Archive for the ‘Jennifer Newton, MD’ Category

It’s a medical fact that most women, regardless of age, will experience a gynecological health problem at one time or another in their life.  Most of these conditions result in minor symptoms that can easily be treated, while others may require prompt medical attention or possibly even surgery. According to a Dallas, Texas group of gynecologists, the Women’s Specialist of Plano, “Many women will experience bouts of cramping and menstrual bleeding throughout their reproductive years. While it is normal for women to have pelvic pain and menstrual bleeding during their normal menstrual cycle, it is not common to have pain and bleeding so severe that it disrupts the normal activities of life. This almost always signals an underlying health problem that should be assessed by a skilled gynecologist.”

Persistent and consistent symptoms that normally raise a red flag include:

• Painful, severe cramps and pelvic pain
• Persistent pelvic bloating
• Intense pelvic pressure
• Abdominal tenderness
• Pain during urination or intercourse
• Heavy, ongoing bleeding outside of a normal menstrual cycle

The symptoms listed above can occur alone, or in combination with each other.  Most often, these symptoms may indicate:

• Uterine Fibroids:  Non-cancerous (benign) tumors of solid muscle tissue that develop in the uterus
• Uterine Cysts:  A fluid filled sac found in the pelvis that usually originate in the ovaries
• Uterine Prolapse:  When the uterus falls or descents from its normal position into the vaginal area
• Endometriosis: A condition where the cells from the lining of the uterus grow in other areas of the body
• Cervical Cancer: A disease that forms when cancerous tumors develop and grow in the cervix
• Uterine Cancer:  A disease that forms when cancerous tumors develop and grow in the uterus
• Menorrhagia:  Very heavy, abnormal menstrual bleeding
• Dysmenorrhea:  Very painful periods, excessive menstrual cramping and pelvic pain

When a woman has been diagnosed with one of these gynecological conditions, if the symptoms are severe enough, surgery by way of a hysterectomy may be the best recommendation and often yields effective outcomes. A hysterectomy is a surgery in which the uterus is removed. This can be done partially or in full. Today, many gynecologists are turning to a minimally invasive approach to performing a hysterectomy by using the da Vinci robotic surgical system.  While the robotic surgery technique is still considered relatively new, it is becoming a popular alternative for women throughout the Dallas, TX area as they contemplate the right hysterectomy approach to take.

Robotic surgery has been effective in the treating conditions that cause uterine fibroids, uterine cysts, endometriosis, and other gynecological symptoms.  According to Dr. Murray Fox, a Dallas, TX gynecologist and an early robotic surgery pioneer, “Increasing numbers of women are choosing this approach when faced with a myomectomy (removal of/treatment for uterine fibroids) or hysterectomy (the full or partial removal of the uterus), for example. Robotic surgery continues to result in excellent clinical outcomes, while offering patients an overall easier recovery period.”

The technology of the da Vinci robotic surgical system uses very tiny incisions allowing surgeons to use miniature instruments and a 3D camera and microscope to view the inside of the uterus and operate with precise movements.  While the arm of the robot does the actual movement, the surgeon is responsible for controlling and directing these moves with absolute accuracy and precision. The approach leaves minimal scarring and reduces the loss of blood, pain, and overall trauma that historically accompanies an open hysterectomy.

Not all gynecological practices in the Dallas, Texas area have adopted the robotic surgery approach. Despite the revolutionary advancement, it is a big investment with a large learning curve. The gynecologists with the Women’s Specialists of Plano state, “It will only be a matter of time until the robotic way is the only way.  We have seen the difference it has made in the hundreds of patients that have walked through the doors of our North Dallas practice. It is revolutionary to say the least.”

To learn more about the da Vinci Robotic Surgery, please visit the Women’s Specialists of Plano, a board-certified group of Dallas, TX gynecologists, at: http://www.obgynplano.com/dallas-frisco-allen/minimally-invasive/robotic-surgery/.

We have all heard the saying, “If only I would have known then what I know now.”   While this popular phrase can be used for any given topic relating to life, it isn’t until someone makes a change in his or her own life that it is used most intently.

According to Sabrina, a 45-year old patient of the Women’s Specialists in Plano, a group of gynecologists serving the women’s health needs in Plano, Texas, “I have been heavier than most of my peers my whole life. For years, I didn’t eat right, I never exercised, I often stayed up late and slept in too long, and the effects of these poor living habits began to take their toll on me.”

Realizing that the youth of her 20s and 30s was long gone, Sabrina decided it was time to take control of her health and make some positive changes in her life so that the years that lie ahead could be marked with health and well-being.

