Laparoscopy is a type of surgery that uses a slim, lighted telescope (also equipped with a camera) inserted through small incisions in your abdomen or pelvic area. This allows your doctor to both diagnose and treat conditions surgically in a much less invasive way than traditional surgery. At Southern OBGYN, we perform diagnostic laparoscopy to address symptoms such as unexplained pelvic pain or history of pelvic infections, as well as infertility issues or other problems that aren’t attributed to other conditions, including:
Once your condition has been diagnosed, our doctors can treat you with laparoscopic surgery. Guided by the camera on the laparoscope and using specialized surgical instruments, your doctor can perform a variety of procedures, including:
Besides being a much less invasive procedure, laparoscopy typically offers a shorter healing time and less visible scarring than an open surgical procedure. Additionally, many of the surgeries can be performed in an outpatient surgery center using general anesthesia.
Menopause is a season in a woman’s life when her body and hormones begin to change, signaling the end of her childbearing years. For some women, it’s a welcome transition that doesn’t have much of an adverse effect on their daily life. But for most women, the hormonal changes from menopause can wreak havoc on their days and nights.
As you go through menopause, your estrogen levels diminish significantly, leaving you with hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, reduced libido and vaginal dryness. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) uses medications that contain the female hormones that your body no longer produces after menopause to treat these uncomfortable symptoms. HRT is, so far, the most effective treatment for menopause symptoms, and has also been proven to prevent bone loss in post-menopausal women, helping them to avoid osteoporosis and bone fractures as they age.
At Southern OBGYN, we understand that the changes that occur during menopause and after can be challenging and frustrating. That’s why we offer HRT – we want to ensure that you are not plagued by uncomfortable symptoms and are free to go about your daily life as usual.
While there are several benefits to HRT, as with any treatment, there are also risks. At Southern OBGYN, we work with you to create a unique treatment plan, tailoring the type of hormone and dosage to your specific needs. We also schedule regular follow-ups, to ensure that you are still reaping the benefits and that your risk factors haven’t changed or increased. During your appointment, one of our experienced doctors will go over your health and medical history to ensure that HRT is the right choice for you, as some conditions may raise your risk for complications. Menopause can be a difficult journey, so knowing the benefits and potential drawbacks of hormone replacement therapy can help you make the right decision for your health. We can also discuss non-hormonal options for treatment that are available.
A Pap smear is a procedure done during your annual gynecological visit to screen for abnormal cells on your cervix. Your gynecologist takes a scraping of cervical cells and has them tested for abnormalities that may require further treatment. A Pap smear is primarily done to check for cervical cancer, but can also tell your doctor if you have HPV (human papillomavirus) a sexually transmitted disease that can lead to cervical cancer if left untreated. Most of the time, the results of your Pap test will come back negative, meaning that you have no abnormal cells. However, occasionally you may get a positive result, indicating that further testing is needed.
At Southern OBGYN, we know that the prospect of cervical cancer is a scary one, and so we make it a priority to educate our patients about other reasons for a positive Pap result. We will walk you through the process of further testing and diagnosis with compassion, answering your questions and alleviating your fears. It is essential to remember that abnormal Pap smear results do not necessarily mean that there is something serious going on. It simply means that there were abnormal cells on your cervix, which can be a result of something like the beginning or end of your period, bathing right before your exam, or something a bit more serious, like cell changes related to HPV. In order to correctly diagnose the reason for the abnormal cells, the next step is to perform a colposcopy. A colposcopy is a procedure performed to examine your cervix closely through a colposcope, which is a microscope device with a light attached. Using the colposcope, your doctor will visually examine your cervix, vulva, and vagina for abnormal cells. Often, vinegar or iodine is applied to the area to help further illuminate the unusual cells. If abnormal cells are detected, your doctor may collect a tissue sample to send in for a biopsy. Your results may indicate HPV or precancerous cells, both of which can be treated and monitored. Whatever the outcome, you can be certain that you will receive the highest level of care at Southern OBGYN.
If you are looking for an OBGYN practice that can diagnose and treat your reproductive concerns from A to Z, look no further than Southern OBGYN. Call our office today at 337-235-4460 and schedule an appointment with one of our trained, experienced and caring doctors.
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