Women’s Health
We ask the experts to lay out best strategies for care
This month, we’ve asked experts in women’s health to give us their best advice on multiple conditions that affect women. The following are our Q&As.
EYE CARE SPECIALISTS
Does gender affect eye disease risk? “Yes. But even though women are up to 66 percent more likely than men to go blind from cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration (AMD), more than 90 percent of women are unaware of this fact,” says Mark Freedman, MD, of Eye Care Specialists, a local ophthalmology practice.
Why the difference? “Women face these odds because they tend to live longer and have a biological predisposition - perhaps immunological or hormonal - to certain eye concerns,” explains Brett Rhode, MD, Freedman’s partner and Head of Ophthalmology at a local hospital. What concerns does this raise? “Decreased vision increases the risk of car accidents and falling, which can lead to hip fractures, the need for walkers and/or nursing home care, and complication-related death. Poor vision also negatively impacts independence, social interaction and overall health,” says Freedman.
What is the most common cause of poor vision? “If your eyesight is worsening with age, cataracts (clouding of the natural lens inside the eye) are often the culprit. If so, a 15-minute procedure to remove and replace the cataract with a customized lens implant is typically the solution,” says Rhode.
How can women protect their vision? “Schedule comprehensive dilated eye exams every other year. Wear sunglasses, avoid smoking, maintain a diet that’s low in fats and sugar and high in healthy nutri- ents, and ask your eye care specialist what treatments and/or supplements might be of value for you,” says Rhode.
SKIIN ANTI-AGING LOUNGE
What is the hottest treatment right now in non-surgical advancements? Vaginal rejuvenation is very popular, according to the staff at SKIIN. There’s a new, effective, non-invasive device. ThermiVA uses radio-frequency for both internal and external tightening of the vagina. Our staff and patient feedback for this treatment has been amazing!
How long does a procedure like this take? The ThermiVA is performed in our suites and takes about 45 minutes. There is no anesthesia and no downtime.
Who would benefit from this procedure? Most patients are women who would like to improve their vaginal sensations, dryness, laxity or improved function. Most have had children or have seen changes with age.
Are there any other benefits to this procedure? Some patients have seen improvement to urinary incontinence after experiencing the ThermiVA.
How do I get signed up for the ThermiVA? For complimentary consultations for the ThermiVA procedure, please call 262-657-5446.
WISCONSIN OVARIAN CANCER ALLIANCE
We interviewed Ashley Wagner of the Wisconsin Ovarian Cancer Alliance.
First, tell me about ovarian cancer. One in 75 women is at risk of developing ovarian cancer in her lifetime. The fiveyear survival rate is less than 50 percent. It’s the leading cause of death among gynecological cancers.
What does WOCA do to combat this disease? Our mission is to provide education and support and to fund research on ovarian cancer. A large part is awareness. This cancer is hard to detect, and many women haven’t been diagnosed until the cancer is advanced. Some symptoms have been identified: bloating, eating difficulties, abdominal or pelvic pain and bladder troubles. If you’re diagnosed, we recommend seeing a gynecologic oncologist.
What about support? We have a diverse range of support groups for survivors and caregivers. A program I’m especially proud of is Teal in Need [named for the signature color in the fight against ovarian cancer]. Last year was our first year for the program, which provides patients with money for rent, wigs, transportation, medical bills – anything to make it easier for them during treatment. We fully funded all the ladies who applied in 2016 through this program. And research? We provide $20,000 a year to a cancer researcher at the University of Wisconsin Medical School and the same amount to another researcher at the Medical College of Wisconsin. For more info: wisconsinovariancancer.org.
CANCER TREATMENT CENTERS OF AMERICA
With an estimated 106,470 new cases nationally in 2016, lung cancer is the second most common cancer in women and the leading cause of cancer deaths.
Dr. Revathi Suppiah, a medical oncologist at the Lung Center at Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center in suburban Chicago, believes providing knowledge is key to preventing and battling this insidious disease.
What are risk factors for lung cancer? You can reduce risk by stopping smoking or preventing exposure to secondhand smoke; maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly; avoiding exposure to environmental toxins and carcinogens; and knowing your family history.
Should I be screened for lung cancer? Low-dose lung CT screenings are recommended annually for people between 55 and 80 with a 30-pack/year history of smoking, who are current smokers or have quit in the past 15 years.
What are the symptoms? Symptoms that could indicate lung cancer include but aren’t limited to fatigue, persistent cough, coughing up blood, wheezing, shortness of breath and weight loss.
MAXIMUM HEALTH CHIROPRACTIC
Dr. Matt Frahm is a chiropractor who heads a practice called Max Health Chiropractic, with offices in Brookfield, Waukesha and Hales Corners.
For what conditions do you mostly treat women? Hormone issues are very common, and also weight management.
What sort of hormone issues? Thyroid sticks out, and this is more common with women than men. We work with the body to get the system to heal itself.
How does this work? We use a combination of nutrition, exercise and detoxification – plus chiropractic care to assure the structures of the spine are properly aligned so nerves can function properly.
