See also: Herbs/Wild Yam
Women's Health: Answers
to Frequently Asked Questions - 2womenshealth.com
The
Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP) was
founded by Alan Guttmacher in 1963 - Projects include the
development and implementation of clinical conferences, visiting
faculty programs, monographs, an international peer-reviewed
journal (Contraception), and on-line education. ARHP-sponsored
programs and conferences feature the latest research, emerging
technologies, hands-on training, and useful information for health
care practice.
Estronaut.com
has lots of useful information about the well-woman cycles,
including interpreting
Pap
results and HPV
and Cervical Dysplasia
I used this "treatment" to get my cycle regular again while
breastfeeding. Evening Primrose oil - 1 cap. every day Dong Quai -
1 cap every day (although I have read that you should stop taking
it 10 days before you are supposed to get your period otherwise it
could cause heavier bleeding than normal - has anyone else heard
this?)
I think Wild Mexican Yam is my secret and beloved herb for
feeling myself through all the changes of maiden-mother-crone
years.
Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis) - article states it contains
phytoestrogens. Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)- article does not
indicate a particular hormone involved, but suggests use as a
'tonic' for the uterus and for "runaway" female hormones. "Tonic
action is normalizing, and implies relaxation when needed- at the
time of labor or during menses- or toning when appropriate- during
postpartum or at mid -cycle" Wild Yam(Dioscorea villosa)- Not
considered a true tonic substance because bidirectionality has not
been established. Article states that wild yams are used in the
pharmaceutical industry as a precursor for progesterone- however,
the hormone is not found in the plant, and the pathway needed for
the transformation of diosgenin(the chemical found in wild yam) to
progesterone is not present in the human body. However- wild yam
does demonstrate noticeable estrogenic activity and Caution is
urged "citing the partially known effects of
phytoestrogens[estrogen from plants] effects on breast cancer
and PMS on breast.
The issue of female ejaculation is of significance in midwifery
for three major reasons: 1) Many women will think their waters
have broken because they have a small release of non-urine fluids
late in pregnancy; this is often simply a form of female
ejaculation caused by ripening female tissues, increased pelvic
perfusion, and hormones as labor approaches. 2) The primary
adaptive value of the tissues involved in female ejaculation are
to provide a surge of pain relief and lubrication just as the
baby's head is about to be born. 3) Women who could
ejaculate may have learned to tighten up their pelvic muscles as
they near orgasm, in order to prevent fluid emission; this
tightening up can be obstructive during labor.
Some of the best pro-women sites about female sexual arousal and ejaculation are:
DoctorG.com - excellent site from Dr. Gary Schubach offers lots of great information, along with products useful for women wanting to become more comfortable with their sexuality for both their own pleasure and for better birthing.
Minor reference to the
use of Viagra by women - would this be useful during labor?
Re: female ejaculation-something to do with vestibulitis?
I got the reply from the sex therapist, I'll paste it below. I really think the lack of knowledge about female ejaculation is a big problem. It is about as well understood as PIH/ toxemia- NOT UNDERSTOOD AT ALL! I think a lot of women have variations of the kind of problem referred to in the post about "complicated vestibulitis". I think we are missing a piece of the puzzle of female anatomy that can help women improve their sex lives, relieve them of various problems that result from repressing this function, or from pathologies that may be occurring in areas that aren't supposed to exist.
Basically, the fluid is supposed to come from the periurethral/skenes glands in the urethra and are considered to be analogous to glands in the male prostate that produce 10-50% of the fluids in male ejaculate. The composition of the female ejaculate is an unknown, but some research found the fluid to contain higher levels of glucose and an enzyme, prostatic acid phosphatase, characteristic of the prostatic component of semen. The levels of creatine and urea are considered residual and not high enough for the fluid to be classified as urine. The strength of the pelvic floor seems to be a factor- the stronger the PC muscles, the more likely women are to experience or notice their ejaculation. It is speculated that 10-40% of women ejaculate, and that a part of the 25% of American women who have never had orgasms may not have had one because they try to repress their ejaculations for fear it is incontinence, and thus never let go enough to orgasm.
