Lichen sclerosis of the vulva is a chronic skin condition that affects the genital area, particularly the vulva. It is more common in postmenopausal women but can occur at any age, including in children and premenopausal women. This condition is often underdiagnosed or mistaken for other skin issues, so understanding its symptoms and treatments is crucial for women experiencing discomfort or changes in their genital area.
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For many women, excessive, painful menstrual periods can interfere with daily life, causing fatigue, discomfort, and emotional distress. For those who have completed childbearing, endometrial ablation offers a proven, simple alternative to birth control pills or even a hysterectomy.
Continue reading Endometrial Ablation: An Overview | Fullerton, CA
As women age, their health needs evolve, shifting from reproductive health to broader concerns that reflect changes in hormonal, physical, and emotional well-being. From adolescence through menopause and beyond, the focus of healthcare for women is dynamic, with an emphasis on prevention, management, and holistic care at each stage.
Continue reading The Evolution of Women’s Health with Age | Fullerton, CA Maintaining vaginal health is crucial for overall well-being and quality of life. Recognizing the warning signs of poor vaginal health can help individuals seek timely medical advice and appropriate care.
Continue reading Recognizing Warning Signs of Poor Vaginal Health | Fullerton, CA
Smart lifestyle choices are the key to enjoying the most life has to offer. If you’re wondering how you can make a change that is going to make you feel better, these are some things we invite you to consider.
Continue reading Here’s How You Can Boost Your Health | Fullerton, CA
In 1991, the National Institutes of Health (N.I.H.) launched the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), designed to test the effects of hormone therapy on heart disease, bone fractures, breast cancer and colon cancer. One group of women who had undergone a hysterectomy received oral estrogen (Premarin) alone [estrogen replacement therapy or ERT]. A second group received a combination of Premarin and progesterone (PremPro) [combination hormone replacement therapy or HRT]. A third group received a placebo, which contained no hormones. In 2002, the study was stopped because the Provera group was associated with a slight increase in the incidence of breast cancer, heart attack, stroke, and blood clots.
Continue reading A Brief History About Estrogen Replacement | Fullerton, CA
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are more common in women than men, primarily due to the normal female anatomy, with the urethra (tube leading from the bladder to the outside), located very close to the vaginal opening. This allows bacteria from the vagina, and especially the rectum, to enter the bladder, and subsequently cause an infection.
Continue reading How To Diagnose, Treat, and Prevent Urinary Tract Infections | Fullerton, CA
Depression is a common illness that can affect anyone, especially during this time of year. About one in twenty Americans (more than 11 million people) suffers from depression every year, and it occurs twice as often in women as in men. Depression is a medical disorder that can be treated.
Depression is a medical disorder, like heart disease and thyroid disease. It is more than feeling sad for a short time or feeling grief after a loss. These feelings are difficult to cope with, but they usually get better with time. Depression disrupts your daily life, and affects your thoughts, feelings, behavior and physical health. It is not a weakness, or a fault and it is not something you can ‘just get over’. Depression has been associated with many causes:
Symptoms of Depression
The period of time when you experience symptoms of depression is called an episode. An episode lasts at least two weeks with several symptoms occurring every day.
Depression may vary in severity from mild to severe. If you have mild depression, you will only have a few symptoms. It takes an extra effort to do the things you have to do, but you can usually accomplish those tasks. Moderate depression means you have many symptoms, and you may not be able to do things you need to do. If you have severe depression, you have nearly all the symptoms of depression. This type of depression almost always keeps you from performing your daily tasks.
Diagnosing Depression
A doctor diagnoses depression after assessing both your physical and mental condition. In looking for the cause of your depression, the provider will ask questions about other medical problems, use of certain medications, and the use of drugs or alcohol. Blood chemistries, including a thyroid work-up should be current, and if not, will be ordered. If your doctor determines that a medical problem may be causing your depression, treating that problem may correct your depression.
Treatment of Depression
Treatment may include antidepressant medication, psychotherapy or both. Antidepressant medications are helpful and are used to treat mild, moderate and severe depression. Antidepressants relieve symptoms in more than half of the people who take them. They work by changing the balance of chemicals in the brain. Most people who take them start to feel better after a few weeks. There are several types of antidepressant medication. All antidepressant medications can have some side effects. About half the people who take them will experience some side effects early in their treatments, usually within the first 2 weeks. Side effects usually subside after 2 to 4 weeks.
