Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Alternatively known as mastalgia, mastodynia or mammalgia, breast pain has many names and descriptors (breast tenderness, stabbing breast pain, breast soreness, just to name a few). No matter what you call it, breast pain hurts, but in most cases, you can alleviate it with home care or a doctor’s care. What Causes Mastalgia? If you’re a female, breast pain kind of comes with the territory. Many circumstances can cause your breasts to hurt, including hormonal fluctuations due to: Puberty. Developing breast tissue can ache during puberty. This is true for boys as well as girls. Periods. Fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels…

Fibromyalgia — a syndrome that includes a wide range of symptoms — commonly causes pain throughout the body, including in the joints. There’s more at stake, however, than dealing with physical discomfort. That’s especially true for women, who are more likely to develop fibromyalgia and can experience some of its symptoms more acutely than men. If you leave fibromyalgia untreated, the symptoms can disrupt your ability to work and pursue your hobbies. In addition, untreated fibromyalgia can make it difficult to be there for the people who love and depend on you. However, with treatment, you can manage fibromyalgia flare-ups…

Imagine you’re living your life, taking care of your health, getting the recommended screening mammograms and periodically performing breast self-checks, and you notice a lump. How worried should you be? In most circumstances, a situation like this means it’s time to make an appointment with your healthcare provider but know that not every lump and bump you feel in your breast is a tumor. How Do You Know if It’s a Breast Cyst vs a Tumor? Many breast lumps are cysts — fluid-filled sacs that commonly occur and are considered a normal fibrocystic change in the breast. Cysts can form…

Getting accurate blood pressure readings is like peering into a crystal ball focused on your heart and vascular health. That’s because blood pressure is a reading of the force your blood exerts as it presses against the walls of your arteries. High blood pressure is a threat to your: With such essential bodily systems at risk, it’s important to understand the meaning of blood pressure readings, monitor your blood pressure and seek help for abnormal blood pressure. What Do Blood Pressure Numbers Mean? Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers: systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number). Blood pressure is…

Women of all ages can struggle with body acceptance. Research shows that this is due to a number of factors, including weight, beauty standards set by the media and changes that take place in women’s bodies as they age. The body positivity movement encourages women to accept their bodies as they are and not feel like they must meet certain standards for weight, beauty and their appearance in general. Women who struggle with body positivity often find it affects key areas of their lives, including personal relationships and career decisions. Better understanding of the issue can be the first step…

Reaching the milestone of menopause was quite an accomplishment. Now, you’re experiencing vaginal bleeding once again. Though it’s not typical, bleeding after menopause doesn’t necessarily indicate a serious problem. Getting it checked out can uncover the cause, help you get it under control and give you peace of mind. Defining Postmenopausal Bleeding Bleeding after menopause can be frustrating. After all, you went through menopause expecting to not deal with menstruation again. Now, you may suspect you didn’t go through the change after all. Menopause is defined by experiencing a full year without menstruation. If you did that, you’ve gone through…

If you are one of the many American women who feels mom guilt, it may help to know you’re not alone. What Is Mom Guilt? Mom guilt refers to the feelings of guilt that may come with not being the perfect parent. This can stem from a variety of different situations, such as leaving your child with a babysitter while you go out, going back to work or giving your child too much screen time. Oftentimes, mom guilt, or mommy guilt, comes from feeling bad because you think you could do better or do more for your child. For example,…

Think back to when you were a teenager getting ready to go to your first gyn appointment. Did you feel nervous and scared? While those feelings are typical, your daughter doesn’t have to feel that way. Having a conversation before you take her to the gynecologist for the first time can help your teen feel more comfortable. When to Schedule Her First Gyn Appointment There isn’t a perfect age for your daughter to have her first gyn appointment, but The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends between the ages of 13 and 15. However, if your daughter has any…

The skincare products most effective at preventing the signs of aging might surprise you. As you age, your skin loses moisture, elasticity and is prone to discoloration and hyperpigmentation. With so many anti-aging products on the market, you may be surprised to learn that the two most important are: Sunscreen. The sun’s UVA and UVB rays are responsible for most signs of skin aging. A broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 or higher should be part of your daily skincare routine. Physical or mineral sunscreens products like those containing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide stay on the skin surface, block rays altogether,…

Could a Menopausal Diet Help With Hot Flashes? If you’re experiencing hot flashes — those uncomfortable waves of heat that seem to take over your body during menopause — you’re probably wondering where you can find relief. A menopausal diet may help. Changing what you eat can help you cope with menopausal symptoms and maintain good health as you age. Understanding hot flashes Hot flashes and other symptoms affecting menopausal women are caused by decreased production of the estrogen hormone that occurs during menopause. Estrogen regulates many body functions. Fluctuating estrogen levels cause blood vessels to either constrict or dilate…