Symptoms and treatment of senile vaginitis

Senile vaginitis occurs in postmenopausal women. Since female hormones are no longer secreted, the vaginal environment changes, which can easily lead to bacterial growth, thus causing symptoms of vaginitis. The symptoms of senile vaginitis are vaginal odor and yellowish color, accompanied by vaginal itching, etc. For the symptoms of senile vaginitis, antibiotics should be used for treatment and vaginal hygiene should be maintained.

Senile vaginitis is common in elderly women after menopause. It is caused by the decline of ovarian function, decreased estrogen levels, atrophy of the vaginal wall, thinning of the mucosa, decreased glycogen content in epithelial cells, increased pH in the vagina, and reduced local resistance, making it easy for pathogenic bacteria to invade and multiply, causing inflammation. The main symptoms of senile vaginitis are as follows:

1. Vaginal discharge increases, becomes thinner, and light yellow. In severe cases, it may be purulent and bloody leucorrhea with a foul odor.

2. Itching or burning sensation in the vulva.

3. Atrophy of the vaginal mucosa, which may be accompanied by pain during sexual intercourse. Sometimes there is urinary incontinence.

4. The infection can also invade the urethra and cause urinary system irritation symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, and pain when urinating.

5. Gynecological examination can show atrophic changes in the vaginal mucosa, disappearance of wrinkles, thinning and smoothing of the epithelium, congestion of the vaginal mucosa, small bleeding spots, and sometimes superficial ulcers. The ulcer surface may adhere to the opposite side, and the adhesion may cause bleeding due to separation during examination. When adhesion is severe, it causes vaginal stenosis or even occlusion, and the inflammatory secretions are not drained smoothly, forming vaginal pyometra or uterine pyometra.

What are the treatment principles for senile vaginitis?

Senile vaginitis is a common gynecological disease in postmenopausal women. If the symptoms are obvious, there may be a burning sensation in the vagina, increased secretions, yellow color, and an odor. Clinically, scattered bleeding spots may appear on the vaginal opening and vaginal wall, and even vaginal bleeding may occur, which requires treatment. In addition to routine gynecological examinations, a cervical smear should be performed before treatment. CCT cervical smear looks for cancer cells to rule out cervical cancer. In addition, the leucorrhea should be checked for Trichomonas, fungi, chlamydia, mycoplasma, gonococci, etc., and a diagnostic curettage should be performed if necessary to rule out endometrial diseases.

Treatment principles for senile vaginitis:

1. Use 1% lactic acid or 0.5% acetic acid solution to wash the vagina. Apply local medication after washing. One tablet of metronidazole or norfloxacin is placed deep into the vagina. One course of treatment is 7 to 10 days.

2. Local or systemic use of estrogen: Generally, the above-mentioned local treatment is effective, and estrogen treatment can be used as an auxiliary treatment for those with more severe inflammation. Diethylstilbestrol 0.125-0.25 mg is inserted into the vagina once every night, and one course of treatment is 7 days. For stubborn cases, nialestrol can be taken orally for 2-3 months. Estrogen is contraindicated in patients with breast cancer or endometrial cancer.

To prevent senile vaginitis, women should be given female hormone supplements after menopause, after excluding systemic tumors. Under the guidance of a doctor, they should be given appropriate amounts of exogenous female hormones such as Levitra 1.25 mg twice a week, Premarin 0.625 mg plus Promethazine 2 mg, and calcium preparations containing D once a day to prevent the occurrence of senile vaginitis and osteomalacia.

In addition, senile vaginitis can also be treated with vulvar washes, such as the commonly used FuLuKang, CleanYin, chlorhexidine, etc. After cleaning the vulva, wash your hands.

In addition to being suitable for daily cleaning and maintenance, feminine care solutions that increase vaginal acidity can also inhibit the growth and reproduction of harmful bacteria during treatment. When going to the toilet, wipe the vulva with feminine hygiene wipes to keep it dry to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria.

Older women should pay special attention to self-care, hygiene, and change and wash their underwear frequently to reduce the chance of vaginal infection.