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Women's Health

Women's Health



   
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“BV is the most common vaginal infection and is almost twice as common as thrush yet research has shown that only, 49% of women have heard of BV while 91% have heard of thrush,” explained Helen.
 Problems ‘down there’ have always been a taboo subject that people squirm at the mere mention of. This is largely down to the fact that vaginal infections usually have undesirable symptoms. Take the symptoms of BV for example, a grey watery discharge and an abnormal fishy odour that is often stronger after sex - who wants to talk about that over their latte.
Here are the 3 most common conditions to watch out for:-
 1. Bacterial Vaginosis – the most common vaginal infection and most common cause of abnormal discharge. Left untreated BV may be associated with pelvic inflammatory disease, which can result in reduced fertility and also increase the risk of contracting certain Sexually Transmitted Infections, including HIV. Once diagnosed correctly, it can be treated with antibiotics. Alternatively Balance Activ gel is the leading over the counter treatment to treat and prevent BV.
 2. Cystitis – the main symptom of which is a burning pain when passing urine. The underlying cause should be diagnosed correctly but it is very easily treated with antibiotics or over the counter treatments, but left untreated it can lead to kidney infections.
 3. Thrush – women commonly experience vaginal itching, a white, ‘cottage cheese-like’ discharge and soreness, which may also be experienced during sex. It can be easily treated with an oral medication, a vaginal pessary or anti- thrush cream such as Canesten (clotrimazole). However, recurrent thrush should be investigated further, to rule out conditions such as diabetes.

 



High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy




If you are pregnant, high blood pressure can cause problems for you and your unborn baby. You may have had high blood pressure before you got pregnant.
Or you may get it once you are pregnant – a condition called gestational hypertension. Whichever you have, it can cause low birth weight or premature delivery of the baby. Serious cases may develop preeclampsia, a sudden increase in blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy. It can be life-threatening for both you and the unborn baby.

Treatments for high blood pressure in pregnancy may include close monitoring of the baby, lifestyle changes and certain medicines. For preeclampsia, early delivery of the baby may be necessary.


 






LEARN HOW TO GERM-PROOF YOUR OFFICE


Cut down on the germs in your office this flu season with these antibacterial tips to keep your office clean and germ-free.


You swear by the office bathroom drill: Wash hands, dry hands, use paper towel to open door, maneuver elbow and leg to move door, and return — skin untouched by germ threats — to your desk. Where, on average, about 21,000 germs per square inch await you — or 400 times more than the toilet seat you were so worried about. Your workspace needs some sanitation love, too. Our disinfecting tips will get you started, with less effort than it takes you to exit the bathroom.

Know Thy Enemy

Germs thrive on human touch, so anything that gets regular contact — telephone, mouse, keyboard — is a threat. "You're touching about 30 objects per minute in your workspace" says germ guru Charles Gerba, Ph.D., a microbiologist from the University of Arizona, who recently conducted a study of germs in the workplace. Among his findings: The humble cubicle is the germiest place in the office.

Cut down on the germs in your office this flu season with these antibacterial tips to keep your office clean and germ-free

Grab a Wipe

Wipe down your space daily with a disinfectant — a chemical agent that kills microorganisms (plain ol' water won't deep-six germs). Handy dispenser wipes like Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and Lysol Sanitizing Wipes run only about 10 cents a sheet.

Play Defense

Don't just wash your hands in that bathroom ritual; scrub 'em, says Jack Brown, Ph.D., author of Don't Touch That Doorknob! How Germs Can Zap You and How You Can Zap Back. "The scrubbing motion dislodges the organisms from the surface," he says, adding that a thorough wash should take about 45 seconds.




Women and men have many of the same health problems, but they can affect women differently.

For example, women may have different symptoms of heart disease. Some diseases or conditions are more common in women, such as osteoarthritis, obesity and depression. And some conditions, such as menopause and pregnancy, are unique to women.


Women sometimes neglect their own health and focus instead on their partner's and their children's. Take care of yourself first:


•Plan for pregnancies and see your healthcare provider regularly while you are pregnant

•Have regular mammograms

•Get regular checkups and screenings. Early detection is important for treating breast, cervical, uterine and ovarian cancer.


Spider Veins Begone!


Good news for women with spider veins: The FDA has approved a new drug called Asclera. How it works: The drug is injected into the vein, causing its walls to become inflamed and collapse.

“Asclera isn’t as painful as current treat­ments, and it causes less skin irritation and discoloration,” says Heidi Waldorf, M.D., a dermatologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. It’s best for veins up to three millimeters in diameter, and for permanent results, two or three sessions (about $500 a pop) are needed.




June 30, 2010 -- A drug used in Europe as emergency contraception may also treat painful uterine fibroids, researchers say.



Their study was presented at the 26th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Rome, Italy.


As many as 80% of all women have uterine fibroids (noncancerous growths in the uterus), according to the nonprofit National Uterine Fibroids Foundation. Fibroids may cause severe abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, and interfere with fertility in some women. Surgery is often the only way to treat painful, bleeding fibroids, but surgery too can sometimes compromise fertility.


Enter EllaOne, a member of a new class of drugs called selective progesterone receptor modulators. As of now, EllaOne is used in Europe as a morning-after pill because it blocks the effects of key hormones -- namely progesterone -- involved in ovulation. It is effective for up to five days after unprotected sex. Although EllaOne is not available in the U.S., an FDA advisory panel recently voted that it should be. The new drug is manufactured by HRA Pharma, a European pharmaceutical company, which provided funding for the new study. The hormone progesterone also feeds uterine fibroids, so blocking its effects may help treat painful fibroids. For more information refer to the link below.



http://women.webmd.com/news/20100630/pill-treats-painful-fibroids