Atrophic (senile) colpitis
Content:
- What is atrophic colpitis?
- Symptoms of atrophic colpitis
- Causes of atrophic colpitis
- Diagnosis of atrophic colpitis
- Treatment of atrophic colpitis
- Prevention of atrophic colpitis
What is atrophic colpitis?
Atrophic (senile) colpitis is an inflammatory process, the localization of which is the vaginal mucosa. The provoking factor is the decrease in the woman's body of the hormone estrogen and the thinning of the epithelium of the vaginal wall.
This pathology is typical for women in whose body climacteric changes have occurred and the postmenopausal period has begun. Or for those women whose menopause was induced artificially.
The incidence of this type of colpitis is about 40%. Most often, the inflammatory process begins to develop five years after the end of menopause.
But 10 years after the cessation of menstruation, this colpitis manifests itself in almost 80% of women.
Symptoms of atrophic colpitis
Since the symptoms of atrophic colpitis develop against the background of aging of the body, they often go unnoticed for the woman herself. In addition, most of them stop regularly visiting a gynecologist, which makes the diagnosis of atrophic colpitis difficult.
A woman should be alerted and become a reason for contacting a doctor with the following symptoms:
- Scanty, recurrent leucorrhoea.
- Periodic burning pains in the vulva.
- Itching in the genital area, which tends to intensify during urination and during intimate hygiene with soap.
- The appearance of bloody secretions due to increased vulnerability of the vaginal mucosa. Most often they occur after intercourse, after difficult bowel movements or after a standard gynecological examination.
- Discomfort and pain during intercourse.
- Pallor of the vaginal mucosa.
- Frequent urge to urinate, in more rare cases, urinary incontinence is observed.
- Frequent change in discharge from profuse to barely smearing, with bloody blotches.
Symptoms of atrophic colpitis may overlap with symptoms of candidal or specific colpitis. However, most often they are less pronounced and occur precisely in women of advanced age.
Causes of atrophic colpitis
Among the reasons leading to the development of atrophic colpitis are:
- The onset of natural menopause against the background of which there is hypoestrogenism (deficiency of the hormone estrogen). Its deficiency provokes a decrease in the secretory functions of the vaginal glands, an increase in the vulnerability of the mucous membrane, its dryness and vulnerability against this background.
- Ovariectomy of one or two uterine appendages.
- Irradiation of the ovaries.
- Endocrinopathologies such as diabetes and hypothyroidism.
- Medical shutdown of the functionality of the ovaries.
- As additional reasons contributing to the development of the disease, one can single out wearing underwear made of synthetic materials, improper or insufficient hygiene of the intimate area, as well as the frequent use of soap and gel with scented additives.
Whatever the cause of hypoestrogenia (estrogen hormone deficiency), a change in the vaginal microflora will certainly take place against its background. At the same time, there is a decrease in the number of lactobacilli, the disappearance of glycogen and the growth of an acidic environment. Such conditions are extremely favorable for the growth of conditionally pathogenic flora and the penetration of infection from the outside.
In addition to many disadvantages, older women experience a natural decrease in immunity and exacerbate chronic diseases. All this together leads to the fact that the disease becomes stubborn in nature with frequent relapses.
Diagnosis of atrophic colpitis
In order to determine the presence of an inflammatory process, a gynecologist needs a standard examination. Atrophic colpitis is indicated by the following symptoms: mucous membrane, pale colored, covered with microscopic cracks and bleeding from touch areas. If a secondary infection has joined, then there will be purulent discharge and hyperemia of the vaginal walls with their swelling.
In order to clarify the diagnosis, a smear is taken, which is subsequently sent for microscopic and cytological examination. In addition, the acidity of the vaginal environment is determined and an extended colposcopy is performed.
If secondary infections or sexually transmitted diseases are found, then the patient is referred for consultation with a venereologist.
Treatment of atrophic colpitis
Treatment of the inflammatory process has several goals, including:
- Restoration of the processes of nutrition of the vaginal tissues to ensure the safety of their structure;
- Elimination of the existing inflammatory process and, if necessary, the associated bacterial infection;
- Prevention of possible recurrence of colpitis.
Most often, women with atrophic colpitis are prescribed hormone replacement therapy.
For the treatment of the disease, suppositories and ointments are injected locally into the vagina, including estriol and ovestin. Also, hormone therapy is prescribed tibolone, estradiol, kliogest, angelic, which is used systemically in tablet form or in the form of patches. It is worth considering that hormonal drugs will have to be taken for a long time period, up to 5 years, without interruption.
If the inflammatory process is accompanied by the addition of bacterial flora, then the patient is prescribed antibacterial drugs. When colpitis of an atrophic form causes urinary incontinence, doctors recommend taking uroseptics.
To assess the effectiveness of the therapy, a woman will need to regularly undergo studies that were implemented at the diagnostic stage.
If a woman is contraindicated in treatment with drugs containing estrogen, then with a therapeutic purpose, local douching with antiseptic properties is prescribed. This makes it possible to somewhat alleviate the woman's condition and reduce the severity of symptoms.
As for the prognosis, it is favorable for the patient's life. However, even with the passage of a full-fledged therapeutic course, the disease can recur and cause a certain discomfort to a woman, reducing her quality of life.
On the subject: 2 effective folk remedies for colpitis
Prevention of atrophic colpitis
To prevent the development of the disease, a woman needs to regularly visit a gynecologist. Moreover, entering the postmenopausal period does not mean that visits to the doctor should become a rarity. The degree of dystrophic changes in the vaginal mucosa, and therefore the severity of the symptoms of the disease, depends on how timely hormonal drugs are prescribed. In addition, substitution therapy is the prevention of the development of osteoporosis and heart and vascular diseases.
In order to prevent the early development of menopause, it is necessary to give up bad habits, lead an active lifestyle with moderate physical exertion, prevent stress and eat rationally.
If there is a predisposition to inflammation of the vagina, then you should refuse to wear underwear with the use of synthetic fabrics, especially carefully monitor the hygiene of the intimate area and promptly treat diseases that reduce the body's immune forces.
The author of the article: Lapikova Valentina Vladimirovna | Gynecologist, reproductologist
Education: Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology received at the Russian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development (2010). In 2013 completed postgraduate studies at N. N. N. I. Pirogova.
