186 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02138
telephone: (617) 441-5550 • fax: (617) 441-5552

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Common Health Issues

Fibroids

Fibroids are benign tumors that grow in the uterus. They can be asymptomatic or cause problems including heavy bleeding and anemia, pain and discomfort, urinary frequency, pressure on other organs and infertility. Fibroids are the most common reason for hysterectomies being done in this country, accounting for hundreds of thousands each year. However, it is not necessary to have a hysterectomy for fibroids. Many women do not need surgery at all, and for those that do, or choose to, fibroids can be removed while preserving a healthy, normal uterus. Sometimes fibroids can be removed with minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy or hysteroscopy. When fibroids are large and numerous a more standard surgery may be indicated. However, even with very large and numerous fibroids, the uterus can always be preserved.

Sometimes dietary changes and complementary healing techniques can help reduce symptoms and slow the growth of fibroids.

Abnormal Pap Smears

Pap Smears are a screening technique to determine cancerous or pre-cancerous changes of the cervix. These changes are caused by a virus called Human PapillomaVirus ( HPV). HPV is now an epidemic and many women are affected by these changes. However, with careful monitoring, many women have the capacity to heal these early pre-cancerous changes on their own. If the changes are more severe or persistent, a simple office procedure will prevent the development of cervical cancer.

Particularly in women who wish to be pregnant in the future, it is important to avoid treatment when possible. A very high percentage of our patients are able to avoid treatment with careful monitoring. Sometimes, complementary modalities can support this healing.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a common condition that may present as painful periods, pain all through the month, pain during sexual relations, or infertility. It is a condition in which the tissue that normally lines the uterus implants in the pelvis, on the fallopian tubes, ovaries, pelvic ligaments and pelvic wall. Sometimes, this can cause cysts in the ovaries. Fortunately, endometriosis, can now be treated with minimally invasive surgical techniques, medication, dietary and lifestyle changes and complementary healing modalities.

Abnormal Bleeding

There are various causes for abnormal bleeding including hormonal imbalances, fibroids, polyps, pre-cancerous and cancerous changes. After testing to rule out serious causes, some clients require only close monitoring, support and reassurance.

Hormonal imbalances can be corrected either through medication or complementary care. Fibroids and polyps can be removed hysteroscopically with little or no recovery time. Pre-cancerous changes can sometime be reversed, and even in the case of cancer, treatment can be done with minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy with an extremely high cure rate.

Menopause

Menopause is a natural transition in a woman's life. However, many women experience an array of symptoms including hot flashes, sleep disturbance, difficulty with memory and concentration, vaginal dryness and discomfort and loss of libido. There are also some potentially serious health consequences of menopause such as osteoporosis and heart disease. Many of these symptoms can be addressed with dietary changes, herbal remedies and complementary medicine. However, for some women, symptoms require further medical treatment. We offer bioidentical hormones (also known as "natural hormone replacement therapy") for relief of symptoms and monitoring and treatment options for osteoporosis.

Infertility

Description coming ...