Tag Archives: Womens Health

200,000 heart disease, stroke deaths a year are preventable | Fullerton, CA

Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, ,
Rates of avoidable deaths due to heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure by U.S. county, 2008 to 2010. (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Rates of avoidable deaths due to heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure by U.S. county, 2008 to 2010. (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

It’s easy to think of heart disease and stroke as an almost inevitable part of aging in a developed country like the United States. After all, they are our leading causes of death and disability. But the truth is that these are largely preventable conditions.

New estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that one-quarter of all deaths from heart disease and stroke are preventable. And that is almost certainly an underestimate.

According to a report, published September 2, 2013 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, among American adults under age 75, approximately 200,000 of deaths caused each year by heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure (hypertension) are avoidable and preventable. Surprisingly, more than half of those preventable deaths occurred among individuals under age 65.

During a press conference to present the study results, CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden said, “As a doctor, I find it heartbreaking to know that the vast majority of people who are having a heart attack or stroke, under the age of 65 in particular, and dying from it didn’t have to have that happen.”

It’s possible that the rate of preventable deaths is lower among those over age 65 because they are covered by Medicare, and so may be more likely to see doctors and receive preventive treatment.

Contact Dr. Gordon C. Gunn, M.D., a specialist in female urology and women’s health.  Don’t continue to suffer, call his office today for an appointment 714-912-2211 or visit his website at www.gordongunnmd.com.

Dr. Gordon Gunn also proudly serves Buena Park, La Mirada, Yorba Linda, Diamond Bar, Walnut and surrounding areas.

Do-it-yourself approach No matter what your age and how good things look today, your future risk of heart disease, stroke and other related diseases is high. It’s true for all of us. That’s why it’s so important to do all you can to lower your risk: Don’t smoke. If you smoke, it’s never too late to quit. Your risk of a heart attack starts to decrease within weeks of quitting. Aim for or maintain a healthy weight. Take steps to help keep your blood pressure in the healthy range. Eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and limit salt intake. If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to do the job, there are a number of medicines that work. Reduce your consumption of saturated and trans fats. This will help improve your LDL (bad) cholesterol level. Instead, use more olive oil and other unsaturated oils. Some people may also need a statin drug to lower LDL. Over the next 10 years, we have the knowledge and means to greatly increase the number of preventable deaths from heart disease, stroke, and from many other diseases as well. As a nation, we could take a huge step forward by becoming more physically active and adopting other healthy lifestyle changes.

New Model to predicting cancer in Women | Fullerton, CA

Breast Cancer, Gynecology, Womens Health, ,

Branch of dogwood blossoms against a dark backgroundScientists have developed a new model that can predict a woman’s risk of developing breast, ovarian and endometrial (womb) cancer.

The model uses easily obtainable information on known risk factors for these cancers, according to the researchers.

Researchers developed these models by using data from two large US studies that included white, non-Hispanic women aged over 50 years and by including commonly known risk factors, such as parity (the number of children a women delivered), body mass index (an indicator of the amount of body fat), use of oral contraceptives, and menopausal status and use of menopausal hormone therapy.

Researchers said the new models are able to predict individual women’s risk of each cancer.  For instance, individual women’s risk for endometrial cancer calculated using this model ranged from 0.5% to 29.5% over the next 20 years depending on their exposure to various risk factors.

“These models predict absolute risks for breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers from easily obtainable risk factors and may assist in clinical decision-making,” researchers wrote.

“Limitations are the modest discriminatory ability of the breast and ovarian models and that these models may not generalize to women of other races,” they added.

The findings are published in the journal PLOS Medicine.

Contact Dr. Gordon C. Gunn, M.D., a specialist in female urology.  Don’t continue to suffer, call his office today for an appointment 714-912-2211 or visit his website at www.gordongunnmd.com.

Dr. Gordon Gunn also proudly serves Buena Park, La Mirada, Yorba Linda, Diamond Bar, Walnut and surrounding areas

Story written by Christine Hsu for www.counselheal.com.  Story is dated July 30, 2013

 

Do you suffer from an Overactive Bladder? | Fullerton, CA

InterStem Therapy, Urinary Incontinence, , , ,

 overactive bladder, fullerton

Do you have to get up more than once in the middle of the night to use the bathroom? When you are in public do you find yourself always looking for the restroom? Having an overactive bladder can make daily life hard. However, there is hope. With dietary changes and therapy, overactive bladder can be treated.

