Masturbation for Menopause Relief
Welcome back, Bestie! We are days away from Menopause Awareness Month (October) and to celebrate, we’re talking menopause!! I’ve recently realized that menopause is one of those topics I just can’t seem to talk about enough. I think this is because it’s one of the most treatable experiences women face (in my opinion), but it feels like almost no one is talking about it! In fact, menopause is so seldom talked about that some women going through it are not even able to distinguish menopause or perimenopause as the reason for their symptoms! This might be traced back to a total lack of education surrounding the topic, with one study reporting that over 94% of women had never been taught about menopause at school (1).
Menopause encompasses a wide range of symptoms, from hot flashes to insomnia to vaginal dryness. Treatment options are just as various, ranging from hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to pelvic health physical therapy to guided meditation. When going through menopause or perimenopause, most women experience symptoms (2). In fact, over 85% of those undergoing menopause experience symptoms (2). With so many of those in menopause experiencing symptoms and so many treatment options, why is it that women consistently lack methods for managing their symptoms? Do any truly simple yet effective treatment options even exist? Earlier this month, Womanizer and the Kinsey Institute released a study pointing to a new way for women to manage their menopause symptoms: masturbation (2). Let’s talk about what the study says and what this means!
Study Format:
The study was sponsored by the Pleasure Fund, which is Womanizer’s charitable platform that aims to close the gender health gap*. I think it is worth noting that Womanizer, who funded this research via their Pleasure Fund, sells products aimed to help women masturbate. Any time a study’s outcome is favorable to the people that funded the study, it is important to recognize the potential conflict of interest. Though I don’t think that’s what has happened here, I feel it should be mentioned and made clear.
What the Study Says:
Results of the study are published on Womanizer.com and truthfully, there’s not a ton to unpack. The study reports that 1 in 10 menopausal women use masturbation as a primary method for managing symptoms (2). Another roughly 1 in 10 menopausal women used partnered sex for symptom relief (2). Sex and masturbation were both ranked among the most effective ways to manage menopause symptoms (2).
The most interesting part of the study comes next during the discussion about perimenopausal and menopausal women (aged 40-65) and their conversations with their doctors. According to the results, only 44% of women have discussed menopause with their doctors and only about a third of doctors asked about the sex lives of their patients (2). Most shockingly, only 5% of doctors mentioned masturbation, even though nearly half of the women surveyed said they would be willing to try masturbation as a treatment for menopause symptoms if recommended by their doctor (2).
Main Takeaways:
What I took from this study is that simple and effective tools for menopause symptoms do exist. Masturbation may be a way for menopausal women to get relief from some of their symptoms. It has been shown to improve mood, sleep, and vaginal health–all of which may be affected during menopause. There are many available treatments for menopause symptoms and medical practitioners should add masturbation to discussions with their patients in determining the best course of care. Treatment continues to be highly individual and should be based on a combination of available research, patient preferences, and medical provider experience.
I have a feeling this isn’t the last time we’ll be hearing about menopause treatment advances. My hope is that things change a lot in the coming decade and we can all have a more positive menopause experience. Have you used masturbation to improve menopause symptoms? I’m all ears and would love to hear your story.
XOXO,
Your Pelvic Bestie
*If you are interested in learning more about the gender health gap, I strongly recommend the book “Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men” by Caroline Criado Perez.
References:
Aljumah R, Phillips S, Harper JC. An online survey of postmenopausal women to determine their attitudes and knowledge of the menopause. Post Reprod Health. 2023 Jun;29(2):67-84. doi: 10.1177/20533691231166543. Epub 2023 Mar 29. PMID: 36994487; PMCID: PMC10273865.
https://www.womanizer.com/us/menopause
*The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives
