Blog Archive

If you’re experiencing vaginal dryness, you aren’t alone. Many women find that as they age, their vagina feels drier and less elastic, especially after menopause. Blame it on your hormones: As estrogen levels go down during perimenopause and after menopause, the tissue in your vagina may lose the natural lubrication...

As women age, they face an increasing risk that their bones will weaken. And as your bones get weaker and brittle, they are more susceptible to breaks (fractures). Broken bones present more than just a painful inconvenience. They can interfere with your ability to live a full, independent life. Fortunately,...

If you’re in your 40s or 50s, you are likely experiencing perimenopause (the years before your periods stop) or menopause (the time when you no longer have periods and can no longer get pregnant.) Perimenopause and menopause are normal, natural occurrences in your life cycle. They happen when your body produces less of the...

Urinary tract infections (UTI) are a common medical condition that can affect any person of any age. They develop when bacteria infect the bladder or other parts of the urinary tract.  Although anyone can get UTIs, they are more likely to occur in women. In fact, women are more than 30 times...

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped organ at the base of your neck, just above your collarbone. Although the thyroid is small, it can have a big impact on your body. Your thyroid produces hormones that play a role in nearly every system in your body – including your reproductive...

Uterine bleeding is a normal part of a woman’s life. During your monthly periods, as the lining of your uterus sloughs off, you lose about two ounces of blood. However, if you’re bleeding more than that, or if you’re bleeding at other times of the month when you aren’t having...

Do you release a little urine when you laugh, sneeze, cough, or engage in physical activity? Do you sometimes have trouble making it to the bathroom quickly enough? Is it hard for you to remember the last time you slept through the night without getting up a few times to...

When it comes to birth control, today’s women have more options than ever before. Your choices include pills, patches, implants, IUDs, condoms, and diaphragms. No birth control method is perfect for every woman. Each method offers different levels of effectiveness, convenience, ease of use, potential side effects, and protection from...

Do you really need to see a healthcare provider when you're feeling fine and experiencing no symptoms? Absolutely! In fact, one of the best things you can do for your health is to see your provider when you’re well, as well as when you’re not.  Naturally, you should call your...

Menopause is a normal, natural part of life, a time when your periods stop and you can no longer get pregnant. But just because menopause is normal and natural doesn't mean it's enjoyable or easy. In fact, menopause and perimenopause, which occurs during the years that precede menopause, can cause...

Sometimes, healthcare providers want to take a look inside their patients. They may want to look for the source of a symptom such as pain or abnormal bleeding. They might want to rule out a medical condition. Or if a patient is pregnant, providers want to check on the baby's...

You may think of bones as being hard and solid. They are, but they can also be soft and porous in people who develop osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to become thin and weak. Osteoporosis and low bone mass are common medical conditions that affect about 54 million Americans,...

Urinary incontinence – a loss or reduction of bladder control – is a surprisingly common women's health condition. Although it can happen to any woman, it is especially likely to occur as you get older. In fact, as many as 40% of women over the age of 65 struggle with...

Your body changes in many ways as you age. Wrinkles and lines appear on your face. Menopause stops your periods from coming. (Hooray!)  And for many women, vaginal lubrication decreases, leading to vaginal dryness. Not all women experience vaginal dryness. However, it is a common, age-related condition that affects many...

If you have abnormal bleeding, your provider may suggest that you have a procedure known as a hysteroscopy. This procedure allows your provider to examine the inside of your uterus to diagnose and, in some cases, treat the condition that is causing your abnormal bleeding. Here at Associates in Women’s...

Healthcare providers often wish they could peer inside your body to see how well your organs are functioning and whether you have a health condition. Although that isn’t possible, ultrasound technology is the next best thing, because it gives your provider a view of what's happening inside you without invasive...

Osteoporosis is a serious bone disease that affects approximately 8 million women in the United States. It also can occur in men, but it is far more common in women, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health. Left untreated, osteoporosis can lead to...

Having regular Pap smears can go a long way toward helping to protect you from cervical cancer. A Pap smear looks for cancer and can find abnormalities in cervical cells early, before they become cancerous. Because guidelines for how often to have cervical cancer screening have changed over time, you...

Do you leak urine when you laugh, sneeze, cough, or exercise? Do you have sudden urges to urinate that come on so quickly you can barely get to a restroom in time? Is it impossible for you to sleep well because of so many nighttime visits to the bathroom? If...

