Perimenopause brings vast changes to a person’s life that can begin months or years before menopause. This transition is in some ways more difficult due to the dramatic fluctuations in the reproductive hormone levels during perimenopause. During this time, reproductive hormones are sometimes underproduced and sometimes overproduced as opposed to menopause when the reproductive hormones…
Menopause affects bone health and sexual health. It can affect mood and emotional well-being, sleep and weight. It also can increase the risks for different cancers or for falls. The average person reaches menopause at age 51 or 52, meaning more than 40 million people in the United States are experiencing menopause. Menopause is tough…
Bone health often is overlooked and undertreated in postmenopausal patients, even though appropriate management is critical to lower the risk of fracture and potentially catastrophic falls. Estrogen protects bones by inhibiting osteoclast cells, which break down bone. With menopause and lower estrogen levels, bone mass starts declining. A person can lose up to 20% of…
Sexual health is important for any adult’s well-being, but patients with cancer face a new set of challenges when it comes to sexuality. Laila S. Agrawal, M.D., breast cancer oncologist with Norton Cancer Institute, is spearheading efforts to develop a sexual health clinic at Norton Healthcare. “The World Health Organization says that sexual health is…
The decision whether or not to take hormone therapy (HT) after menopause is not made in a vacuum. Breast cancer risk is influenced by lifetime estrogen exposure and genetic risk factors. HT is just one part of the equation, along with factors like age of menopause onset, obesity and whether or not the patient breastfed….
As a natural phase of life, menopause offers a perfect opportunity to reflect with a patient on heart health and potential lifestyle changes — before she loses the “protective” effect of estrogen. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer for both women and men, and the risk of heart disease for women rises significantly eight…
After menopause, a woman who presents with a burning sensation like a urinary tract infection (UTI) may well have genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), formally called vulvovaginal atrophy or atrophic vaginitis. Women often will tell their doctors they have a UTI because that what it feels like, and they are often treated for a UTI…
The latest episode of the “MedChat” podcast, “Common Issues in Women’s Health” is now available. Often times, when female patients seek medical attention it is either for a specific complaint or their annual wellness exam. It is recognized that there are key issues affecting women’s health that can be overlooked if practitioners do not evaluate…
Some women begin experiencing perimenopause as early as their late 30s, with symptoms lasting anywhere from two to eight years leading up to menopause in the usual late 40s to early 50s. Younger patients may be reluctant to bring up menopause, making it important for primary care physicians and OB/GYNs to raise the topic early…
Patients referred for advanced therapies for overactive bladder can expect either Botox injections, percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation or sacral neuromodulation, according to a specialist with the Norton Urogynecology Center. OnabotulinumtoxinA, or Botox, is an office-based therapy, performed under local anesthetic. “A small camera is inserted in the bladder and s small needle passes through that…
Successfully treating pregnant women for opioid use requires building a relationship with the patients, who often are experiencing shame and guilt as a result of their drug use, according to Jonathan W. Weeks, M.D., maternal-fetal medicine physician with Norton Children’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine. “I don’t let my moral, ethical feelings come out in the way I…
Knowing when to refer a patient for specialized urogynecology care isn’t always clear, and the guidelines aren’t necessarily uniform. Norton Urogynecology Center has four locations in Louisville and Southern Indiana, with three physicians and three advanced practice providers offering sophisticated care for your patients. Conditions to refer to a urogynecologist Pelvic organ prolapse Elevated post-void…