Dietary Changes can help manage your overactive bladder. Avoiding caffeine, alcohol and artificial sweeteners can help decrease bladder activity.

Other treatments include:

Pelvic Muscle Exercises

These type of exercises help prevent and/or alleviate symptoms since they strengthen the pelvic floor. They send a signal to the bladder to relax and resume filling. Through regular exercises, you can build strength and endurance to help regain and maintain bladder control.

InterStim Therapy

The process of delivering electrical stimulation directly to the sacral nerves. It is shown to be successful in 4 out of 5 patients. InterStim therapy involves two stages. First, a test. Second, a permanent implant. The implant delivers electrical stimulation without having to revisit the doctor. It is an outpatient procedure. The implant is surgically placed under the skin in the upper buttock or abdomen. It stimulates the sacral nerve using electric pulses.

Contact Dr. Gordon C. Gunn, M.D., a specialist in female urology. Don’t continue to suffer with overactive bladder. Call his office today for an appointment 714-912-2211 or visit his website at www.gordongunnmd.com.

Dr. Gordon Gunn also proudly serves Buena Park, La Mirada, Yorba Linda, Diamond Bar, Walnut and surrounding areas.

Stress: Symptoms, Causes and Managing | Fullerton, CA

Womens Health, , , ,

womens wellness-stress

 

 

 

 

 

Wellness is a dynamic process and it changes with age and circumstance. Understanding your current state of wellness improves your knowledge, helps you set goals and empowers you to make better choices for a healthier life.  Stress can greatly affect your wellness. Understanding more about stress and how to limit your stress can help lead you to a path of wellness.

Common Symptoms of Stress:

  • Headaches
  • Backaches
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Recurring nightmares
  • Irritability
  • Loss of concentration

Common Causes of Stress:

  • Health problems
  • Financial concerns
  • Communication issues at work and home
  • Social isolation

It is important to investigate symptoms of stress as prolonged stress poses a potential health threat. Chronic stress is believed to raise the risk of increased blood pressure (hypertension), heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic back pain, depression and a reduced immune response.

Effective steps for dealing with stress:

  • Discuss your symptoms and your feelings about them
  • Keep a diary to gain insight into your concerns and emotional patterns
  • Exercise regularly engaging in both aerobic and weight training
  • Practice relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation deep breathing exercises
  • Maintain your immune system by eating well balanced meals, exercising regularly and getting sufficient sleep.
  • Avoid destructive behaviors, including overindulgence of alcohol, caffeine or smoking
  • Seek professional help if any of your symptoms persist, interfering with your sense of well-being and/or your personal/work relationships.
  • Medications
    • Recurrent acute anxiety (episodic anxiety): Diazepam (Valium), Lorazepam (Ativan), or Alprazolin (Xanax). These drugs work very rapidly to alleviate symptomatic anxiety and should not be taken for more than two weeks.
    • Depression: When anxiety is part of an underlying depression or a more generalized anxiety disorder the following medications may be considered: Selective serotonin-uptake inhibitors: Fluoxetin (Prozac), or Paroxetine (Paxil) or other antidepressant medication. These drugs can take up to six weeks to achieve their full therapeutic effect.
    • Insomnia: Zaleplon (Sonata), Zolpiden (Ambien) or Temazapan (Restoril), short term use.

    Contact Gordon C. Gunn, M.D. in Fullerton, CA for more information on stress, women’s wellness or for any other gynecological or urology needs. Call 714-912-2211 or visit his website www.gordongunnmd.com.

Cholesterol and Plaque | Fullerton, CA

Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, Womens Health, , ,

Pure, Natural, BeautyWhat is the Role of Cholesterol?

