Maybe you have heard about the law of use and disuse before. It concerns everything even down below, just like a study has recently revealed. When a woman, especially those close to menopause and those already within the age range have sex regularly, their chances of coming down with vaginal atrophy is very minimal.
Vaginal atrophy is a common but treatable condition that causes the vaginal wall to thin.
And while it can be a problem for women of any age, it’s more likely to affect women who are going through or have been through, menopause.
This is because the body produces less estrogen than normal, which has an effect on how the walls of the vagina behave.
Vaginal atrophy can also occur in women who have been treated for cancer, especially in those who have had hormone treatment for breast cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Common symptoms include discharge, burning, itching, difficulty peeing and pain during sex.
This might seem like enough to put you off having sex for good, but regular orgasms — from your partner or a bit of self-love — can actually ward off the nasty symptoms.
And the key is the increased blood flow to your nether regions when you climax — it works almost like a “workout” down there.
Louise Mazanti, a London-based sex therapist, said: “It is very important that we have a healthy sex life with a partner or with ourselves.”
“People very often say, ‘I don’t have a sex life because I don’t have a partner.’”
“But forget about that and have a sexual relationship with yourself.”
“It’s about using massage and touching the tissue so that it becomes alive, the blood flows and the tissue becomes elastic.”
“It is really about exercising the tissue.”
Increasing blood flow increases oxygen supply to the vagina, which means it is less likely to become inflamed, thin or dry.
According to Mazanti, if cells are not getting enough oxygen, they cannot eliminate waste from the tissue, which can cause inflammation that leads to problems such as vaginal atrophy.
A buildup of toxins can also stop vital nutrients from getting to the cells, which can leave the tissue slightly weaker and thinner.
Mazanti also said losing the ability to have sex is not just a physical problem, it can have some serious side effects on a person’s mental health.
She further told NYpost : “When your ability to have sex and your desire to have sex decreases, it is a massive change in identity.”
“You start to question ‘who am I now if I am not the sexual woman I used to be?’”
“It can cause depression and an identity crisis and deep consideration of an existential nature.”
A specialist in non-surgical vaginal rejuvenating therapies added her own perspective.
“What many people do not realise is that increased stimulation of the clitoris actually physically helps rejuvenate the whole vaginal region,” Dr. Elena C. Arias, director of the Graal Clinic in Marbella and international expert on non-surgical vaginal rejuvenating therapies told the Sun UK.
“Clitoral stimulation and female orgasm increases pelvic floor tone, which in turn tones the entire vaginal area. At the moment of orgasm the clitoris surges with increased blood pressure. The uterus contracts off the pelvic floor, increasing pelvic muscle tension and strengthening the entire region. It’s like a stomach crunch for the vagina.
“In addition, clitoral arousal increases vaginal elasticity because it stimulates the function of the gland of the vagina, which produces a mucosa lubricant which has a moisturising and rejuvenating effect on the entire vaginal area. If clitoral stimulation and orgasm are initiated on a regular basis, this will improve the tone and elasticity of the vaginal area.”
In short, what a HIIT workout does for your stomach, sex or masturbation can do for your lady parts – and we all know which of the two is more enjoyable.
She adds: “Loss of sensitivity or pain during sex means the clitoris is not stimulated and orgasm is very hard to reach, which means that over time the vagina becomes less toned and less lubricated.”