I just got a bridal magazine that answered a young woman's question about fluid with her orgasm with advice that she get treated for incontinence, and specifically told her women do not ejaculate like men. Women learn this is not normal or possible. I saw another advice column where a man asked about what to do about his new girl friend who peed the bed when they were intimate. He was also told to delicately encourage her to be treated for her incontinence and get plastic sheets!
"The primary research on female ejaculation has been done by Dr. Beverly Whipple at Rutgers University. I'm enclosing some sites where you might begin researching this phenomenon.
http://www.umkc.edu/sites/hsw/femejac/index.html
http://www.libchrist.com/sexed/Gspot.html
http://www.rondagates.com/whipple_profile.html
http://www.hisandherhealth.com/whipplebio.shtml
"In addition, a medline search at any major university library will result in a list of hundreds of research articles which Beverly has written over the years. Specifically, references will be found to her research on female ejaculation. "
Dr. Whipple can be contacted directly at bwhipple@recomnet.net.
When
she is not traveling around the world teaching, she is always
responsive to inquiries about her work.
Increasing Orgasm and Decreasing Dyspareunia by a Manual Physical Therapy Technique [Posted 12/14/2004] - [Medscape registration is free]
Abdominal massage can help to loosen adhesions which cause sexual
dysfunction in women.
See also: Getting Pregnant/Infertility
for information about Natural Family Planning and other types of
fertility awareness.
Male
Birth Control Pill Passes Human Safety Tests [3/25/19] from
the Endocrine Society - "Safe, reversible hormonal male
contraception should be available in about 10 years," Wang
predicted.
The Method Explorer is
a great little application for helping you learn about the
contraception methods that are best suited to you and your
lifestyle.
Planned Parenthood
- they have lots of information about Birth
Control, including a nice information web page about Understanding
IUDs
The Guttmacher Institute is
a nonprofit organization focused on sexual and reproductive health
research, policy analysis and public education.
Reproductive
Health
2002: Update on Contraception and Medical Abortion From the ARHP
Annual Meeting September 11-14, 2002
[Medscape registration is free]
Permanent
Birth
Control Possible With No Incision and Minimal Recovery Time
- [July, 2001] - The Essure pbc procedure uses a proprietary
catheter delivery system for minimally invasive transcervical
tubal access. Conceptus expects to gain US Food and Drug
Administration approval for their system by 2003.
Herbal Contraception - excerpted
from "Herbal Abortion: the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge" by Uni
M. Tiamat.
FDA
Approves
Berlex Laboratories' Intrauterine Contraceptive Implant -
Dec., 2000 [Medscape registration is free.]
Contraception
Update
for the Primary Care Physician - 2000 [Medscape registration
is free.]
Lots of birth control
information
Birth
Control by Breastfeeding - (The Lactational Amenorrhea Method)
from breastfeeding.com
Maybe
Baby® Easy Ovulation Tester is an easy to use, reusable
mini-microscope that helps you identify your most fertile days and
the ideal time to conceive.
Similar devices in the past have been called the LipStick, and the The OvuLook™ Ovulation Tester.
Other resources:
http://www.mjbovo.com/Contracept/Sponge2.htm
http://www.birthcontrol.com/probody.html
http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/6226.htm
FemCap™.
A Phase II/III study on FemCap™, a silicone rubber cervical cap
that comes in three sizes, was completed in 1997. FemCap™ has
several advantages over existing barrier devices. It has more
durable and less sensitizing materials, fewer dislodgments, a
lower risk of urinary tract infection (UTI), and size
determination based on obstetrical history. Also, its design
conforms with the anatomy of the cervix and proximal vagina to
provide a snug, comfortable fit, making it difficult to dislodge.
http://www.apothecus.com/misconceptions.htm
- contains a great list of misconceptions about contraceptions and
how NOT to get pregnant. Do the review - you might be
surprised that you have some "blind" spots since women from an
early age are taught not to consider their bodies, just hand them
over to some guy. Take a test: draw your vaginal area from
memory, marking the FIVE major areas/organs IN THEIR RIGHT PLACES
...
When a mother has a decrease in milk supply, often associated with the use of birth control pills. Avoid estrogen containing, or even progesterone only birth control pills or progesterone releasing intrauterine devices (Mirena) while breastfeeding. [from Domperidone, Getting Started by Dr. Jack Newman]
From: Jack Newman
Subject: Mirena IUD
Date: October, 2009?