  • Cholesterol is an essential building block for the normal metabolism of the body.
  • Cholesterol is a lipid (fat). The liver produces 90% of the body’s cholesterol (usually during sleep). This is primarily a genetic factor; only 10% comes from food.
  • Problem: Lipids cannot circulate alone in the blood stream (fat and water do not mix).

They require a transport system.

  • Solution: ‘Water-soluble’ proteins called lipoproteins transport cholesterol in the blood.

Think of ‘dump trucks’ designed to carry specific types of cholesterol. The amount of

These lipoprotein ‘dump trucks’ determines how much cholesterol can be transported.

  • There are three main types of lipoproteins that transport cholesterol:

-HDL–high-density lipoprotein. Referred to as “good” cholesterol, because it removes cholesterol from arterial plaque and transports it back to the liver to be metabolized.

-LDL–low-density lipoprotein. Referred to as “bad” cholesterol, because it deposits cholesterol into the inflamed plaque of the artery wall.

-VLDL-very low-density lipoprotein. This lipoprotein is directly related to the level of   triglycerides.

-Total Cholesterol is the sum of all three types of lipoproteins. Measuring these and the triglyceride level produces a lipid profile. The Ratio is the total cholesterol divided by the HDL level (the lower, the better).

  • Women are frequently told by their physicians that their cholesterol levels and “ratio” are either normal, or if abnormal, their ‘good’ cholesterol is ‘OK’. The problem with this message is the fact that 50% of women who suffer their first heart attack or stroke have ‘normal’ cholesterol levels, according to the American Heart Association criteria.

Contact Dr. Gordon Gunn today at (714) 912-2211 to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Gordon Gunn also proudly serves Buena Park, La Mirada, Yorba Linda, Diamond Bar, Walnut, and surrounding areas.

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month | Fullerton, CA

Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, ,

National Physical Fitness and Sports Month is a great time to spread the word about the benefits of getting active. Getting regular physical activity can benefit everyone – children, adolescents, and adults alike.

Dr. Gordon Gunn is teaming up with the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, & Nutrition in honor of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. During the month of May, he challenges you to include 30 minutes of physical activity every day.

Did you know that regular physical activity increases your chances of living a longer, healthier life? It also reduces your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and some types of cancer. Yet in California nearly 53.1% don’t get enough physical activity.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that people:

  • Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. Moderate activity includes things like walking fast, dancing, swimming, and raking leaves.
  • Do muscle-strengthening activities – like lifting weights and using exercises bands – at least 2 days a week.

No matter what shape you are in, together we can rise to the challenge to get more active during the month of May!

Here are just some of the benefits of physical activity:

  • Children and adolescents – Physical activity can improve muscular fitness and bone and heart health.
  • Adults – Physical activity can lower risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
  • Older adults – Physical activity can lower the risk of falls and improve cognitive functioning (like judgment and learning).

Call Dr. Gordon Gunn and make an appointment to see what his Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program can do for you.  Call Dr. Gordon Gunn at (714) 912-2211 or visit our website.

Menopause and Hormone Therapy | Fullerton, CA

Breast Cancer, Gynecology, Heart Attack, Menopause, , ,

iStock_000014235018SmallMenopause is a natural occurring event that all women will experience, usually in their early 50’s, when their ovaries cease producing estrogen. Post-menopause is diagnosed when a woman has not menstruated for one year and marks the end of the reproductive period of her life. Gunn Center of Fullerton, CA offers some interesting and useful information on menopause and hormone therapy.

Peri-menopause is diagnosed when the menstrual cycles vary in frequency and length and may be associated with psychological, emotional and/or physical symptoms (discussed later). These disturbances are due to a declining ovarian production of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone that may be periodic or continuous. Women born prior to the 1930’s had a life expectancy of about 50 yrs. Today, a woman can expect to live well into her 80’s with over one-third of her life occurring after menopause and be subject to the physical changes discussed later in this paper.

The history of hormone replacement in women has seen many swings in popularity over the past few decades. In 1991 the National Institutes of Health (N.I.H.) launched the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study involving about 161,000 healthy postmenopausal women aged 50-79 years with an average age of 63 years. The study was 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 hormone. 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.