“In one year, under the guidance of my gynecologist, I made small changes to my life; but these changes, as subtle as they were, made a huge impact on how I felt both physically and emotionally. By omitting salts and sugars from my diet, and implementing a regular exercise regime into my daily routine, I noticed these changes almost immediately. Aside from a 35-pound weight loss, there are so many other benefits to having a healthier lifestyle.  I never really paid attention to things like bone density, heart disease, or cancer, because when you are young, you think you are invincible. The good news is that it is never too late to change…and I’m living proof.”

Sabrina’s story is one that resonates with millions of women across America, and it is the reason why the most popular questions in a gynecologist’s office revolve around diet, exercise, and weight loss.  The Women’s Specialists of Plano offer the following health tips for women to help kick-start a new you:

Get a Full Physical Work-Up

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to go if you don’t know where you presently stand. Aside from the annual gynecological exam, women who are in their 40s often find that this is the time where their bodies tend to change the most. They have to work harder to fight the bulge and feel active.  This is often a good time to have a complete physical work-up from a women’s specialist physician so that any chronic health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, or obesity can be discussed and managed.

Implement Daily Exercise

While exercise is important regardless of age, it is crucially important during the mid-life years, especially for a woman.  As the risk for certain health problems stack up, including cancers, heart disease, obesity and osteoporosis, incorporating a fitness routine that consists of aerobic activity, strengthening, stretching, and yoga can help balance life and keep the body physically fit. For women, exercise helps to regulate the menstrual cycle, and makes the transition into menopause easier to manage.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends aerobic activity for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. Maximum heart rate during aerobic activity is usually calculated as 225 minus your age (225 – 50 for a 50 year old = 175) and different percentages apply from that number. Women should strive to work up to 50-60% of their maximum heart rate for a warm-up activity; and attempt to reach 60-70% for a healthy, fat burning, fitness zone.

Strength training is equally important. As women age, and the estrogen in the body decreases, they naturally lose muscle mass. Strength training with simple dumbbells can be done at home, any time during the day to help build muscle and keep bones strong and healthy.

Change your Diet

It’s easy to get good diet tips by doing a simple Google search on the Internet.  Implementing a new, healthier diet, however, sometimes takes a stronger resolve.  It helps by writing down everything you eat in a day and keeping this journal close by. Eating smaller meals, 3-5 times per day, helps increase the natural metabolism.  Eating a plentiful supply of fruits and vegetables, and eating low-fat, lean meats, while avoiding salts and sugars whenever possible, will help kick start healthier eating habits. Avoiding alcohol, sugary drinks, and too much caffeine, while drinking plenty of water all day long, helps to regulate the body.

It’s important to note, that a diet that worked for you when you were 21, most likely will not work when you are 40. As you age, your metabolism naturally slows down, thus you need fewer calories to maintain a healthy weight. An inactive 40-year-old woman with a normal body weight will require approx. 1,800 daily calories to maintain her weight. Any exercise that is added in will ultimately call for an increase in calories to maintain a healthy weight.

Get Your Full Daily Dose of Vitamin C and D

Vitamin C offers endless health benefits for women including common cold prevention, cancer prevention, cataract prevention for the eyes, and it is helpful in preventing heart disease and high cholesterol. Women 19 and over should be getting close to 75 mg of vitamin C a day; this can be a combination of supplements and foods such as fruits (strawberries, cantaloupe, kiwi) and vegetables (Brussels sprouts, broccoli, green peppers) all of which are high in Vitamin C.

Vitamin D is also a crucial element of a healthy diet and is essential in order to maintain strong bones and muscles. Adults need to maintain approximately 600-800 IUs (International Units) of Vitamin D daily. Using supplements, those numbers could increase to 1,000 units per day. Vitamin D is found in such foods as salmon, tuna and mackerel; as well as cheeses, egg yolks, mushrooms and milk.

These health tips for women can make a huge impact on a female at any time during her life. At age 45, some women say they feel better than they did when they were 21.  You can feel great at any age, and live the best life possible by implementing these healthy tips into your everyday regime.

Kristy M. Theis, editor and content writer for eMedical Media in Plano, Texas, worked closely with the Board-Certified gynecologists that make up the Women’s Specialists in Plano, Texas.  This article on health tips for women is part of an on-going series on how women can achieve a healthier lifestyle.  For more information on women’s health topics, please visit the Women’s Specialist of Plano blog located at:http://www.obgynplano.com/news/

For generations, the differences between men and women were always defined from a social aspect.  Historically speaking, men were considered superior over women, and it was this ideology that managed to rule the co-existences of the two sexes for hundreds of years. As the goal of equality has continued to become a reality in modern societies, many of the differences between men and women have evened out to an equal playing field.  When it comes to the physical gap, however, there will never really be equality.

