I recently had the opportunity to speak about women’s health with a lovely gathering of fellow alumnae of the University of Rochester, where I was a graduate student at the Eastman School of Music many years ago. Women’s health is one of my favorite subjects, and I’ve devoted the last 20 years of my professional [...]
If you have been struggling with chronic musculoskeletal pain for some time, the thought of acupuncture has probably crossed your mind since this treatment approach is well known for its potential to relieve pain and discomforts that don’t respond in a satisfactory manner to other approaches like pain medications, surgery, or physical therapy. Nowadays, acupuncture [...]
Typically, women choose to take oral contraceptives, also known as “the pill,” for one (or both) of two reasons: to prevent pregnancy or for medical indications, for example to manage menstrual or other hormonal irregularities. While this can be an empowering choice for women, and many don’t have any overt health issues on the pill, [...]
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects an estimated 10-20% of women in the United States, maybe even more since a high percentage of women never receive a proper diagnosis. This is partly due to the wide range of how this syndrome presents and also because providers lack knowledge and awareness to identify PCOS. The numbers also [...]
We talk so much about hormones nowadays but, unless you studied biology or medicine, you may have only a vague notion of the role they play in your health. So, let’s take a closer look at what hormones are, what their purpose is, and how they help create balance in the body. What are hormones? [...]
The hormonal birth control pill became available in 1960 and helped create a revolution in industrialized countries by enabling women to control if and when they will have babies. Certainly, doctors, researchers and patients initially came under tremendous pressure (and some spent time in jail) for something that gave women more say over their fertility, [...]
Contrary to what your gynecologist may have told you, having a baby is often not as easy if you were diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS for short. To begin with, a large percentage of women in our country manifest with signs and symptoms of PCOS. However, not all cases look the same or [...]
You’ve found your mate, you’ve decided it’s the right time to start trying, you’ve stopped your oral contraceptives—you’re ready! Well, not so fast. Rising numbers of couples find that conceiving and carrying pregnancy to term are not as easy as they thought. Maybe you’ve already been trying for several months or even experienced the loss [...]
Women with unusual hair growth, irregular or absent periods, and ovaries that appear large and shiny when viewed with ultrasound often have one thing in common: They are diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, also known as PCOS. Acupuncturists frequently encounter patients with PCOS who seek our help with overweight, hirsutism, irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, and [...]