Millions of women in the U.S. stopped their hormone out of fear and they entered into “hot-flash hell”. A recent careful re-analysis and follow up review of the data has revealed that the actual risks of breast cancer, stroke and heart disease were NOT increased over time and were, in fact decreased; especially in women who were perimenapausal when they initiated hormone therapy.

In April 2011 the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a follow-up study of the women in the WHI who took estrogen alone. The finding: a statistically significant reduction in breast cancer over time. Further, those women who did develop breast cancer were 63% less likely to die from their disease. Among the women with a prior hysterectomy treated with estrogen alone and followed for 11 years, there was NO increased risk of heart attack, stroke, blood clots, hip fracture, colon cancer or mortality. Importantly, there was a persistent decrease in the risk of breast cancer. This finding is now contrary to the persistently held belief that estrogen causes breast cancer and increases the risk of heart attacks.

After a decade of fear and confusion regarding the risks and benefits of estrogen replacement therapy, medical studies have now clearly established its safety and its health benefits. In March 2012 the North American Menopause Society released a statement that supports these findings, stating that combination hormone therapy (both estrogen and progesterone) initiated around the time of menopause is safe.

Contact Dr. Gordon Gunn today at (714) 912-2211 to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Gordon Gunn also proudly serves Buena Park, La Mirada, Yorba Linda, Diamond Bar, Walnut, and surrounding areas.

Gynecology Robotic Surgery is the Future | Fullerton, CA

Gynecology, , ,

Pure, Natural, BeautyGynecology robotic surgery is robotic assisted surgery for several gynecological conditions. Using a robot, this enables the doctors of Gunn Center in Fullerton, CA to perform the surgery with the utmost control and precision and with only a few small incisions.

Gynecology robotic surgery can be used for the following conditions:

  • Ovarian cysts and masses
  • Fibroids
  • Prolapse of pelvic organs
  • Cervical cancer
  • Endometrial cancer
  • Some endometriosis
  • Ask your doctor about the many other procedures offered

Robotic surgery is less evasive than traditional surgery that involves making a large incision in the abdominal area. The benefits of a smaller incision are less pain during recovery, less scarring and quicker recovery time.

Surgery doesn’t have to be complicated, contact Dr. Gordon Gunn to learn more about the treatment options available at (714) 912-2211 to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Gordon Gunn also proudly serves Buena Park, La Mirada, Yorba Linda, Diamond Bar, Walnut, and surrounding areas.

Timed Voiding Bladder Program | Overactive Bladder | Fullerton, CA

Urinary Incontinence, , ,

iStock_000005142700SmallThis is an important part of your bladder-retraining program. When followed consistently you will have significantly improved control over your urgency symptoms, including any urge incontinence. This program started when you monitored the amount and the type of fluids you consumed each day in your Voiding Diary. A normal fluid intake is between 1500-2000 cc (50-70 oz.) per day, which should produce 1200-1500 cc (40-50 oz.) of urine output. The normal bladder capacity before you feel any sensation of urge is about 300 cc (10 oz.). Normal voiding volumes are 210-300 cc (7-10 oz.) with the first morning voiding usually being the largest at 400-500 cc. Your Voiding Diary record will have indicated if any modification is required in the volume or type of fluids you drink.

Your goal with the Timed Voiding Program is to increase your bladder’s capacity and prolong the time interval between urinating up to a minimum of three or more hours. The initial time interval between urinating will be determined by the frequency of urination as recorded in your Voiding Diary.

Attached is a “Voiding Chart for Bladder Retraining” on which you will chart your daily progress for the first week. [Please make five additional blank copies of the Voiding Chart to insure you have a total of six weekly charts.] The Chart is a daily record of your Scheduled (predetermined voiding interval), Unscheduled (when you are unable to suppress the urge without the risk of accidentally urinating), and accidental.

Follow the instructions on the chart as indicated: (incontinence) urinating episodes.

  • Fill in the following on each sheet: Your Name, Date, and Voiding Interval (Hrs.) at the beginning of each
  • Fill in the time for any of the types of urinating (Scheduled, Unscheduled, or Accidental) and place a check mark in one of the three columns:
  • Dark Gray Column: Urinating at the Scheduled Time.
  • Light Gray Column: Urinating at any Unscheduled Time. (when you cannot suppress the urge)
  • White Column: If you Accidentally urinate (incontinence incident), place a checkmark at the time it occurred and add a “D” for Damp or “W” for Wet beside the check mark to indicate the relative amount of urine loss.

