Q. I am in a relationship from the past two years. I am 25 years old and I never masturbated in my life. However, ever since I got into a relationship I wanted to have good sex with my boyfriend. We started having sex from the past one year, however, I soon realised that I have vaginal dryness. This didn't just make our sex, less exciting but also extremely painful. I really don't know what to do and how to deal with this. I am too scared to talk to an expert. But I just want to know easy ways to get rid of vaginal dryness. Help! Glass of Kesar Doodh Before Bed Can Boost Sexual Stamina and Give You Better Erection; Know More About Natural Aphrodisiac, Saffron. 

Ans.  Vaginal dryness isn't uncommon. In fact, about 17% of women aged 18-50 experience vaginal dryness. However, it is more common in pre-menopausal women. Therefore it is important that you visit a gynaecologist to know the reason behind a dry vagina. Women with hormonal issues (low estrogen) often face this problem. But what can you do to tackle vaginal dryness? Here are a few common ways:

  • Decongestants and antihistamines: Certain allergy and cold medications, often cause vaginal dryness. Talk to your doctor if you are taking them.

  • Low estrogen: You might also be low on estrogen. Get your estrogen checked.

  • Lube: Water-based lubes are the best in this case. Sex Tip of the Week: What Is Edging? Tips to Master the Orgasm Control Sexual Technique.

However, please remember that it is important that you visit a sexologist for problems like these. It is also important to know the cause of this problem. It can be one of the symptoms of Sjögren's syndrome where the cells in the body that produce moisture are under attack by your own immunity). If you are on antidepressants, this could possibly be one of the side-effects. If you resort to douching very often, you might want to stop because it steals away the vaginal moisture. Not enough foreplay before sex can also be one of the reasons, so make sure you have good foreplay. There is no shame in looking for help from the experts. Not only do they make your life easier but may also warn of any health condition that you might be prone to.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 08, 2020 05:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).