Common Side Effects
Dry mouth
Nausea
Dizziness
Constipation
Skin rash
Feeling sleepy or having trouble sleeping
Gaining or losing weight
Feeling restless
Decreased sex drive (libido)
Serious Side Effects (uncommon):
Trouble urinating
Heart problem
Seizures
Fainting
Finding the Right Antidepressant Medications
When an anti-depressant medication is recommended to relieve the symptoms of depression, your doctor will prescribe one from the following categories:
A. SSRI’s (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)
First introduced in the 1980’s, the overall side effects of SSRI drugs tend to be less severe than the older antidepressants known as tricyclic (TCA) antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI’s). SSRI’s helped restore the brain’s chemical balance by increasing the available supply of the chemical messenger called serotonin (a neurotransmitter). SSRI’s appear to relieve depression by increasing serotonin levels without affecting the other chemicals in the brain and have fewer side effects than those of the MAOI’s and TCA’s. Available SSRI’s include: Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil and Paxil CR, Prozac and Zoloft.
B. SNRI’s (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors)
Similar to the SSRI class of anti-depressants as discussed above, SNRI’s also blocks the reuptake of another neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, in addition to serotonin.
Available SNRI’s include:
C. Other Available Antidepressants
For more information about depression contact the following organizations:
National Institute of Mental Health
6001 Executive Blvd., Room 8184 MSC 9663
Bethesda, MD 20892-9663
1-800-421-4211
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/depression.cfm
National Mental Health Association
1021 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2971
1-800-969-NMHA (6602)
http://www.nmha.org
National Alliance of the Mentally Ill
Colonial Place 3
2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 3000
Arlington, VA 22201-3042
1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
http://www.nami.org
If you would like more information about depression, contact Dr. Gordon C. Gunn MD at 714-912-2211 or visit www.gordongunnmd.com to schedule an appointment today.
Dr. Gunn proudly serves Fullerton and all surrounding areas.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among American women, affecting around 268,600 women and men each year. Breast cancer does not discriminate; it affects people of all ages and races. One of the first steps we can take towards effectively identifying and treating breast cancer is by taking preventive action and being aware of the symptoms that come along with this terrible disease. The following list includes breast cancer symptoms that we should all be aware of:
The way the breast or nipple feels
Breast or nipple appearance
Nipple discharge
Particularly if you have clear discharge or bloody discharge
Most times these symptoms are not due to cancer, but if you have any breast cancer symptoms you should be seen by your doctor immediately to be sure you’re healthy and cancer free. Your doctor is the expert and will always be able to check for breast cancer before you have any noticeable symptoms.
If you would like more information about breast cancer symptoms, contact Dr. Gordon C. Gunn MD at 714-912-2211 or visit www.gordongunnmd.com to schedule an appointment today.
Dr. Gunn proudly serves Fullerton and all surrounding areas.
An estimated 33 million people – 80% which are women – suffer from an overactive bladder. Urinary incontinence, also known as bladder incontinence, is the loss of bladder control. In some cases, individuals suffer from a total loss of bladder contents, or it may just cause minor leakage. This issue is more than just medical problem; it can affect emotional, psychological and social life as well.
There are many people who think urinary incontinence comes with age, but it is actually a symptom that can be caused by many conditions. However, the cause of urinary incontinence differs between men and women. Urinary incontinence is separated into three different types, and some may experience a mix of the types or all three. The following includes the three different types of urinary incontinence:
Stress incontinence. This type of incontinence occurs when you apply pressure on your bladder by exercising, laughing, sneezing, coughing or lifting something heavy. The activity causes the sphincter to weaken and release urine.
Urge incontinence. Urge incontinence occurs when you feel the sudden, intense urge or need to urinate. Often times, after feeling the urge to go you won’t have time between the urge and the loss of urine to make it to the restroom.
Overflow incontinence. This type occurs when you experience frequent dribbling or urine, due to the fact that your bladder doesn’t empty completely.
There are lots of devices and products that can collect and hold urine. Not only will they help manage bladder leakage, but they will give older and disabled people more freedom to enjoy life. If you find you’re having issues with your bladder, consult your medical professional about your options.
If you would like more information about urinary incontinence, contact Dr. Gordon C. Gunn MD at 714-912-2211 or visit www.gordongunnmd.com to schedule an appointment today.
Dr. Gunn proudly serves Fullerton and all surrounding areas.