Keep your Chart nearby along with a pencil and a clock or timer. Most importantly, maintain your determination to stay with this six-week program.

For more information on overactive bladder or any bladder or bowel incontinence problems you may have, Contact Dr. Gordon Gunn today at (714) 912-2211 to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Gordon Gunn also proudly serves Buena Park, La Mirada, Yorba Linda, Diamond Bar, Walnut, and surrounding areas.

Control your Bladder Incontinence with Kegel Exercises | Fullerton, CA

Urinary Incontinence, , ,

Pure, Natural, BeautyAn obstetrician named Dr. Arnold Kegel originally described pelvic floor muscle exercises. Their purpose is to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle supporting the urethra in order to control the accidental loss of urine during physical exertion (i.e. sneezing, coughing, laughing, running, or exercising). This type of loss of urinary control is called Urinary Stress Incontinence, and can have a considerable impact on the overall quality of life and well-being.

The pelvic floor muscle is called the ‘levator’ muscle and when contracted helps to stop urination, prevent passing gas or a bowel movement, and to tighten the vagina during intercourse. The levator muscle forms the floor of the pelvis and supports the urethra, vagina, and rectum. It consists of two types of muscle fibers: “slow-twitch” (70%) and “fast-twitch” (30%). Both muscle fiber types should be exercised to improve the muscle’s tone and ability to rapidly contract when ‘stressed’. The muscle can be identified by placing two fingers inside the vagina, tightening your levator muscle, and feeling the squeeze. You do not need to squeeze your abdominal, thigh, or buttocks muscles. Just focus on squeezing or tightening your urethra, vagina, and anus. If you can slow or stop the flow of urine, you are using the levator muscle.

A strong levator muscle improves bladder function in two important ways:

1. Improves stress incontinence: During a sudden cough or sneeze, the pelvic floor muscles contract, supporting the bladder and decreasing the accidental loss of urine. The stronger the muscle, the better the control.

2. Suppresses the ‘urge’ to urinate: When you feel an inconvenient urge to urinate contract your levator muscle (slow-twitch exercise). There is an immediate nerve impulse sent to the bladder to relax

Two types of exercise are necessary to adequately strengthen the levator muscle and should be performed the sense of urgency. The stronger your levator muscle, the greater the nerve stimulation to relieve the urge sensation.

Two types of exercise are necessary to adequately strengthen the levator muscle and should be performed every time you finish urinating. These should be used on alternating days’

‘Slow-Twitch’ Muscle Exercise

Squeeze your levator muscle and hold it tight for a slow count of five seconds, relax, and repeat again for a total of five (5) contractions. (Remember, do not tighten your thigh, abdominal, or buttocks muscles; tighten only your levator muscle). As you gradually strengthen your pelvic muscle, work your way up to twenty (20) contractions.

‘Fast-Twitch’ Muscle Exercise

Quickly contract and relax your levator muscle 30 to 50 times, relax for ten seconds, and repeat again for a total of two to three sets. You may only be able to start out with a total of 30 “quick flicks”. Over a period of a few weeks you will be able to increase the number up to a total of 200.

Within 6-8 weeks of consistently performing these exercises you will notice a definite improvement. Don’t quit. Every time you go to the bathroom and after you finish urinating (before you stand up), perform either one of the above levator muscle exercises (switch each time or each day). Remember, this is now part of your normal urinating routine. It is what you do every time you go to the bathroom. It is like any isometric exercise. If you don’t exercise this muscle regularly, it will become weak again and your symptoms will return. Many patients with urinary stress incontinence have cured their symptoms completely by performing these exercises.

Contact Dr. Gordon Gunn today at (714) 912-2211 to schedule an appointment.

Dr. Gordon Gunn also proudly serves Buena Park, La Mirada, Yorba Linda, Diamond Bar, Walnut, and surrounding areas.