Many women, of all ages, experience vulvar and/or vaginal pain or other symptoms and assume that’s “just the way it is” as if nothing can be done to help. Often women have been to see a gynecologist but haven’t been able to resolve the issue.

Women may be experiencing pain, for years, and be dismissed by the medical system. This can impact women’s daily activities, relationships, and sense of self. To me, that is unacceptable, especially because there are options that can help.  

Common vulvar and/or vaginal issues women are dealing with are pain or vulvodynia, itching, burning, dryness, irritation, discharge, recurrent yeast or BV, bladder infections, and/or high-risk HPV and abnormal Pap smears. They may also experience medical trauma related to the assessment and treatment of these conditions. 

If you are struggling with any or all of these symptoms, whether you’re in your 20s, your 90s, or anywhere in between…before or after menopause…this episode will help you understand 10 approaches you may not have heard about.

Understanding Your Options and Individualizing to You

Please know, as I go through this list of 10 options for you to consider, it’s not that you have to try all 10. The idea is for you to review the list and ask yourself, “Have I tried this? And does it make sense for me and my case?” 

Some of the options I’m sharing are available over the counter or through my website; others require a practitioner like me or a prescription from your gynecologist.

Dose and timing need to be modified for your body. I encourage you to start simple, and one at a time, listen to your body, and then consider adding others to improve your results. You may stack two, three, or four options to see enough of a difference. Even a 50% reduction in symptoms is worth the try.

Options may come in the form of vaginal capsules or suppositories, oils, creams, and/or gels. They may be intended for inside the vagina, and/or for the vulva or perineum. 

Always look for clean ingredients. Avoid parabens, preservatives, alcohol, sodium lauryl sulfate, and propylene glycol, which can irritate sensitive tissue. Natural bases like cocoa butter, coconut oil, shea butter, rose oil, emu oil, and vitamin E are okay to use. Just be aware of your allergies and sensitivities; if you’re allergic to coconut, avoid coconut oil, for example.

If no product is a good match for you, you may want to consider using a compounding pharmacy. They can make a cream or suppository with exactly the ingredients you need. The options are limited only by our creativity.

Th solutions I’m sharing are rarely discussed at the gynecologist, yet many have research behind them that simply hasn’t reached standard of care or insurance coverage. Paying out of pocket can be worth it when it can change your health and life. 

Remember, the vagina and vulva are connected to your whole body. While in this episode, I’m discussing local treatment options, please know that it is important to address your health as a whole. With my patients, I also address mindset, stress, digestion, nutrients, hormones, blood sugar, methylation, and toxins. 

1. Vaginal Probiotics

Oral probiotics can help, like my favorite, Women’s Probiotic Support, but we can also use probiotics vaginally. Your vagina has its own microbiome, and those healthy bacteria protect you from infections, autoimmunity, and viruses like HPV and HSV. Infections, HPV, stress, aging, sex, and menopause can all disrupt it.

Gynecology offices check for BV, yeast, or chlamydia, but not your full microbiome. I offer vaginal microbiome testing that you can do from home.

To reestablish a healthy microbiome, especially Lactobacillus crispatus, research suggests using a vaginal probiotic twice a week for 8 to 12 weeks, while also healing the whole vaginal environment. You can find V-Porbiotics vaginal probiotic here.

2. Vitamin E

Vitamin E is moisturizing and soothing, and research shows it can help with vaginal dryness and irritation. It can be used for menopause-related dryness, particularly if you are not using vaginal estrogen. Vitamin E in an oil can be used on the vulva and is very gentle and healing. There’s no downside, and it can be used long-term.

You can find Vitamin E – Hydration Pearls here.

3. Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid, found naturally in our skin, joints, and eyes, is very hydrating vaginally and safe and effective. You can find it in creams and suppositories, sometimes combined with vitamin E. 

Hyaluronic acid can be used for postmenopausal symptoms instead of vaginal estrogen, or alongside vaginal estrogen.

You can fine Hyaluronic Acid: V-Hydrate here.

4. Vaginal Estrogen

Research now shows vaginal estrogen is safe and effective for menopause-related GSM (Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause), including dryness, pain, burning, and for prevention of infections. 

Researchers revisited the concerns from 20 years ago and found estrogen was not causing breast cancer. One exception is if you’re currently in treatment for breast cancer. If you’re at least five years out from a cancer diagnosis, ask your oncologist whether you would be able to use it.

The pharmaceutical estradiol (E2) cream contains alcohol and other irritants. A compounding pharmacy can make cleaner suppositories or creams. I tend to recommend estriol (E3), a gentler form of estrogen shown to be effective for genitourinary syndrome of menopause.

