https://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Menopause is associated with an array of sexual and urinary symptoms, although not all women experience the same symptoms or severity. A new study suggests that many of these signs and symptoms are worse for women who undergo surgical menopause instead of natural menopause. Results of the study are published today in Menopause. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-surgical-menopause-severe-genitourinary-syndrome.html Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:00:07 EDT news700318549 Hormone declines during menopause can cause genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), a cluster of vulvovaginal and urinary symptoms that can significantly impair a woman's quality of life. Local estrogen therapy is effective in relieving genitourinary symptoms, but a new study, published in Menopause, suggests nonablative capacitive-resistive monopolar radiofrequency (CRMRF) may also be effective in restoring vaginal and sexual health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-nonablative-radiofrequency-sexual-function-postmenopausal.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:00:01 EST news690014535 About 50% of menopausal women experience genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) that involves changes to the genitals, including the vagina, urethra and bladder. When estrogen levels drop during menopause, it can cause the GSM symptoms of vaginal dryness, itching, burning, frequent urinary tract infections and pain during sex. Replenishing the hormone through vaginal estrogen is an effective GSM treatment. But many breast cancer survivors either can't or don't want to use estrogen. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-breast-cancer-survivors-relief-debilitating.html Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:20:01 EDT news680358390 Research published by Duke University researchers has found a strong link between higher stress in children and adverse health conditions for them later in life. Appearing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study used measurable metrics of health over time to create a more quantitative view of how stress early in life affects health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-childhood-stress-strongly-linked-chronic.html Thu, 25 Sep 2025 15:33:03 EDT news678033181 A new hydrogel applied directly to vaginal tissues may help alleviate the negative impacts of menopause, according to a new study from scientists at the University of California San Diego. The results, published in Advanced Materials, could pave the way for a hormone-free treatment that alleviates vaginal dryness and pain caused by genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), which negatively impacts quality of life for millions of women. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-hormonal-biomaterial-combat-vaginal-menopause.html Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:29:08 EDT news676560544 It's no secret that women often become less interested in sex with age. However, orgasm and satisfaction have been shown to not decline significantly with age. A new study suggests regular sexual activity may limit vulvar pain, irritation, and dryness, which are all common reasons women have less sex as they get older. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-regular-sexual-odds-pain-perimenopausal.html Wed, 25 Jun 2025 06:09:04 EDT news670050542 Vaginal estrogen, vaginal dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), oral ospemifene, and vaginal moisturizers may be beneficial for some genitourinary symptoms of menopause (GSM), according to a review published online Sept. 10 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-09-treatments-genitourinary-symptoms-menopause.html Tue, 10 Sep 2024 13:10:03 EDT news645191905 A study led by the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology shows how feeding mice a drug called GSM-15606 provides protection against air pollution-related increases in proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-drug-air-pollution-alzheimer-mice.html Mon, 12 Aug 2024 07:00:01 EDT news642400235 Diagnoses for sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, are increasing in older adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the number of people older than 65 diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis in the U.S. increased about three-, five- and sevenfold, respectively, from 2010 to 2023. Data also suggests that women older than 50 are at greater risk for HIV than younger women. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-08-menopause-stis-due-aging-body.html Thu, 01 Aug 2024 11:40:01 EDT news641727780 Cancer treatment is riddled with pros and cons, trade-offs. During October, breast cancer awareness month, the spotlight shines on endocrine therapy or "hormonal therapy." The drug, Tamoxifen, and others like it that shut down estrogen, are well-known in this category among breast cancer survivors. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-qa-hot-vaginal-dryness-endocrine.html Wed, 18 Oct 2023 13:42:05 EDT news616855322 Primary care professionals should think beyond thrush and genitourinary symptoms of menopause (GSM) when women present with vulval symptoms and consider the diagnosis of vulval lichen sclerosus (VLS), research led by the University of Bristol suggests. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-06-gps-play-key-role-vulval.html Mon, 26 Jun 2023 15:34:04 EDT news607012442 Because of a decrease in estrogen, menopause is often accompanied by multiple vaginal and urinary issues. To date, most treatment options focus on vulvar and vaginal atrophy, with fewer options available to treat urinary incontinence. A new study, however, suggests prasterone is effective in improving the severity of urinary urge incontinence. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-07-prasterone-severity-urinary-urge-incontinence.html Wed, 27 Jul 2022 17:10:49 EDT news578160647 Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Massachusetts General Hospital have identified a new drug that could prevent Alzheimer's disease by modulating, rather than inhibiting, a key enzyme involved in forming amyloid plaques in the brain. The study, which will be published March 2 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM), demonstrates that the drug is safe and effective in rodents and monkeys, paving the way for future clinical trials in humans. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-03-potential-drug-alzheimer-disease-safe.html Tue, 02 Mar 2021 10:00:02 EST news533891690 Postmenopausal women often complain of painful intercourse or a lack of desire caused by decreased estrogen levels, which affect vaginal elasticity and lubrication. Survivors of breast cancer typically experience worse symptoms as a result of cancer treatments, and concerns exist regarding hormone therapies. A new study suggests that fractional CO2 laser therapy may help. Study results are published online in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-02-co2-laser-therapy-sexual-function.html Wed, 03 Feb 2021 03:25:51 EST news531545141 Scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have developed a molecular imaging probe to reveal Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related γ-secretase in rodents and macaques with translational potentials in humans. γ-Secretase is a key player in the etiology of AD and a prime drug target for AD, whose brain regional expression and distribution have yet remain largely unknown. This study describes the development of a molecular imaging probe to reveal γ-secretase in rodents and macaques with translational potentials in humans. This study is to be published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-imaging-probe-visualize-alzheimer-disease-related.html Thu, 17 Sep 2020 16:20:01 EDT news519578196 (HealthDay)—In a position statement from the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), published in the September issue of Menopause, updated recommendations are presented for the treatment of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-nams-guidance-genitourinary-syndrome-menopause.html Fri, 11 Sep 2020 12:58:18 EDT news519047896 Nearly 50% of menopausal women complain of vaginal dryness, itching, and burning, among other commonly reported menopause symptoms. Laser therapy is one of the newer techniques for addressing these problems. A new study suggests that it is as effective and safe as vaginal estrogen in improving sexual and urinary functionality. Results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-10-laser-therapy-gains-credibility-effective.html Wed, 02 Oct 2019 11:46:45 EDT news489235596 Drones, smartphones and sensors could provide a lifeline to the world's growing elderly population at risk of falls, helping to cut global hospital costs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-08-solution-elderly-falls-drones-smartphones.html Mon, 12 Aug 2019 09:48:06 EDT news484822073 Despite its proven effectiveness in treating the genital symptoms of menopause, low-dose vaginal estrogen therapy remains underused largely because of misperceptions regarding its safety. However, a new study that followed women from the Nurses' Health Study demonstrates that its use is not associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer. Results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-12-effectiveness-safety-vaginal-estrogen.html Wed, 19 Dec 2018 00:00:02 EST news464373091 (HealthDay)—Another hypertension drug is being recalled due to contamination that could pose a cancer risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-11-hypertension-drug-recalled-due-contamination.html Fri, 02 Nov 2018 12:30:04 EDT news460377801 Microablative fractional CO2 lasers are energy-based devices designed to help manage troublesome menopause symptoms such as painful sex, dryness, itching/burning, urinary frequency, and incontinence. Although there is ongoing debate regarding the safety and effectiveness of vaginal laser surgery, a new study suggests that it may be effective, especially after multiple treatments. Study results are published online in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-10-relief-sexual-dysfunction-incontinence-menopause.html Wed, 10 Oct 2018 12:20:23 EDT news458392812 Women at any age should be able to enjoy sex. Unfortunately, sexual function and comfort often decreases for women during the menopause transition. A presentation at The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in San Diego, October 3-6, will highlight the many nonhormone and also hormone therapy options currently available to help women stay sexually active, even if they suffer from genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-10-options-sex-enjoyable-age.html Wed, 03 Oct 2018 02:25:39 EDT news457752320 Although the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is more prevalent in survivors of breast cancer than in other menopausal women, it is commonly undiagnosed and untreated. This led The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) and The International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH) to form a multidisciplinary Consensus Panel to develop recommendations for clinicians to manage GSM in women with or at high risk for breast cancer. The recommendations are published online in NAMS' official journal, Menopause. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2018-05-guidelines-clinicians-gsm-women-breast.html Thu, 17 May 2018 16:38:15 EDT news445793885 California's legal cannabis market, opening for business on Jan. 1, is expected to quickly grow to be the largest in the nation and worth more than $5 billion a year. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-12-politicsand-cannabis-marketingare-local.html Thu, 14 Dec 2017 15:30:22 EST news432487813 Scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), in collaboration with colleagues at the University California, San Diego (UCSD), have characterized a new class of drugs as potential therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease and discovered a piece in the puzzle of how they would work. Their study, using disease-related animal and cellular models, shows that treatment with a representative compound of this class of gamma-secretase modulators leads to a reduction of the Alzheimer's-associated beta-amyloid. The study has been online published in EBioMedicine, an open-access journal jointly published by Cell Press and The Lancet. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-10-closer-treatment-alzheimer-disease.html Wed, 18 Oct 2017 10:55:14 EDT news427542906 As women age, sexual activity typically declines. But that doesn't necessarily mean they are no longer interested in sex. The problem for many is physical. A new study demonstrates the impact on sexual activity of postmenopausal women as a result of vulvovaginal atrophy and lower urinary tract problems. The study results will be presented during The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, October 11-14. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-10-painful-sex-bladder-problems-toll.html Wed, 11 Oct 2017 03:04:51 EDT news426909881 (HealthDay)—Use of a fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser is a safe and effective treatment for genitourinary symptoms of menopause (GSM), according to a study published online Sept. 7 in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-09-laser-tx-aids-genitourinary-symptoms.html Sat, 23 Sep 2017 03:50:02 EDT news425354367 A new investigational delivery method for localized vaginal estrogen therapy that utilizes an applicator free softgel to alleviate moderate-to-severe vaginal pain during intercourse (dyspareunia), a symptom of vulvar and vaginal atrophy (VVA), received high rates of patient satisfaction among post-menopausal women, according to post-trial survey results published in the journal Menopause. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-02-high-satisfaction-applicator-free-local.html Wed, 15 Feb 2017 10:13:22 EST news406375994 You may have seen the headlines over the weekend, reporting on a new study that's supposedly found a link between mobile phones and cancer. But all is not quite as it seems. And much of the alarm raised by the study is misplaced. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-05-dont-latest-linking-mobile-cancer.html Mon, 30 May 2016 06:58:13 EDT news383810281 For some years research teams have explored and attempted to sort out any evidence concerning a cause-effect situation with mobile phones and cancer. Interest in the question does not disappear. Scientific groups prefer to welcome more studies than to shoo the question away. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-05-cell-rats-explores-exposure.html Sat, 28 May 2016 13:34:04 EDT news383661222