Obstetrician Gynecologist Menopause

Menopause, Black Cohosh, And You!

What is Black Cohosh?
Black cohosh extract has been gaining a lot of popularity and recognition in recent years for its numerous health benefits. However, Native Indians have known about the power of the black cohosh herb for hundreds of years – and they have used it to treat and cure an astounding array of disease and illnesses. Today, black cohosh supplements are also known as Cimicifuga racemosa and Actaea racemosa. The supplements are widely available, but there are certain things you must know for your good health in order to properly use this herb.

Black Cohosh Benefits
One of the foremost uses of the black cohosh herb today is as a natural menopause treatment. And it has come about with very promising results. Some of the incredible black cohosh benefits you should know about include the following:

Menopause

Breast cancer

Hot flashes

Mood swings

Vaginal dryness

Migraines and headaches

Perspiration

Arthritis and osteoporosis

Heart palpitations, and

Sleep disturbances

Cimicifuga racemosa has gained considerable attention in particular for the benefits it provides for menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes.

The research backing up black cohosh supplements for menopause symptoms is growing and very promising. To expound on this, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reported that short term Cimicifuga racemosa and Actaea racemosa use may help women with some menopausal symptoms. When a huge medical body like this makes a statement such as that, you had better listen.

Interestingly, there is also more research findings coming out for the use of black cohosh supplements in men. It’s not as well documented as female menopause, but male menopause is certainly a big concern. Natural treatments for prostate cancer and male-pattern baldness are prime areas for new research.

Side Effects of Black Cohosh
With all the positive black cohosh benefits, it may sound too good to be true. But let’s be very clear. Cimicifuga racemosa, or any supplements for menopause are not side effect free. You especially want to avoid excessive dosages. When it comes to black cohosh extract it is particularly important to examine the side effects of black cohosh when you are pregnant or considering pregnancy.

You should also be aware that there are similar sounding supplements. For example, blue cohosh and white cohosh. Although they have a similar name, these two herbs are known to be toxic and should never be used in place of black cohosh supplements.

Final Word on Black Cohosh Supplements
In conclusion, black cohosh supplements have many promising benefits, especially when it comes to menopause. However, the side effects and possible drug interactions are definitely areas you should look into before beginning a black cohosh therapy program.

Cervical Cancer Stages Prognosis

It’s a slow-growing cancer and 100 percent curable if detected early.

Cervical Cancer Stages Prognosis

Cervical cancer usually affects women between 30 and 55 years old. The National Cancer Institute said there are over 11,000 cases discovered every year.

Who gets cervical cancer? Naturally, any woman with a cervix is prone to the disease, but there are certain risk factors to consider. Sexual promiscuity is one of them.

Women who begin having sex before age 18 are more likely to get the disease. The cervix simply can’t stand numerous penile thrusts from different men who may carry a variety of infections. These include the papilloma virus (which is responsible for warts), genital herpes, the chlamydia organism, and other cancer-causing agents.

It you have had many pregnancies which started at a tender age, that puts you at risk for cervical cancer as well. On a positive side, women who use barrier methods of contraception, namely, the cervical cap, diaphragm, or let their partners wear a condom, which in all cases protect the cervix, have a lower cancer rate.

For some reason, smoking affects the cervix and the nicotine buildup in that organ can trigger the disease. Passive smokers face the same risk. So stop smoking now and avoid those who do. A diet rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and folacin is believed to be protective against cervical cancer. So it’s probably wise to eat your veggies.

Circumcision was once thought to protect women from cervical cancer but we now know that this is not true. This painful procedure has no medical benefit and should be discouraged except in special cases.

There are usually no symptoms in the early stage of the disease. Warning signals include bleeding after intercourse, bleeding between periods or after menopause. In some, there is a watery, bloody discharge from the vagina. A dull backache may be felt later.

With early detection, cervical cancer is highly curable provided it has not spread beyond the uterus. A yearly pelvic exam and a routine Pap test can save you a lot of trouble.

Lung Cancer Secrets Revealed Click here

Since the 1940s, the Pap smear has reduced cervical cancer death rates by 70 percent. Today, only about three percent of women die from the disease thanks to this valuable test.

“A Pap smear is the best screening procedure for cervical cancer. It can detect early lesions as well as pre-malignant lesions of the cervix. Aside from that, a Pap smear can also detect infection,” according to Dr. Rey de los Reyes, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the United Doctors Medical Center in the Philippines.

The Pap smear is named after Dr. G.N. Papanicolaou who developed it. In this test, the doctor gathers cell samples from the surface of the cervix by means of scraping it with a wooden spatula, brush, or cotton swab. The cell samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis.

“A negative result means that your cervix is normal; positive result indicates some abnormal cells. A positive result does not prove that you have cancer or even dysplasia, a precancerous condition, but it usually does mean you should have further evaluation, such as colposcopic examination and biopsy,” said Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the “Mayo Clinic Family Health Book.”

A colposcope is an instrument with a magnifying lens which helps the physician examine the cervix. While doing so, he removes a bit of the cervix (biopsy) for analysis.

“Once you have a suspicious lesion on the cervix that should be biopsied. Since some lesions of the cervix and even an infection can look like cervical cancer, a biopsy can accurately detect the disease,” De los Reyes said. (Next: When should you have a Pap test?)

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The Truth About Pms

Are you one of the 40-80% of women for whom this scenario, or at least a portion of it, is everyday life for one to two weeks out of every month of their lives from puberty to menopause? What disorder could possibly result in these varied, and often dehabilitating, symptoms for so many women?

