Evaluating the Efficacy of Combined Intravaginal Estriol Therapy and Kegel Exercises in Managing Menopausal Atrophic Vulvovaginitis
<b>Background</b>: This is a prospective study. Atrophic vulvovaginitis (VVA), a prevalent condition resulting from estrogen deficiency after the menopause, is characterized by symptoms such as vaginal dryness, itching, burning, dyspareunia, and urinary discomfort. Standard treatment inv...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Lucian Șerbănescu Vadym Rotar Dragoș Brezeanu Sebastian Mirea Elena-Valentina Ionescu Paris Ionescu |
| author_facet | Lucian Șerbănescu Vadym Rotar Dragoș Brezeanu Sebastian Mirea Elena-Valentina Ionescu Paris Ionescu |
| author_sort | Lucian Șerbănescu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background</b>: This is a prospective study. Atrophic vulvovaginitis (VVA), a prevalent condition resulting from estrogen deficiency after the menopause, is characterized by symptoms such as vaginal dryness, itching, burning, dyspareunia, and urinary discomfort. Standard treatment involves systemic estrogen replacement therapy (HRT) and localized estrogen treatments, such as estriol. However, many women with moderate-to-severe VVA may not fully benefit from estrogen therapy alone. Non-hormonal adjunctive treatments, such as pelvic floor exercises (e.g., Kegel exercises), are being explored to enhance clinical outcomes. <b>Objectives</b>: This study investigates the combined effect of local estriol therapy and Kegel exercises in improving VVA symptoms in postmenopausal women. <b>Methods</b>: Fifty postmenopausal women diagnosed with VVA were enrolled and divided into three severity groups: mild, moderate, and severe. All participants received estriol therapy (0.5 mg vaginal tablets daily for 10 days each month) for the first three months. Following this, Kegel exercises were introduced for an additional three-month period, alongside continued estriol therapy. Symptom improvement was evaluated after six months, with outcomes categorized as complete remission, partial remission, or no remission. <b>Results</b>: Significant improvements in symptom remission were observed, particularly in the moderate and severe groups. In the mild VVA group, 81.82% achieved complete remission with combined therapy compared to 68.18% with estriol alone. In the severe group, complete remission was observed in 40% of patients receiving combined therapy compared to 20% with estriol therapy alone. These findings suggest that Kegel exercises enhance the effectiveness of estriol by improving local blood circulation, which facilitates better estrogen absorption and distribution. <b>Conclusions</b>: The addition of Kegel exercises to local estriol therapy significantly improves symptom remission rates, especially in moderate and severe VVA cases. This approach offers a promising strategy for managing postmenopausal VVA, particularly in cases that do not fully respond to estrogen therapy alone. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ac80726f2c8e49e9bd1f17bc094dac5b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2039-7283 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinics and Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-ac80726f2c8e49e9bd1f17bc094dac5b2025-01-24T13:27:44ZengMDPI AGClinics and Practice2039-72832025-01-011512010.3390/clinpract15010020Evaluating the Efficacy of Combined Intravaginal Estriol Therapy and Kegel Exercises in Managing Menopausal Atrophic VulvovaginitisLucian Șerbănescu0Vadym Rotar1Dragoș Brezeanu2Sebastian Mirea3Elena-Valentina Ionescu4Paris Ionescu5Faculty of Medicine, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900470 Constanta, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900470 Constanta, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900470 Constanta, RomaniaCounty Clinical Emergency Hospital “Sf. Ap. Andrei”, 900591 Constanta, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900470 Constanta, RomaniaFaculty of Medicine, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900470 Constanta, Romania<b>Background</b>: This is a prospective study. Atrophic vulvovaginitis (VVA), a prevalent condition resulting from estrogen deficiency after the menopause, is characterized by symptoms such as vaginal dryness, itching, burning, dyspareunia, and urinary discomfort. Standard treatment involves systemic estrogen replacement therapy (HRT) and localized estrogen treatments, such as estriol. However, many women with moderate-to-severe VVA may not fully benefit from estrogen therapy alone. Non-hormonal adjunctive treatments, such as pelvic floor exercises (e.g., Kegel exercises), are being explored to enhance clinical outcomes. <b>Objectives</b>: This study investigates the combined effect of local estriol therapy and Kegel exercises in improving VVA symptoms in postmenopausal women. <b>Methods</b>: Fifty postmenopausal women diagnosed with VVA were enrolled and divided into three severity groups: mild, moderate, and severe. All participants received estriol therapy (0.5 mg vaginal tablets daily for 10 days each month) for the first three months. Following this, Kegel exercises were introduced for an additional three-month period, alongside continued estriol therapy. Symptom improvement was evaluated after six months, with outcomes categorized as complete remission, partial remission, or no remission. <b>Results</b>: Significant improvements in symptom remission were observed, particularly in the moderate and severe groups. In the mild VVA group, 81.82% achieved complete remission with combined therapy compared to 68.18% with estriol alone. In the severe group, complete remission was observed in 40% of patients receiving combined therapy compared to 20% with estriol therapy alone. These findings suggest that Kegel exercises enhance the effectiveness of estriol by improving local blood circulation, which facilitates better estrogen absorption and distribution. <b>Conclusions</b>: The addition of Kegel exercises to local estriol therapy significantly improves symptom remission rates, especially in moderate and severe VVA cases. This approach offers a promising strategy for managing postmenopausal VVA, particularly in cases that do not fully respond to estrogen therapy alone.https://www.mdpi.com/2039-7283/15/1/20atrophic vulvovaginitisestriol therapyKegel exercisesmenopausevulvovaginal atrophypostmenopausal symptoms |
| spellingShingle | Lucian Șerbănescu Vadym Rotar Dragoș Brezeanu Sebastian Mirea Elena-Valentina Ionescu Paris Ionescu Evaluating the Efficacy of Combined Intravaginal Estriol Therapy and Kegel Exercises in Managing Menopausal Atrophic Vulvovaginitis Clinics and Practice atrophic vulvovaginitis estriol therapy Kegel exercises menopause vulvovaginal atrophy postmenopausal symptoms |
| title | Evaluating the Efficacy of Combined Intravaginal Estriol Therapy and Kegel Exercises in Managing Menopausal Atrophic Vulvovaginitis |
| title_full | Evaluating the Efficacy of Combined Intravaginal Estriol Therapy and Kegel Exercises in Managing Menopausal Atrophic Vulvovaginitis |
| title_fullStr | Evaluating the Efficacy of Combined Intravaginal Estriol Therapy and Kegel Exercises in Managing Menopausal Atrophic Vulvovaginitis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluating the Efficacy of Combined Intravaginal Estriol Therapy and Kegel Exercises in Managing Menopausal Atrophic Vulvovaginitis |
| title_short | Evaluating the Efficacy of Combined Intravaginal Estriol Therapy and Kegel Exercises in Managing Menopausal Atrophic Vulvovaginitis |
| title_sort | evaluating the efficacy of combined intravaginal estriol therapy and kegel exercises in managing menopausal atrophic vulvovaginitis |
| topic | atrophic vulvovaginitis estriol therapy Kegel exercises menopause vulvovaginal atrophy postmenopausal symptoms |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2039-7283/15/1/20 |
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