General Gynecology

Annual Exams – PAP test and Breast exam

All women from 21 to age 65 should have a physical exam yearly. The exam is used to screen for many health problems as well as being a time to discuss any concerns you may have.

Hormone Evaluation

Fatigue, Premenstrual Syndrome, Irregular bleeding, Hot Flashes, and Night Sweats can all be an indication of Hormone Imbalance. We now offer Bioidentical replacement options as well as more standard treatments.

Menopause

This is a natural stage in women’s lives when they stop ovulating (releasing eggs). The normal range is from age 35 through 60. It may be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms that can often be treated by providers in our office.

PMS

Premenstrual syndrome refers to any of the unpleasant symptoms that some women experience in the 5 to 14 days prior to their cycle each month. Examples: Irritability, bloating, cramps, emotional stresses and headaches. There are options to help.

Abnormal Bleeding

The average cycle for women occurs every 21 to 35 days and menstruation usually lasts for 3 to 7 days. Sudden changes in your bleeding pattern can indicate problems. See your practitioner for bleeding in between cycles, bleeding more than 7 days or extremely heavy bleeding. Bleeding after Menopause as well as frequent spotting after sex should always be evaluated. If you are not sure if your bleeding is abnormal then call to discuss your concerns with one of our nurses.

Bladder Problems

Urinary leakage with exercise, coughing, or sneezing is called Stress Incontinence. Besides this many women also experience frequency, urgency, urge incontinence, and bladder pain. We offer detailed office testing to help determine the potential causes. It is not “normal” to leak urine no matter how many children you might have.

Abnormal PAP’s – Evaluation and Treatment

A phone call or letter from the office informing you of an abnormal PAP result is always alarming. Not to worry, this is almost never an emergency. Although abnormal results are serious nothing is going to change rapidly in the next few weeks. Typically the first step is to schedule a more detailed exam in the office called a Colposcopy to determine exactly what is happening with the cervix. Many low grade changes of the cervix will spontaneously regress and do not need treatment. High grade changes do need treatment but we offer the full range of treatment options so we can tailor the treatment to your specific situation.

STD Screening and Education

If you are under the age of 27 and you have had sexual activity or if your partner is new since your last exam then you should consider screening for certain infections that could potentially affect your health. If you are concerned that your partner is not faithful, you have a vaginal discharge, or you experience blisters or bumps vaginally then please let us know. We can offer advice on how to best avoid exposure to sexually transmitted diseases as well as treat infections that are already present.

Pelvic Pain

Bad cramps with your cycles, new pains in your lower abdomen, pain with sex, or pain with urination can all be signs of problems. In addition to the physical exam we often consider scheduling an Ultrasound to give us more detailed information of what may be the source of your pain. Once we have determined the potential cause we can usually offer options on how to correct the problem.

Endometriosis – Evaluation and Treatment

Endometriosis is one of the most common causes of pain and bad cramping that women have to deal with. It can occasionally also create difficulty in becoming pregnant. Endometriosis is the presence of the normal lining tissue from inside of the Uterus (endometrium) spreading outside of the Uterus. Commonly it will be on or near the Ovaries. There are medical as well as surgical options available for diagnosis and treatment.