We are receiving more and more reports from mothers of a decrease in milk production associated with the Mirena IUD. Today I received two such reports. Given the constant chronological relationship between the placement of the IUD and the mother’s decrease in milk production (1 to 2 weeks), it is quite possible that the decrease in milk production is a result of the IUD.
Of course, it is also likely that not all women will have a significant decrease; nobody contacts me when they don’t have a decreased production. But it is also likely that only a tiny percentage of women who do have a decrease actually contact me.
I think we need to be prudent and warn women about this possible side effect of the Mirena. All hormonal contraceptive methods should be avoided by breastfeeding mothers if possible.
Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC
Contraceptive Injection for Men
From: C-afp@clari.net (AFP)
Subject: Doctors report breakthrough on male birth control pill
Organization: Copyright 1998 by Agence France-Presse (via
ClariNet)
Date: Tue Mar 17 13:45:49 PST 1998
SEATTLE, Washington, March 17 (AFP) - Doctors at the
Veterans Affairs Medical Center here announced on Tuesday a
breakthrough in developing a male birth control pill.
A six-month study of 23 Seattle men taking the drug
Desogesterol, a combination of the hormones testosterone and
progestogen, reported 100 percent success in achieving very low or
no sperm production among participants.
The pill also passed the critical test of being fully
reversible, so that sperm counts return to normal after men stop
taking the pill, said William Bremner, the study's designer.
There is a catch, however. Besides taking the
contraceptive pill every day, participants were required to
receive supplementary
injections once a week, an inconvenience that researchers fear
would keep some men from using the method.
They still may prefer it, however, to a pocket-sized
male contraceptive gadget developed by a Chinese inventor and
unveiled by
Beijing's state-run news agency Xinhua on Sunday.
Worn inside the underwear, the device is supposed to work
by emitting pulses that affect nerves in a man's body and make him
sterile for one month after an hour's use. Fertility is restored
after the gadget is not used for two months.
As for the birth control pill, developers hope to
market it in seven years, by that time eliminating the need for
shots.
SAO PAULO, Aug 17, 1996 (Reuter) - A Brazilian pharmaceutical company will make the world's first birth-control pill for men starting next June, an official from the company making the product said Saturday.
Hebron S.A. plans to make the pill, called Nofertil, at its plant in Caruaru, some 86 miles from Recife in Pernambuco state.
Hebron industrial director and chief pharmacist Luiz Francisco Pianowski said Nofertil, made from a substance extracted from cotton called gossipol, works by deactivating the enzyme responsible for producing sperm.
The pill was tested on 500 men in eight countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, including 100 in Brazil, Pianowski said.
He said test results show the pill was 96 percent to 98 percent effective, equal to that of female birth-control pills.
He said the pill, unlike injectable contraceptives that work on hormones, has no side effects. Pianowski said the pill taken for 40 days, renders a man infertile but does not interfere with his sexual activity or the production of seminal fluids. The effects of the pill disappear 20 to 40 days after a man stops taking it.
``We think that the effect in the marketplace will be fantastic,'' he said. ``Many people, particularly women, think it is a great idea.''
He said other companies elsewhere in the world may be working on a similar product but ``we are the first in the launching stage.''
Nofertil took two years to develop and has the backing of the World Health Organization, Pianowski said.
Hebron's lab intends to produce 100,000 bottles of the pill a month but will increase output to five million bottles in two years.
Pianowski credits the pill to studies conducted by Elsimar
Coutinho of the University of Bahia.
Call 1-888-NOT-2-LATE for information on emergency contraception
(EC).
More info about emergency contraception at www.prescribechoice.org
or www.backupyourbirthcontrol.org
http://opr.princeton.edu/ec/states/ has a listing of clinic sites for emergency contraception.
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/healthwise/hw31.html#14 is a once over the top discussion of emergency contraception but contains this very important information: A woman can go to the Health Service Walk-In Clinic, 3rd Floor, John Jay Hall, and be seen by a provider who will review her medical history and in most cases, dispense emergency contraception.
http://www.wwilkins.com/rounds/Rosenfeld/Rosenfeld.html
gives a bit more technical information from an M.D. including
types of birth control pills used for emergency contraception.