Even without dryness, it is worth considering the use of vaginal estrogen if you are over age 50 or if you no longer have a period. Getting vaginal or urinary infections tell us estrogen is likely low and needs to be addressed. Vaginal estrogen is now considered essential for preventing infections in menopause, so don’t wait for an infection to happen to begin.

You can find Hydration ovals: To support vaginal estrogen levels with estriol in a cocoa butter base here. (REQUIRES A PATIENT ACCOUNT AND LOGIN).

5. Androgens: DHEA and Testosterone

DHEA, made by the ovaries, turns into testosterone and is available over the counter or by prescription as a cream, oil, or suppository. It supports tissue health, infection prevention, and comfort, alone or with estrogen, vitamin E, and hyaluronic acid. 

Testosterone requires a prescription from a compounding pharmacy and can help symptoms and libido.

6. Red Light Therapy

Several companies make vaginal red-light wands. They can help with muscle tightness, pain, urinary symptoms like incontinence, and HPV and other infections by increasing blood flow, healing tissue, and supporting the immune system. 

You can find fringe red light therapy devices here. Use code DrDoni10 for a special discount!

Find the JoyLux device here.

7. Pelvic Floor Therapy

All women should see a pelvic floor physical therapist, ideally once a year after age 50, and after pregnancy, even without a vaginal delivery. They can assess whether your muscles are too tight or too lax and guide treatment. There are online pelvic floor classes as well. Watch a prior How Humans Heal episode here. 

8. Vibration and Massaging Tools

There are special devices to help relax tight muscles, ease pain, and improve circulation and immune function.

9. Energetic, Visceral, and Fascial Healing

There are many specific approaches that can help women who have experienced pelvic trauma, whether sexual violation, medical procedures, or due to surgery. If you have pain and/or any pelvic related conditions, this is worth considering.

Options include Mayan uterine massage, Reiki, craniosacral therapy, myofascial therapy, and other forms of energy healing, including a “womb journey.” Find a practitioner you feel safe with in your local area. 

10. Compounded Pain Relief

For severe pain when you’ve tried everything else, compounding pharmacies can make suppositories, creams, or gels with lidocaine or gabapentin to reduce nerve and tissue pain. This option needs to be ordered be a practitioner. 

Closing Thoughts

Your symptoms are your body asking for attention, not a sign that you did something wrong. I’m here as a detective to help you find what your body needs. Reach out to my office if you’d like my help with any of the options mentioned here. Please don’t give up on yourself or resign yourself to constant pain or infections.

What I find in my practice – and I’ve been helping women for over 26 years – is that with compassionate and diligent support, we can identify what your body needs. Your body has the ability to heal. 

Remember, investing in your health is not selfish – it’s necessary. Women often arrive at mid-life having spent most of their time taking care of others and realize it is time to take care of you!

It is also important to know that it is possible to recover from stress and trauma, because you’re not likely to hear that from your standard doctor’s office. Keep in mind, they are not educated about diet, exercise, supplements, or stress recovery. 

I am living proof that it is possible to heal holistically and naturally. It’s possible to balance your hormones or to use bioidentical hormones safely and effectively, as well as to clear HPV and get a normal pap result, and to eliminate the effects of stress, trauma, anxiety and depression. I help patients to do this in my practice every day – by phone and zoom, anywhere in the world. You can set up a one-on-one appointment here.

Once I meet with you one on one, we will create a strategic plan based on your health needs during menopause, including sessions with the health coach on my team to help guide you to implement my proprietary C.A.R.E. and Stress Mastery programs. 

If you’re dealing with persistent HPV I welcome you to join my next FREE How to Get Rid of HPV online workshop where I help you to create a plan to get HPV out of your life for good. From there, you might choose to join the Heal HPV Kickstart Program, for the initial steps of my protocol, including diet changes and supplements, over the next 30 days.

Or you can begin with the comprehensive Say Goodbye to HPV Program, which is 3 months and includes everything you need to implement my full protocol and address all eight susceptibilities with live, group support, and access to testing and vaginal suppositories.

You can also go to clearhpvnow.com. There, you’ll find lots of resources and stories from women who’ve followed my protocol and cleared HPV to negative. 

Thank you for joining me today for this episode of How Humans Heal®. Make sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode! You can access it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer. You can also watch at doctordoni.com.

I look forward to connecting with you soon! 

Dr. Doni

Disclaimer: This specific article and all other Content, Products, and Services of this Website are NOT intended as, and must not be understood or construed as, medical care or advice, naturopathic medical care or advice, the practice of medicine, or the practice of counseling care, nor can it be understood or construed as providing any form of medical diagnosis, treatment,  natural HPV cure, or prevention of any disease.