It is difficult for some women to discuss their reproductive issues with their friends or relatives openly. They may get ridiculed, so they may not get the help they need. To avoid such an embarrassment, women’s health Boca Raton specialists approach your problem with empathy. Additionally, they have various tools to diagnose various issues.
Besides avoiding ridicule, you should consult specialists to avoid further damage to your health. Your health may be at risk or not, depending on your issue. Here are the reproductive issues that these specialists treat.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Women with PCOS produce more male hormones than normal and, as a result, develop cysts on the ovaries. These cysts cause them to have no periods or those that last for days. If you do not seek immediate help, you may experience infertility, sleep apnea, or depression.
Doctors will prescribe contraceptive pills to induce regular periods. If this condition causes you to be infertile, they will administer clomiphene. In case the drugs do not work, doctors may consider a minor surgical procedure called laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD).
Uterine Fibroids
This condition affects women differently. Some women do not show any symptoms, so the doctor may inadvertently discover fibroids during a pelvic exam. Those with symptoms will experience constipation, leg pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, and frequent urination.
Your doctor will administer prescriptions depending on the predominant symptom. If you have heavy menstrual bleeding, they will prescribe tranexamic acid. Surgeons can also consider radiofrequency ablation or uterine artery embolization procedures besides medications.
Interstitial Cystitis (IC)
Women with IC experience pain in the bladder due to inflamed bladder walls. Those who exhibit IC symptoms will experience a persistent need to urinate, pelvic pain, and pain during sex. The symptoms become severe if you happen to have a urinary tract infection.
One possible treatment for IC is physiotherapeutic techniques that ease pelvic pain, such as cat stretches, lower tummy exercises, or pelvic circles. Doctors can consider surgical methods such as resection and fulguration if your pain is severe. Before they consider surgery, they will first prescribe antihistamines.
Cervical Cancer
The cancer attacks the lower part of the uterus, which triggers symptoms like vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain. You are at risk of getting cervical cancer if you have human papillomavirus (HPV). That means you should reduce your chances of getting HPV by not having multiple sexual partners.
Surgeons may use radiotherapy to kill cancer cells and may do it externally or internally. In the former, your surgeon directs a radiation beam to the affected area. On the other hand, the latter uses a device filled with radioactive material, which is then inserted into the vagina.
Endometriosis
Endometriosis causes severe pain because the tissue that usually lines the uterus grows elsewhere (e.g., on the ovaries). When the tissue grows on a certain reproductive organ, it causes irritation. Soon, you will begin to experience excessive bleeding and infertility.
You can opt for a hysterectomy if you do not intend to become pregnant. It is upon you to decide whether you will choose a partial or total one. Otherwise, you can consider other treatment options like pain medication, hormone therapy, or conservative surgery.
Unfortunately, some women can live with reproductive issues for years since some do not trigger symptoms. When they appear, they may become too sick to recover. You are probably thinking about what to do. Whenever you can, go for regular tests regardless of whether or not you feel ill.
These regular tests will help your doctor discover early signs of cancer, for instance. That means it will be easier to recover since cancer has not spread throughout your body. When you go for these regular tests, do not worry about the costs but about your health.