Can anyone tell me anything about clients who are unable to keep
down the 2 doses of emergency pills? Any literature on their
pregnancy rates and etc.?
Some also prescribe phenergan suppositories along with the OCPs
to attempt to counteract N/V. Don't know rate of pregnancy if were
unable to keep the OCPs down.
This is what I do: I have her take 50 mg of Benadryl and wait at
least 1/2 hr until she starts getting sleepy. Then take the OCP
with some milk and crackers and GO TO BED. Same thing 12 hrs
later. So far, they have all kept it down.
Emergency Contraception,
and a list of clinics
that provide it.
New Toll-Free Hotline to Explain About Emergency Contraceptions -
(1-888-NOT-2-LATE)
Contraceptive
Research and Development Agency.
The
effect
of route of delivery on regression of abnormal cervical
cytologic findings in the postpartum period.
Ahdoot D, Van Nostrand KM, Nguyen NJ, Tewari DS, Kurasaki T,
DiSaia PJ, Rose GS.
Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1998 Jun;178(6):1116-20.
CONCLUSION: Postpartum spontaneous regression of Papanicolaou
smears consistent with high-grade squamous intraepithelial cells
occurs with increased frequency among women who are delivered
vaginally versus by cesarean section.
Identifying Women With Cervical Neoplasia - Using Human Papillomavirus DNA Testing for Equivocal Papanicolaou Results
For women with ASCUS, this
editorial recommends HPV testing for women under 30, and
immediate colposcopy for women over 30.
5/1/08 - CytoCore, Inc. introduces SoftPAP(TM), a revolutionary
new cervical cell collector that provides your patients with a
more accurate PAP Test, increased reliability, and much less
patient discomfort.
from Kopes-eticHealth.com [FP Revolution Volume 2 Number 2 January 20, 2008]
THINPREP: THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO ABANDON IT: Systematic reviews have concluded that the quality of the evidence about liquid-based cytology has not been good enough to judge its performance relative to conventional cytology. In 2003, the USPSTF found insufficient evidence to make a recommendation about using liquid-based cytology. Now we have a new study that seems to settle the issue.(3) In this study the researchers found that the frequency of abnormal cytology results was greater with liquid-based cytology than with conventional cytology (6.3% vs. 3.8%). Detection rates of CIN grade 2 or worse and grade 3 or worse were similar in both study groups. The probability of CIN+ histology after a positive test was lower in the LBC group, indicating that more false-positive results had occurred with the LBC technique.
The authors of the study comment, "Many people will be surprised to learn that liquid-based cytology was not more sensitive than conventional cytology, especially since the US FDA allows the manufacturer of the technology used in this trial to claim that it is 'significantly more effective' than conventional cytology for detecting cervical abnormalities. In fact, it seems that the main effect of liquid-based cytology was to increase the number of false-positive results, which result in needless referrals for colposcopy." Even the American Cancer Society has recommended less frequent use of LBC. The authors go on to state:
"Despite the lack of high-quality studies, many clinicians have adopted liquid-based cytology...The evidence supporting fewer unsatisfactory tests with the liquid-based technique, however, is conflicting. Nevertheless, both of these potential advantages of liquid-based cytology are unlikely to outweigh the disadvantage of increased overall colposcopy referral rates because of more frequent false-positive results with liquid-based cytology..."
"Users of liquid-based cytology should reconsider their decision to adopt this technology and ponder whether the harms to patients outweigh the benefits to the clinical laboratory [where it is less time consuming for technicians]. Those who use this technique for primary cervical cancer screening in women older than 30 years of age because it is easy to combine with HPV testing should realize that the USPSTF considers the evidence to be insufficient to endorse this strategy. Finally, clinicians who use the conventional technique should not feel that their patients are receiving substandard care; indeed, current best evidence suggests the opposite conclusion. COMMENT: I have been saying this since the device was first marketed. You have to admit, it was a stroke of genius by the technology company to find a device that made Pap smears 3 times more costly while generating tons of repeat tests and an army of grateful, rich colposcopists.
Accuracy
of
liquid based versus conventional cytology: overall results of
new technologies for cervical cancer screening: randomised
controlled trial.