Premenstrual Syndrome! That’s right! It’s that old friend, PMS, the subject of so many jokes and putdowns. You know – that “catch-all” phrase that, according to “so-called comedians,” covers all the “imaginary” problems that women “invent” as excuses to spend the day on the couch “watching TV and eating bonbons.”

Let me assure you that, while it is true that doctors and researchers have not found a specific lab test that can identify PMS, this disorder is definitely neither “imaginary” nor is it “invented.” Serious medical research has been going on for years to identify the definitions, diagnosis, causes, and cures for this disorder. Here are two of the resulting definitions:

1. Dr. Ellen Freeman of University of Pennsylvania Health System describes PMS as a “cluster of emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms that have a cyclic pattern related to the menstrual cycle, becoming severe in the week or two preceding menses and abating with menstruation.”

2. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists defines PMS as “the cyclic occurrence of symptoms that are sufficiently sever to interfere with some aspects of life, and that appear with consistent and predictable relationship to the menses.”

How do you know if you or a loved one has PMS, if there is no real test for it? Across the board, researchers and doctors agree that the identifying factor overall in this disorder is the fact that the symptoms stop once the menses begin or once a woman becomes pregnant.

You should know that doctors have identified two serious forms of PMS that have effects far beyond those of normal PMS symptoms:

1. “Postpartum Depression” is a severe depression that some women experience after giving birth. Women with this disorder suffer a severe let-down from the high pregnancy-levels of hormones, and, because of the disruption to their nervous systems, they may actually harm themselves or their babies.

2. “Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder” (PMDD) brings about serious and disabling depression, anxiety, tension, and angry irritability, intense mood changes in the week or two before the onset of menses, and women suffering from this disorder exhibit at least five of PMS’s physical symptoms as well. Like regular PMS, PMDD symptoms disappear with menses.

You may have heard that doctors find it helpful for women to keep a daily diary of symptoms throughout the month when they are attempting to diagnose PMS. What should you look for when keeping a daily diary or considering the possibility that you or a loved one has PMS? Well, PMS carries over 150 possible symptoms that affect women in both the physical and the emotional realms in varying degrees.

Physically, symptoms can range from light, as in headache, fatigue, and slight abdominal swelling, to severe, as in migraines, severe cramping, and an inability to function normally. Emotionally, you may experience symptoms relating to anxiety (irritability, irrational crying, or emotional swings), depression (withdrawn, fearful, or altered libido), cravings (for sweets, dairy, or alcohol), and fluid retention (headache, breast tenderness, abdominal bloating, and weight gain).

I can tell you that although doctors still have not determined the exact cause of PMS, they agree that hormones and neuro-chemical changes within the brain are prime suspects. Estrogen hormones, for example, can contribute to increased brain activity, retention of salt, and drops in blood sugar, because it has a central neurological effect on the brain.

What do you do if you realize that you or a loved one suffers from some level of PMS? Obviously, if the symptoms are severe, you should seek your doctor’s advice. Doctors today may prescribe either psychiatric (psychotropic drugs, tricyclics, tranquilizers, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), medical treatments (anti-estrogenic hormonal medications), or a combination of both for severe cases.

However, if you believe that your symptoms are manageable, or if they are intermittent, here are a few tips that might help you alleviate some symptoms.

- Eat six, small, high in complex carbohydrates, low in simple sugars meals at three-hour intervals to help keep energy levels and blood glucose levels steady. Complex carbohydrates are found in foods eaten in their natural states like oatmeal, cornmeal, barley, and wheat germ, or in foods like pastas, brown rice, root vegetables like potatoes, whole grain breads and cereals, etc.

- Reduce caffeine, alcohol, salt, fats, and simple sugars to help diminish fatigue, tension, depression and water retention bloating.

- Add calcium, controlled levels of B6, B complex, magnesium, and Vitamin E to help maintain normal moods and reduce fluid retention, cramps, and back pain.

- Exercise three times a week for at least 20-30 minutes to improve mood, blood circulation, sense of well-being, and alleviate the build-up of tension and stress.

- Learn to relax with deep breathing exercises, music, quiet time alone, or yoga, to decrease symptoms and help with coping. In addition, spend time with an understanding friend, get a solid 8 hours of sleep regularly, and keep track of the menstrual cycle on the calendar to prepare for the onslaught of symptoms to help yourself cope.

- Adjust your schedule around the menstrual cycle to avoid heavy decisions, stressful appointments or events, or even arguments during PMS to help both your PMS time and your relationships.

- Investigate the use of herbs. Much research is going on in the field of herbal remedies for PMS. Evening primrose oil, chaste tree berry, dong qui and other herbs may have an effect on PMS symptoms according to personal testimonies of women who have tried them.

For best results, I recommend a combination of all of these areas. A lifestyle including a balanced diet, proper amounts of necessary vitamins and minerals, plenty of healthy exercise, proper rest and relaxation, good mental attitudes, and appropriate herbs gives you the best defense against PMS symptoms. However, if all else fails, by all means, throw in a couple of bonbons. Women for centuries have insisted that chocolate is a miraculous cure-all!

Circumcision and Cervical Cancer

The bad news about cervical cancer is that it is one of the most common cancers affecting the female reproductive organs. But cheer up! It’s a slow-growing cancer and 100 percent curable if detected early.