen, and the lungs. Losing essence due to age upsets the natural balance of the body.

But because most women show little or no signs of high blood pressure or abnormal levels of blood sugar, common conditions for women after age 50, vaginal dryness might be the only clue that serious health problems exist in a women suffering from vaginal dryness. High blood pressure raises the risk of heart failure and contributes to strokes. Vaginal dryness can help detect these problems before they reach serious risk levels.

Unbalanced blood sugar can strain the kidneys and delicate glands, causing them to function erratically. In a vicious circle, spiking blood sugar negatively affects the brain, pancreas, liver and pituitary and adrenal glands. In what they perceive as bodily stress, the adrenal glands may overproduce adrenaline, a hormone that essentially drains moisture both from within and from without, leave skin dry and cracked in addition to exhausting the body's energy.

Nature Has the Answer

Because the kidneys are responsible for fostering development of bone marrow and strengthening the immune system, TCM believes that they should be the focus of Mainstream health-care practices have not provided for the mature woman's need for balanced moisture throughout her body - from her kidneys to her hair, skin, and more delicate areas - but certain Asian herbs, mixed into a soothing team can provide that moisture wherever she needs it. With this understanding, practitioners of TCM began developing herbal formulas some 5,000 years ago to restore estrogen naturally in older women. These Chinese herbal blends, such as EvaMax VI - Herbal Remedy for Vaginal Problems were formulated to support the kidneys (responsible for the body's moisture) and they compensate for the lack of estrogen by increasing the body's production of moisture.

back to Vaginal Dryness index