Ronco G, Cuzick J, Pierotti P, Cariaggi MP, Dalla Palma P, Naldoni
C, Ghiringhello B, Giorgi-Rossi P, Minucci D, Parisio F, Pojer A,
Schiboni ML, Sintoni C, Zorzi M, Segnan N, Confortini M.
BMJ. 2007 Jul 7;335(7609):28. Epub 2007 May 21.
CONCLUSION: Liquid based cytology showed no statistically
significant difference in sensitivity to conventional cytology for
detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or
more. More positive results were found, however, leading to a
lower positive predictive value. A large reduction in
unsatisfactory smears was evident. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current
Controlled Trials ISRCTN81678807 [controlled-trials.com].
Cervical
Screening:
A Clinical Practice Guideline, from Ontario, May, 2005,
recommending ThinPrep as the preferred method.
Here's the web page with the self-Pap material and the index page.
This is the material I have always used when teaching people to
do their own. I have them get the book, then come to an
appointment and talk them through the procedure.
I found the Web page but couldn't find anything about doing
self-Paps. Did you mean self-examination, i.e. visualizing one's
own cervix? Or did you really mean taking a sample of one's own
cervical cells?
The page contains a useful narrative, but it's hard to go from
narrative to actual practice, so I've had women bring the info
with them to the office, and do the procedure with me talking them
through it. That way, they have memories to anchor to the
narrative so that they can be successful on their own. So yes,
they can do paps themselves.
Average Age of Puberty Getting Younger
DES was used until 1971.
Use
of
Wet Smears to Screen for Sexually Transmitted Diseases
(Medscape CMEs)
About Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS)
NATURAL Progesterone and Women's Health
by Brent Rooney
Natural Progesterone for Post-partum
Depression and PMS Psychosis
Phytoestrogens in Foods and Herbs
New Treatment for Genital Warts
When I was a student w/ a CNM in private practice, our teacher
frequently recommended "Instant Ocean" that can be purchased from
places that sell products for salt water fish tanks for a variety
of vaginal/perineal/anorectal complaints and it worked. When
I had a bartholin's cyst, in addition to the 2 grams of duricef a
day, I was to soak in Instant Ocean TID--it ruptured w/ in 3
days. Thankfully, it hasn't recurred.
Gemmotherapy (from plant buds) for Perimenopausal/Postmenopausal
(Lactatational?) vaginal dryness, from Dolisos
Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus Libani) Young Shoots 1DH: 50 drops daily
Breast Thermography
measures physiologic tissue changes based on metabolic
activity. In general, cells that have high metabolic
activity tend to give off higher temperature signals. Since
cancer cells are highly metabolically active, they tend to give
off higher temperature signals. This is a crude explanation
of the basis of thermography. It can generally detect cancer
cells earlier than you could on a mammogram. A
clumping of cells in a tumor has to be a certain size before it is
detectable via mammogram. There is also no ionizing
radiation or uncomfortable squeezing of the breast with a
thermograph.
While the data speaks for itself, many women who do not regularly
go for mammography are more apt to do SBE the more it is taught
and discussed. Many patients lose track of how long its been since
their last study but admit to occasionally doing SBE. We've
actually seen more cancers picked up this way than on mammography.
A couple of years ago in Lancet (or was it BMJ?), a guy did some
re-working of the numbers from the mammography trials and
concluded that nearly all of the benefit was from the clinical
breast exam, not from the X-rays per se. He advocated, as I
recall, spending the money being allocated for increased
mammography to getting more universal clinical exams. I've never
seen anything responding to that, though I admit I haven't looked
carefully for it.
Mammograms
Again Found to Have No Impact on Mortality [7/27/15] -
Mammograms do not save lives and may actually harm more women than
it helps, according to several studies.
SusanLoveMD.com - Dr.
Susan Love's Website For Women
Preventing
Breast
Cancer - Book Completely Online
Two Sisters' Stories
- Twins share their battle against breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Risk From Abortions
Confusion about Link Between Abortions
and Breast Cancer
Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot, Israel
See also: Postpartum
Vulvar Dermatitis
Vulval
vestibulitis
- Is a common and poorly recognised cause of dyspareunia[BMJ
2004;328:1214-1215
(22 May)]
Topical
Nitroglycerin
Diminishes Vaginal and Labial Pain [ Medscape
registration is free ]
Pelvic
Pain
in Women -- Better Understanding of an Elusive Diagnosis
[
Medscape registration is free ]
This brief article on Deep
Tissue
Vaginal Massage has some really good information for women
experiencing physical or emotional pain in their genitals after
birth; it seems like really useful advice for anyone experiencing
genital pain.