Men and women will always differ in shape, weight, height, and anatomy.  Both will experience their own range of physical, emotional and health problems as they relate to the specific sex.  They have different problems, with different needs.

It’s why at some point in time, men will look towards finding a qualified urologist or male specific physician they can trust, and why women look towards finding a resourceful women’s health center or gynecologist (doctor for a female who specializes in the health needs of women) so that the problems and needs specific to the male or female body can be addressed.

While heart disease, cancer, weight management, the risk for diabetes, and many other ailments are common concerns for both men and women, there are specific conditions related to the female anatomy that a man will never experience.  It’s the reason why annual visits to a gynecologist are so crucial to the long-term health of a woman.

According to the Women’s Specialists of Plano, a women’s health center in Plano, TX, there are a handful of common problems that women will experience that a man never will. These conditions and reasons to visit a doctor for a female, specifically, are why millions of young women begin seeing a gynecologist at a relatively early age.

• PMS

When a woman is on her menstrual cycle, PMS can kick in and for some, it is bad enough that all normal activities will come to a halt.  The symptoms of PMS can range from mild to severe and will include (for most women) cramping, bloating, mood swings, headaches and fatigue.  Experts believe that hormones play the biggest factor in the severity of symptoms associated with PMS.  Once a woman is under the routine care of a gynecologist, these symptoms can often be treated and managed each month.

• Endometriosis

Endometriosis is somewhat common among women. It is a female health disorder that occurs when the cells that typically reside in the lining of the uterus, grow in other parts of the body. The most common symptoms are very heavy bleeding and cramping, irregular periods, long-lasting menstrual cycles, and problems getting pregnant (infertility).  Many gynecologists offer specialized treatment for endometriosis such as endometrial ablation, hysterectomy, and other minimally invasive techniques.

• Ovarian Cysts

Ovarian cysts are very common among the female population. These are small, fluid-like sacs that develop and grow in the uterus. Many women may have these benign growths and not experience any symptoms, while other women may have problems associated with ovarian cysts such as bleeding, cramping, and rupture.  Gynecologists treat ovarian cysts as a routine procedure and today, many progressive treatments are an option including laparoscopic surgery, and robotic surgery for hysterectomy.

• HPV Virus

Genital human papillomavirus is notably the most common sexually transmitted infection among young women. There are varying types of HPV that can lead to a myriad of symptoms including pelvic pain, genital warts, and other conditions that can lead to larger problems such as cervical cancer. HPV can be prevented and it is a topic of discussion among gynecologists and their female patients.  These conversations generally involve the discussion of prevention and treatment.

• Vaginal Infections

Bacteria and fungi are the culprits that lead to vaginal infections among women. It is one of the most common reasons why a woman will visit her gynecologist outside of her annual visit. Discharge, itching, vaginal burning and irritation are the symptoms associated with a vaginal infection.   Antibiotics can usually cure most vaginal infections effectively.  A gynecologist will be able to discuss prevention techniques to help keep future infections at bay.

• Pregnancy Prevention

Something that will surely differentiate a man and a woman until the end of time is pregnancy.  Millions of women in the United States visit their gynecologist each and every year to discuss pregnancy prevention, birth control, and pre-natal care for if and when a pregnancy occurs. It is a topic of discussion at most OBGYN visits until a woman has had all of her children and begins the next phase of life (menopause). A gynecologist is the best resource to discuss pregnancy and pregnancy prevention with a woman.

• Hysterectomy

Thousands of women will undergo a hysterectomy in a given year. A gynecologist may recommend a hysterectomy for many reasons, including for the treatment of fibroid tumors, PID, ovarian cysts, and endometriosis. Today’s technology has allowed skilled gynecologists to do hysterectomies robotically which leads to quicker recovery and a decrease in unwanted side effects. Robotic hysterectomies are not yet offered by all gynecologists as it takes extensive training and time to be able to master the technology; it is becoming more popular and a preferred choice among women.

Every city and state has a women’s health center that can offer a doctor for a female’s medical needs. Sometimes referred to as a women’s health physician, gynecologist, or OBGYN, they all meet the same challenge—keeping a female healthy both physically and in some case, emotionally.  It’s important to see your doctor annually and sometimes more often if problems or an untreated condition persists.

The gynecologists from the Women’s Specialist of Plano (OBGYN in North Dallas) contributed to this feature.