Advanced Family Medicine

Menopause: How You Can Cope with Life’s Big Change When approaching menopause, many women  become anxious about the symptoms  they’ll experience during their transition, since they’ve been conditioned to expect side effects such as hot flashes, weight gain, anxiety, reduced energy, problems sleeping, and more. In other words, women think that throughout the process, they’ll be miserable—at least some of the time. But is this actually the case? Let’s take a look. Do All Women Experience Menopausal Symptoms? Menopause , which is defined as “occurring 12 months after your last menstrual period and marks the end of menstrual cycles,” is something that all women go through. And according to the article, “Menopause can happen in your 40s or 50s, but the average age is 51 in the United States.” However, just because every woman eventually goes through menopause, this doesn’t mean that each one will experience the same symptoms—or even any symptoms at all. According to...

What a Full Body Skin Exam Is, & Why You Need to Have One Have you had your complete physical exam yet this year? If not, you might want to schedule one soon, as most medical insurance policies cover these types of exams once per year. I know, I know, just the thought of going through a complete physical is enough to make some people uneasy. But the truth is that these complete exams are vitally important to your health, due in no small part to the full body skin examination that occurs at this time. What Happens During a Full Body Skin Exam? During your skin “check up,”  your AFM physician  will check all the skin over your entire body for abnormal (or in most instances, slightly abnormal) lesions, including moles and other types of growths, especially those that change shape or size, itch or bleed frequently, or don’t heal like other wounds. But why do this in the first place? Because abnormalities like the ones described above may signify pre-cancerous s...

Another Hair Gone: What Causes Hair Loss & What You Can Do To Treat It Whether you’re a man or a woman, bringing up the topic of hair loss is sure to cause some tension for anyone suffering from it. After all, in today’s beauty obsessed world, each and every one of us want to have the thickest, healthiest head of hair possible. And although it can take a toll on your ego, there are also some health concerns that may be indicated by sudden hair loss. But the reality is that hair loss is a normal part of everyday life. In fact, according to WebMD, we each lose about  100 hairs per day  as some of our hairs complete their  telogen phase  and naturally fall out. In ideal circumstances though, there are many other hairs in their  anagen and  catagen  phases, which ultimately balance out hair loss and keeps your hair looking as thick as it always has. However, what happens when this process is interfered with? Let’s take a look. What Causes H...

Menopause and You: Experiencing Life’s “Big Change” Just hearing the word “menopause” can cause many women to recoil in fear. However, the truth about menopause is that it’s a natural transition in any woman’s life, and doesn’t have to result in suffering. In fact, according to one menopausal specialist, “The perimenopausal period is a reflection of a woman’s life,” and closely reflects each woman’s perception of it. In other words, women who have stable nervous systems; who maintain positive outlooks; and who are active usually don’t experience significant interference from menopausal symptoms. On the other hand, women with underlying anxiety and critical or negative attitudes typically experience more pronounced menopausal symptoms. Because of this, it should come as no surprise that anxiety medication is now being used to treat hot flashes and other perimenopausal symptoms. Recognizing the Signs of Menopause The beginning of menopause is defined as “occurring 12 months...

Why Get Vaccinations? Tetanus In the office we see many parents refusing to vaccinate their kids. We understand that vaccinations have a certain stigma, but we want to protect the health of children, and as a result we spend a lot of the time explaining to parents the importance of vaccinations. One particular vaccination that is of utmost importance is a tetanus shot. What is Tetanus and why is it so important? Tetanus is a serious infection of central nervous system, caused by the potentially deadly bacteria Clostridium Tetani. This bacteria causes muscle stiffness and spasms; these spasms can be so violent that they can tear muscle and cause fractures of the spine. Tetanus is caused by exposure to bacteria that lives in the soil, it can be found around the world, and can remain infectious for more then 40 years in the soil. They primary means of transmission are through a cut, scrape or burn that are subsequently exposed to the bacteria either by contact with the soil ...

Immunizations – Myth and Reality Nothing can instill fear like a hypodermic needle in the hands of a nurse. Many of us have memories as children of getting shots at the doctor’s office, and then walking out with a cool Disney band-aid and a sucker, but not many want to relive those memories. But there are many advantages to getting immunizations as an adult, this is a myth we want to dispel, because we believe that not only are immunizations important, they can decrease your chances of contracting some rather nasty afflictions. Myth: Only children need immunizations. Reality: (from CDC recommendations) There are several important immunizations recommended for older adults: Influenza – get this every year, your employer probably will even pay for it! Zoster (shingles vaccinations) – now recommended after age 55 (before it was after age 60). You can get this vaccine at your local drug store. Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) – once, then get a Td booster every 10 ...