Finding Comfort Again
Did you know that your estrogen levels can cause urinary and vaginal discomfort?
Estrogen & The Bladder
Struggling with Bladder, Urethral or Vaginal Pain?
Did your symptoms begin after using birth control, taking Lupron, after hysterectomy or as you aged? Are your urine cultures negative? Many women assume that they have an incurable disease such as interstitial cystitis however it's not a disease for many. It's simply Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM), a natural part of aging experienced by millions of women around the world.
Your Skin Health Matters
Estrogen plays a critical role in the health of your urinary and reproductive tracts. As estrogen levels fall, tissues become thinner, drier, and more easily irritated. This can trigger discomfort in the vagina (dryness, itching, burning, bleeding, painful intercourse), on the vulva (burning), in the urethra (burning) and the bladder (urinary urgency, frequency, incontinence and recurring UTI). These symptoms can significantly impact daily life, relationships and self-esteem.
Recurring Infections Can Also Occur
If you have 2 infections in six months or 3 in a year, you are a complex UTI patient. The key question? Why are you more vulnerable to infections? Again, estrogen atrophy plays a crucial role. Without estrogen, the mucosal layer thins, allowing bacteria to reach cells more easily to infect them. Treatment focuses on improving skin health with topical estrogen and treating any pathogenic bacteria.
Things You Can Do At Home!
Changing Your Diet Can Help
Because estrogen loss makes it more difficult for the bladder wall to defend itself against irritants in urine, diet matters. You may feel worse (urinary frequency, urgency, pressure, pain as the bladder fills with urine, after drinking a cup of coffee (even decaf), black tea, green tea or sodas. Supplements and vitamins that contain Vitamin C derived from ascorbic acid can also trigger intense discomfort. Following a low acid low caffeine diet will help.
Soothe & Protect Your Skin
One classic symptom of GSM is "urine burn," where your skin feels like its burning while you are urinating. This can happen in the urethra and, more frequently, on the vulva. It can be very helpful to use "Vulva Balm," a gel that mimics natural mucus to add a protective coating to those tissues. Learn more about that here!
Soothing Supplements
Even with estrogen therapy, the bladder will never "be young" again. Aging and the loss of estrogen reduces the ability of the bladder wall to protect itself from irritants in urine. Many patients have found relief with a variety of bladder health supplements that can act to soothe those more fragile tissues. With lower risk of adverse events than traditional medications, many doctors and patients prefer to start with supplementation first. We suggest Bladder Builder®, Bladder Rest®, Cystomend® or CystoProtek®. Learn more here!