October 29th, 2011 by Linda Burke-Galloway, M.D. in Better Health Network
Tags: Family, High Risk Pregnancy, In Vitro Fertilization, Infertility, IVF, MKHS, Mothers, Patient Care, Pregnancy, Pregnant Women, Rokitansky Kuster Hauser syndrome, Surrogate Mother, Transplant, Womb Transplant, Women
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Infertility or the inability to have a baby can be devastating and affects approximately 10 percent of the female population. There are many conditions that prevent women from having children including Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser syndrome (or MKHS). MKHS is a rare disorder that affects a woman’s ability to conceive. At present, for every 10,000 women, only 1 to 2 will be affected. Both Sara Ottoson of Sweden and Melina Arnold of Australia have this condition. MKHS is characterized by the absence of a vagina and part of the cervix. Patients with this condition have normal breast development and functioning ovaries. Genetically, they also have female or double X-chromosomes and look like normal women. The problem comes to light during adolescence when a teen fails to have a period. The condition is also known as Vaginal Agenesis because they are born without a true vagina, a problem that can be corrected through surgical and non-surgical procedures. Unfortunately, they are unable to have children and usually Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway*
October 27th, 2011 by Lucy Hornstein, M.D. in Better Health Network
Tags: Convenience, Doctor, Embroidery, Family Medicine, Impersonal, Lab Coat, Medical, Nosocomial Infections, Pretentious, Solo Practice, White Coat
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I have not worn a white coat since I opened my own practice more than twenty years ago.
Not that I had anything against white coats in principle. I wore my short white one in med school with pride, and the longer one in residency too; their pockets filled to bursting with the 4 x 6 inch six-ring binder emblazoned with my name in gold, courtesy of Burroughs-Wellcome, the long-defunct pharma giant, which had presented one to each medical student in the US for many years, as well as assorted pens, note cards, alcohol wipes, hemoccult cards, and so forth. I even had a tiny teddy bear pinned to my lapel, my own way of personalizing the impersonal.
When I went out on my own, though, I made the conscious decision not to wear one. I confess that all these years later, I don’t completely recall my thought processes on the subject. It seemed Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Musings of a Dinosaur*
October 8th, 2011 by Linda Burke-Galloway, M.D. in Better Health Network
Tags: Birth Control, CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Contraception, Deep Vein Thrombosis, Depo Provera, Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway, DVT, estrogen, FDA, IUD, Pregnant Women, Progestin, the Patch, The Pill, the Ring
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image from www.blisstree.com
It depends on the method and whether the mother plans to breast feed. Ideally, it is recommended that women abstain from sexual relations for at least 4 to 6 weeks after having a baby to reduce the risk of developing vaginal infections and of course, becoming pregnant.
Pregnant women have an increased risk of developing blood clots because of hormonal changes. This is commonly referred to as a hypercoagulable state. Birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin (aka combination pills) are not recommended for the first 42 days after the delivery because they increase the risk of blood clots in the legs (Deep Venous Thrombosis, aka DVT) and also decrease breast milk production. The vaginal ring and patch are also not recommended. However, birth control pills that only contain progestin are safe to take immediately after delivery because they don’t increase the risk of developing blood clots nor do they reduce the amount of breast milk production. The Depo- Provera injection may also be given as well because it is a progestin-only product. What women are at increased risk for developing a DVT? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Linda Burke-Galloway*
October 4th, 2011 by HarvardHealth in Better Health Network
Tags: American Tinnitus Association, Auditory, Buzzing Ear, Chronic, Cochlea, Concerts, Ear Wax, Hair Cells, Harvard Women's Health Watch, Health, Loud Noises, Nerve Damage, Ringing Ears, Sound Waves, Teeth Grinding, Tinnitus, White-Noise
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At one time or another, almost everyone experiences a ringing in their ears. It’s common after sitting through a loud concert or an exuberant football game, or after taking aspirin or an antibiotic for a while. But as many as 50 million Americans have chronic tinnitus (pronounced tih-NITE-us or TIN-ih-tus)—a constant ringing, whistling, buzzing, chirping, hissing, humming, roaring, or even shrieking. (If you don’t have tinnitus, you can get an idea of what people with the condition hear at the American Tinnitus Association’s Web site.)
Chronic tinnitus can be caused by a variety of things, from impacted ear wax to medications that damage nerves in the ear, middle ear infection, and even aging. Damage to hair cells in the ear’s cochlea (see the illustration below) are suspected as a common pathway for these causes. As I write in the September issue of the Harvard Women’s Health Watch, chronic tinnitus can also be a symptom of Ménière’s disease, a disorder of the balance mechanism in the inner ear. (You can read the full article here.)
Managing tinnitus
When chronic tinnitus is caused by a definable problem, like Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Harvard Health Blog*
September 14th, 2011 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Better Health Network
Tags: History, Medicine, Uncategorized
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“There is already plenty of evidence to show that we are in danger of losing our clinical heritage and of pinning too much faith in figures thrown up by machines. Medicine must suffer if this tendency is not checked.”
– Paul Wood, MD January 1950
These words from Dr. Paul Wood are interesting. Wood was a mid-twentieth century master cardiologist out of the UK. His story is remarkable if you like those playing strong supporting roles in modern medical history. He’s the guy to the left posing with the cigarette.
I like the quote because it captures the insecurity doctors feel with change. It also supports Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
Infertility or the inability to have a baby can be devastating and affects approximately 10 percent of the female population. There are many conditions that prevent women from having children including Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser syndrome (or MKHS). MKHS is a rare disorder that affects a woman’s ability to conceive. At present, for every 10,000 women, only 1 to 2 will be affected. Both Sara Ottoson of Sweden and Melina Arnold of Australia have this condition. MKHS is characterized by the absence of a vagina and part of the cervix. Patients with this condition have normal breast development and functioning ovaries. Genetically, they also have female or double X-chromosomes and look like normal women. The problem comes to light during adolescence when a teen fails to have a period. The condition is also known as Vaginal Agenesis because they are born without a true vagina, a problem that can be corrected through surgical and non-surgical procedures. Unfortunately, they are unable to have children and usually Read more »
