Besides exercise, diet and lifestyle choices, bone health is of critical importance as we age. A house is only as strong as its foundation, and bones are the body’s foundation. People reach peak bone density in their 30s, then bone loss begins to exceed the rate of bone formation. While you can’t regain full bone…
Lesbians may be at higher risk for HPV because of historical health care barriers that may have caused reluctance to get preventive screenings. Making matters worse, much of the discussion around sexually transmitted infections (STIs) has focused on heterosexual couples. “Providers and patients alike need to realize that the risks of sexually transmitted infections, including…
One of the most common reasons adolescents have heavy menstrual bleeding is they’re having anovulatory periods — they aren’t releasing an egg monthly from an ovary, so when they do bleed it’s because the uterus lining has outgrown the blood supply. “This is the reason why you have cycles that are every 21 to 45…
Blake Russ, APRN, has joined Norton Urogynecology Center as a seventh provider treating pelvic floor disorders, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence and related conditions. Blake most recently served as an emergency department nurse practitioner at Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital caring for patients of all acuities, performing lifesaving measures and less intensive procedures in collaboration…
As children assigned female at birth approach or start menstruating around age 12, parents often start asking their pediatricians about the first gynecology visit, Pap smear and why someone who is not sexually active needs to see a gynecologist. A teen’s first gynecological exam between the ages of 13 and 15 helps them understand that…
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…