Julie's Vulvodynia Web Page - This is obviously the first page to go to. What a great collection of information and a terrific public service.
Vulvodynia
and
Vulvar Vestibulitis from the University
of
Michigan Center for Vulvar Diseases.
Diagnosis
and
Treatment of Vulvodynia
Paavonen, Jorma
Annals of Medicine 27, no. 2 (April 1995): 175-81
Simplified
Surgical
Revision of the Vulvar Vestibule for Vulvar Vestibulitis
Goetsch, Martha F.
American Journal of Obstetrics and gynecology 174, no. 6 (June
1996):1701-7
Treatment
of
Vulvar Vestibulitis Syndrome with Electromyographic Biofeedback
of Pelvic Floor Musculature
Howard I. Glazer, Ph.D., Gae Rodke, M.D., Charles Swencionis,
Ph.D., Ronny Hertz, D.D.S., M.D., Alexander W. Young, M.D.
Reprinted from THE JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE Vol. 40 No.
4, April 1995 With Permission of the First Author
Vulvodynia:
Diagnosis and Treatment by Tori Hudson, ND
Vulvar vestibulitis is a vulvar pain/burning syndrome.
Usually no objective s/sx - the woman complains of burning or
itching, probably dyspareunia, and on exam all "looks" normal. Be
alert also for old episiotomy scar tissue if onset of c/o was
after childbirth. Also be aware if nursing a babe, she may be
estrogen deprived, and not look especially dry, but is... if no
other explanation fits, do a "point-tenderness" exam: I
examine with a cotton-tipped applicator, the soft end and the
wooden end both, gently - even light touch with either will elicit
pain for her - I draw a "map" ov the vulva and note where she has
pain. This is useful for tracking improvement, etc. I first
heard of this by a chance "find" - the newsletter of the American
Association for the Study of Vulvar Disease. [Ed. - This
organization may now be defunct or replace by the Center
for Vulvar Diseases.]
I've seen this in women who did not have any tears or epis.
I always assumed it was some kind of nerve damage by the symptoms
and the time it takes to completely resolve. 6-9 months. It
definitely has to do with the pressure receptors,
Vulvar vestibulitis, described previously on this list as extreme
itching, burning and other wise extreme discomfort of the vulva
and which can cause such life changing problems as dyspareunia,
extreme pain etc., can be caused the the Human Papilloma
Virus. I worked with a physician who saw lots of these women
who had been told to see shrinks, had marriage problems and
generally a pretty tough life due to this. His treatment was
to use (oh brain, help me, the name is gone) these injections into
the area and he reported great improvement. He initially
diagnosed some of this with vulvar colposcopy.
I saw an interesting presentation on VV and vulvodynia at a conference and she advocated a multidisciplinary approach, which occasionally includes psychotherapy and marriage counseling, anti-depressants, and even surgery to remove the sensitive tissue. What she stressed, though, was the importance of actually coming up with a diagnosis. We have all seen women who have bounced from provider to provider, diagnosed and treated for BV, yeast, atrophy, prolapse, bad repair, etc. She stressed sending these women to someone who has experience and resources to attack the problem.
She was of the opinion that many cases are actually chronic yeast that has to be attacked quite seriously (i.e. not just a course of terazol) and many are actually the result of musculoskeletal misalignments of the pelvis, for which physical therapy is the treatment. We had an interesting client who had been healthy prior to pregnancy, then went to 42 weeks and was basically uninducable (three days of pit and cervidil and still 1 cm). She started complaining postpartum of painful sex. She appeared atrophied and we tried estrogen cream with some relief. I finally sent her to this expert who diagnosed such a pelvic problem and yeast. She got better with physical therapy and yeast treatment. But now I wonder if her musculoskeletal misalignment had something to do with her "difficulty" with labor. I am crossing my fingers that is the case and hoping for a normal labor next time, now that the problem is resolved.
