Top Ten Women’s Health Concerns
What are the top ten women’s health concerns our patients worry about the most?
It’s not the big killers of heart disease, strokes, or cancer. Rather, it is the things that interfere with their quality of life on a daily basis, things like weight gain, fatigue, painful periods, and PMS. These issues often don’t get the attention they deserve in the conventional healthcare setting, where providers often lack the time, or the tools, to help solve these concerns. Acupuncture, nutrition, and integrative medicine are superb at addressing a wide variety of women’s health challenges that can dramatically impact the quality of your life.
1) Is PMS getting the best of you?
If you are a woman who gets horrible PMS, there is a solution! Whether your PMS lasts for 2 days or 2 weeks, acupuncture, nutrition, and herbs can make a world of difference. Symptoms of PMS may include irritability, mood swings, painful breasts, acne, headaches, abdominal pain, and food cravings. What symptoms do you experience with PMS?
2) Painful periods are NOT normal!
So many of our patients describe having terrible periods that are very painful. They have been told that cramps are normal, and one should just take some pain meds or go on birth control pills. If you have painful periods, it is because something is wrong. Our patients are continually amazed at the relief they experience once we start taking their pain seriously.
3) Over 10% of all women of childbearing age have problems with their fertility.
Fertility challenges – both difficulty conceiving and miscarriage – have many causes, including abnormal hormones, blood sugar issues, thyroid concerns, structural problems, age, not enough eggs or sperm, blood clotting factors, and immune system glitches. The vast majority of our fertility patients are ultimately successful having babies through integrative medicine, combining different approaches to improve their fertility.
4) Repeat Pregnancy Loss is devastating…
Anyone who has suffered repeat pregnancy loss (RPL) knows that it is both heartbreaking and frustratingly difficult to figure out why it is happening. While chromosomal abnormalities are one of the most common causes of miscarriages, there are many others that need to be considered, including thyroid issues, poor egg quality, low vitamin D, structural abnormalities in the uterus, and immune system issues. Comprehensive lab testing is needed to determine the cause(s) of repeat pregnancy loss. Once the cause has been properly diagnosed, repeat pregnancy loss can be prevented with proper treatment.
5) Is menopause taking you for a ride?
Menopause is a natural part of life, yet it may come with numerous unpleasant symptoms that are disruptive to one’s quality of life. Hot flashes, night sweats, dryness, insomnia, and mood swings are all common complaints. Lab testing can help identify the contributing factors to your menopause symptoms, while acupuncture and nutrition can make your menopause a smooth transition, leaving you with more energy and vitality.
6) Did you know that stress makes you gain weight?
It’s true, and this weight gain happens via a mechanism that was originally designed to help you survive. That’s why our bodies are so good at it. Everyone is under constant stress these days, and much of that stress is physiological – blood sugar imbalances, anemia from heavy periods or poor diet, lack of sleep, overwork – and all of these factors contribute to weight gain.
7) Depression/Anxiety/ Moodiness got you down?
Today’s world can be a tough place to thrive. Virtually every single one of our patients reports feeling depressed, anxious, or moody. There are a lot of reasons for this, some of which are more body than mind. Hormone imbalances, blood sugar swings, low vitamin D levels, difficulty sleeping, and chronic pain all contribute to a lousy emotional state.
8) Are Hormonal Imbalances driving you crazy?
Hormonal imbalances are at the root of many women’s health issues, and can be perplexing to both diagnose and treat effectively. Why? Because nearly everything affects your hormones, and all of your hormones talk to one another. Lab testing is a vital part of diagnosing the nature of hormonal imbalances, and working with an expert can help you sort through this complicated process. Once your hormonal imbalances have been identified, a combination of natural approaches can bring about balance to your hormonal system and a healthier, happier you.
9) Thyroid Issues are much more common than you might think…
Very common in women, thyroid issues often go undiagnosed and are the cause of many different symptoms. Thyroid problems are responsible for weight gain, fatigue, constipation, hair loss, and miscarriages, to name a few. Thyroid markers are often not tested in the conventional health care setting, and a woman may be unaware that she has a thyroid issue. With thorough screening, thyroid problems can be identified and treated appropriately.
10) How do you know if you’ve got an autoimmune disease?
Women are far more likely than men to have autoimmune disorders, which can be the underlying cause of multiple health issues, including weight gain, fatigue, painful joints, headaches, foggy brain, skin issues, and abdominal bloating. Autoimmune diseases tend to affect the whole body, and a clinician who is adept at looking at the whole system will be able to help you diagnose and manage an autoimmune disease.
The world of women’s health care can be both wonderful and challenging. In my 20 plus years of experience working with women, I have found integrative medicine is the best approach because it utilizes all the tools available to us in today’s modern world. From lab testing, to nutrition (including the food we eat, vitamins and supplements, and herbs), acupuncture, and conventional western medicine, it gives women the opportunity to choose the best options to address their health concerns.
If you were looking for help with your women’s health issues, and you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, we would love to work with you as a patient. We are located in the East Bay, in Piedmont/Oakland. If you live outside of our area, we may be able to help you with a local referral.
Ready to get started?
Book your first appointment here. We serve the East Bay, including Piedmont, Oakland, and Berkeley.
Leslie Oldershaw, L.Ac.
Medical director
Women’s Health East Bay
510-595-1175
Follow Me on Facebook