How about weight loss? We help a lot of women with weight loss, and again it comes down to the hormonal side.
The big hormone we’re after is leptin, which tells the brain to burn fat for energy. We eliminate toxins, because those destroy leptin receptors. We also give vitamin supplements to help speed the metabolism. And we develop a meal plan, to help get the body burning fat again.
How long do these treatments take to work? Some patients respond within a month or two, and some can take a long time – eight, 10, 12 months.
DR. SHEKHAR DAGAM, NEUROSURGERY
Dr. Dagam practices neurosurgery. His specialty includes the entire spine and brain, but he says women are at least three times more likely than men to need a procedure called sacroiliac joint replacement.
What is the sacroiliac joint? The bottom part of the low back is called the sacrum, and it’s connected to the pelvis via the sacroiliac (SI) joint.
What are the symptoms of SI joint dysfunction? Pain in the lower buttock area radiating down the leg. It can feel like hip pain, or back pain, or buttock pain.
Why are women more likely to develop this problem? The normal movement of the sacroiliac is something between two to four millimeters. In men it’s stiffer, but in women it’s a bit more lax because women have to have more movement with pregnancy. Their physiology allows greater movement, so they’re more apt to have disease there.
What do you do for this problem?
We’ll prescribe many medications: ibuprofen, anti-inflammatories and so forth. The next option would be physical therapy or strengthening exercises. Lastly, there are pain management techniques. If this fails, we can recommend surgery, and the great thing about the surgery we offer is it’s minimally invasive, done with a small incision on an outpatient basis. The surgery fuses the joint, but you don’t lose mobility.
ABCD: AFTER BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS
Breast cancer is the most frequently
diagnosed cancer for women, and ABCD, founded in Milwaukee, aims to help women deal with this troubling diagnosis.
Who founded the organization? ABCD was founded in 1999 by Emmy Award-winning journalist Melodie Wilson Oldenburg. Committed to help all those dealing with breast cancer, she worked to ensure that everyone facing the disease had access to free, reliable emotional support. She believed no one should go through breast cancer alone.
What does ABCD do? ABCD provides free, personalized, one-to-one information and support services to all those affected by breast cancer. Breast cancer patients and their families and friends are matched with breast cancer survivors and co-survivors who “have been in their shoes.” Since 1999 ABCD has trained over 1,000 mentors, with over 600 active now. And all mentor matches are personalized based on similar diagnoses and treatment plans as well as life circumstances.
When is ABCD’s support available? Mentors are available any time during the journey from diagnosis through treatment and after.
How do you reach ABCD? ABCD’s services are available via its Helpline (800977-4121) or helpline@abcdmentor.org.
For more information, visit abcd breastcancersupport.org
FIRST PLACE DENTAL
Roumania Stoycheva had been a dentist for eight years in her native Bulgaria when she came to this country with her daughters. She got a degree in dentistry from Marquette University. She’s now a general dentist with a concentration on cosmetic dentistry as well.
You wanted to talk about screening for oral cancers. The American Dental Association recommends that screening be done annually for everybody. And yes, oral cancer screens are a very basic part of establishing a baseline of health. We screen with OralID, which uses a special light called “fluorescence technology” to identify oral cancer,
pre-cancer and other abnormal lesions at an earlier stage.
What’s your philosophy on cosmetic dentistry? I am a member of the
American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry; I stay with high standards that ensure good results. As you know, we women have a very special relationship with the mirror in the morning – “Mirror, mirror on the wall, how’s my smile today?” We have ways here of enhancing natural beauty.
With what procedures? It starts with healthy teeth, clean teeth, healthy gums with no periodontal disease. And then we start with whitening of the teeth. The dental community agrees unanimously that the best smile is a white smile.
Anything beyond whitening? We do full mouth reconstruction, whether it’s missing teeth restored with implants, or bridges or crowns to strengthen the teeth.
ROGERS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Addiction and its attack on women: an interview with Dr. Michael Miller, medical director of Herrington Recovery Center at Rogers Memorial Hospital-Oconomowoc.
How does addiction affect women differently than men? For a long time, drug and alcohol addiction rates have been far higher in men than in women. But according to the latest Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health, those gaps have closed in recent years. Women with alcoholism have a much more rapid progression of their disease, meaning it may take fewer years to develop liver and other organ damage. It also takes less total lifetime intake of alcohol for women to develop organ failure or premature death. Tobacco kills more individuals than any other substance, and today more teenage girls are starting to smoke than boys. What prevents women from reaching out for help? In 2014, over 7 million American women were unable to receive addiction treatment. Women have to overcome more stigma than men do, so deciding to seek help is more of a challenge. Also, to engage women in treatment and help them continue in care, additional support services are often needed; obstacles include cost, transportation, child care needs and lack of other resources.
What resources are available? Many officials point to the benefits when gender-specific programming is offered for women. Through all-female group time, women can more freely talk about challenges they face in their recoveries. It’s also often easier to discuss sexual or physical abuse in an all-female setting. Many women also attend Al-Anon groups, for loved ones of people with addiction; these can help women struggling to cope with a loved one’s addiction.