This speaker also uses topical treatments for women for who the above treatments either don't work or are not appropriate. One unusual, but intriguing topical treatment involved Capasian cream. Capasian is a cream made from hot peppers. It works by depleting the receptors in the nerves of a substance P (stands for pepper?) that sends out the burning signal. Those of you who eat spicy foods might have noticed that the first few bites burn and sting, but then towards the end of the meal you no longer really notice the spice. This is because the contact with the pepper has depleted your substance P in those nerve fibers and you no longer get the sensation.
This Capasian cream is applied several times a day. Apparently it
sting like crazy at first and she has them use a topical lidocaine
before the application. After a few days? weeks? (can't remember)
the cream no longer stings and the burning sensation is
permanently gone, as long as they continue to apply the cream
regularly. This is in most cases as permanent resolution of the
vulvodynia.
I used to SUFFER from vulvar vestibulitis. What a nightmare! I saw a great doctor in Phoenix who specializes in vulvodynia. Anyway, he recommends sea salt baths for just about everything. Instant Ocean aquarium salt - about 1 cup to a standard bath tub. I did 2 soaks a day for 20 minutes, then use a blow dryer on the cool setting.
It saved my life. He also gave me the recommendation of no lotion, soap, oil of any kind between my knees and waist.
I had am immune problem that affected my reproductive and
urinary systems after an insect bite.
British Medical Journal's Online articles about Sexual Medicine including:
ABC of sexual health: Female sexual problems I: Loss of desire
what about the fun?
ABC of sexual health: Female sexual problems II: sexual pain and
sexual fears
Antenatal screening for syphilis
ABC of sexual health: Examination of patients with sexual problems
ABC of sexual health: Taking a sexual history
Sexual health
ABC of sexual health: Management of sexual problems
Sounds to me like vulvodynia. The sensation is heavy and often
tingly- sort of like when your leg falls asleep and it hurts. It
can be super painful, especially when standing for prolonged
periods of time. I believe that vulvodynia is a
nervous issue instead of a vascular one. Often the pain is labial,
sometimes at the introitus and sometimes higher inside the vagina.
It can also create a 'saddle' effect involving the perineum,
labia, introitus, etc. Vulvodynia is commonly felt with the
menstrual cycle and with postpartum lochia and less commonly felt
when a woman is not bleeding. Vulvodynia *can* be a reaction to
sexual abuse and *can* be associated with vaginismus but it is not
always connected. But being at a full crown for a long
time....that could surely do it! What to do about it??? I don't
know! Chaste tree berry over a 3 month time frame is thought to
help but it hasn't aided the ladies I've worked with that
experience vulvodynia. Pain medicine doesn't help either. The only
thing I know of is laying on your back with pillows under your
hips until the feeling disappears.
Contact
Allergic
Reactions of the Vulva: A 14-Year Review [01/04/2005 -
Medscape registration is free]
Tostan supports a
revolutionary and very successful program in Senegal, West Africa;
this is an extraordinary and historic grassroots movement to
abandon FGC.
Amnesty
International
- The campaign to eradicate female genital mutilation
Rising Daughters Aware provides
free online practical information for FGM affected women, their
physicians, other health care providers, social workers,
counselors and attorneys.
About FGM from International
Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
See also: Fibroids in
Pregnancy
Designed for women, Myomin
is clinically proven to reduce the size and symptoms of
myoma. Myomin is especially good for fibroid cysts in the
breast, uterus, and ovaries. It is also effective for cysts in the
thyroid, kidney, and liver.
Fibroid
Resource Center from obgyn.net
The
Management
of Uterine Leiomyomas by Ashraf Fouda, MD - slideshow
presentation
I've had repeated success with helping facilitate prevention and shrinking of uterine fibroids, cystic breasts and endometriosis resolution: For other patients experiences see http://www.drhusbands.com/testimonials.cfm .
The short answer of how this is accomplished is by balancing some basic biochemical & physiologic processes of detoxification, adrenal-thyroid gland function, and hormonal balancing using dietary alterations, individualized herbal, nutraceutical & homeopathic factors, lifestyle modifications , and structural balancing.
For a more detailed answer into the specific herbal and nutritional substances that are have strong evidenced-based support of why and how they support normalization of processes to resolve uterine fibroids, breast cysts, endometriosis, and breast cancer prevention, you can read the following articles. Please be aware that while the following articles are not specifically focused on uterine fibroids, what's important to keep in mind is that optimization of the PROCESSES involved in development of these disorders cuts across many diagnoses! When you optimize the processes towards health promotion and maintenance, you get great results influencing multiple diagnoses:
Necessity for optimal detoxification: http://www.drhusbands.com/newsletters/ACF6265.pdf
Balancing thyroid function: http://www.drhusbands.com/articles/ACF76B.pdf
Nutraceutical/lifestyle/dietary methods for hormone balancing: http://www.drhusbands.com/newsletters/Jan%2007%20Newsletter.pdf,
http://www.drhusbands.com/newsletters/Feb%2007%20Newsletter.pdf,
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs095/1101475329247/archive/1101826529755.html
Sea
Pearls
Sea Sponge Tampons can be used to support a prolapsing
uterus.
MyMoonCards to Learn about the Women's Cycle
Women in the 13th Moon Cycle - notes
from MANA conference, 1999
Saliva testing for menopausal hormones
The following are some resources I've found helpful in understanding hormone replacement therapy, and the importance of women's involvement in their own health care. They seem informative and are very readable. Also, lots of great sites on the Internet.
Birth
as an American Rite of Passage by Robbie E. Davis-Floyd
Listening to Your Hormones, by Gillian Ford
Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis by Dr. Alan R. Gaby
Screaming to be Heard by Elizabeth Lee Vliet
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause by John R. Lee
Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Christine Northrup
Reclaiming Our Health by John Robbins
Menopausal Years: The Wise Woman's Years by Susan Weed
Below are some mail order sources for hormone replacement information. All will send you an introductory packet of very helpful information. Might also be sources for providers in your area who will prescribe natural hormones.
Nonprescription Sources
Pro-Gest Body Cream
1-800-888-6814
Prescription Only (lots of good information)
Bajamar Women's HealthCare
1-800-255-8025
(have sublingual natural progesterone)
Women's International Pharmacy
1-800-279-5708
Healthy food choices are always important, omegas, essential fatty acids, salmon, cod liver oil, flax seed oil, borage oil. Black cohosh helps balance the hormones and this is commonly used for menopausal symptoms. Ensuring she drinks plenty of water is ultra important! I have found Nettles to be very helpful for weepy type situations. Nettle infusion, glycerite or including them fresh into your diet would be excellent. Nourishing foods are wonderful and foods generally recommended during one's bleeding cycle...red foods- like berries, red meat, beets, etc... pomegranates are great food too for women's health, especially with them in season right now. I do work with women on a small scale for help with menopause, so you can contact me directly if you like; and we make a great Hot Flash Relief tea if you are interested.
There is a company called Metagenics that carry a line of
Traditional Chinese Medicine (herbs) The formula called TCB 8
(Traditional Chinese Botanical) is fantastic for menopausal
symptoms. My Mom is just about done with menopause and she used
this for almost the entire time. Never used estrogen replacement.
The formula contains Black Cohosh and Angelica partly I believe,
but it is in the form of Chinese Medicine. I'm sorry but I'm not
an expert in that area and couldn't really explain the difference
between just doing the herbs and using the Chinese Medicine form
of them. She had horrible hot flashes, anxiety attacks, heavy
menses and mood swings before the TCB 8. She swore by it so much
that I had to start carrying the product for all of her friends
who still get it from me for their ongoing menopause(s). My Mom
used to take quite a bit of it every day, now she just uses it a
few times a week depending on her needs. I was kind of afraid she
was getting somehow "addicted" to it because she would get so
upset if I ran out and she needed it. She claimed whenever she
went off of it her symptoms came back. The Metagenics company
would hold seminars often and I would question them at every
seminar about long term usage and they always reassured me that it
would be OK. I can only say anecdotally that this proved true with
my Mom (so far) - she eventually cut down on her intake as her
need decreased. She is a very healthy 55 y/o and is extremely
active.
CDC National STD/HIV Hotline - (800) 227 - 8922
CDC Web Pages on Sexually Transmitted Diseases