Menopause symptoms are a common occurrence for women going through the change of life. During a woman’s 40s and 50s, her body produces fewer hormones, and she stops having periods. Although some women sail through menopause and perimenopause (the time before menopause) without any symptoms, many women experience some types...

Cancer strikes more than 1.8 million Americans each year, according to the National Cancer Institute. Of those, some 5-10% are because of inherited genetic mutations. A type of testing known as genetic testing for hereditary cancer can tell you whether you have certain genetic mutations that may predispose you to...

You have many different options when it comes to birth control, from condoms and diaphragms to birth control pills, IUDs, and hormonal implants. In fact, you have more birth control choices today than ever before. All birth control methods have the same goal – to give you the freedom to...

During your well-woman exam each year, your provider checks to make sure you’re up-to-date with your cervical cancer screening. Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the cells of your cervix, which is the lower end of your uterus near your vagina. Years ago, cervical cancer was...

When it comes to birth control, you have a number of options from which to choose. No method is perfect for every woman; what suits you may not be right for your sister or your best friend. For example, different contraceptives provide protection for different amounts of time. Some, like...

Menopause is the time of life when your body stops having periods, and you can no longer get pregnant. You’re officially in menopause when you haven’t had a period for 12 months. However, before you hit menopause, you experience perimenopause, which is the time in which your body undergoes its...

Cancer is shockingly common. In 2020, 1.8 million cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the US, according to the American Cancer Society. Almost all of us have friends or family members that have had cancer. Anyone can get cancer, but some people have a higher risk than others. If...

With age comes wisdom, but unfortunately, age can also bring wrinkles to the skin on your face, neck, hands, and arms. Wrinkles can make you look older than you are – or older than you feel. Although wrinkles are a normal part of aging, you do have some leverage when...

Laser hair removal is a safe, effective way to get rid of unwanted hair on your face and body, especially if you’re tired of shaving, waxing, plucking, and using messy creams. Have you wondered whether you are a good candidate for laser hair removal? If so, the aesthetics team here...

If you haven’t had a well-woman exam yet, you may feel a little nervous about scheduling your first one, especially if you’re a teen or young woman. You’re probably wondering what to expect and how it will feel to have a gynecological exam. These feelings are normal. Most women feel...

Having a healthy vagina is crucial for so many reasons. Your vagina plays an important role in your sexual enjoyment and your ability to achieve orgasm. And during childbirth, your baby moves from your uterus and through your vagina out into the world. You can take a variety of steps...

You may wonder which birth control is considered the best. But the truth is, no birth control method is best for everyone. A birth control that’s right for your best friend may not serve you as well. Here at Associates in Women’s Health in Cincinnati, our team of providers works...

Does sun damage on your face, neck, chest, or hands bother you? Do blotches of excess red or brown pigment in your skin detract from your appearance and make you look older? Do you wish you had a magic wand that could just wave away your pigment problems? Intense pulsed...

Right now, summer may seem a long way off, but it’ll be here before you know it, and you’ll go from winter wear to beach wear in the time it takes to say “teeny bikini.” In just a few short months, you’ll be baring your body at the beach rather...

Are you sometimes surprised by the image you see when you look in the mirror? Does the face staring back at you look older than you feel? Perhaps you’re tempted by the idea of plastic surgery, but feel reluctant to undergo such an invasive procedure for cosmetic reasons. You don’t...

Are you starting to lose interest in sex? Do you feel that your sex drive isn’t as strong as it used to be, or that sex is more trouble than it’s worth? If so, you may be experiencing what’s referred to as female sexual dysfunction. Female sexual dysfunction is surprisingly...

Do you have a family history of cancer? Have you wondered about your own chances of getting it? Although not all cancers have a genetic link, certain types of cancer are more likely to occur if you have them in your family. Genetic testing can tell you more about your...

Your moods can fluctuate dramatically during the years leading up to menopause. One minute you feel fine, and the next you’re on the verge of tears. Or you feel totally irritated by something that usually doesn’t bother you one bit. Mood changes are par for the course with menopause, which...

When it comes to birth control, you have a range of options. Two popular contraceptives are the pill and implants. If you’re wondering whether implants are better than the pill, the answer is … maybe. What’s best for you depends on a variety of factors, including your health history and...

During your yearly pelvic exam, you may receive a test known as a Pap smear. This is a test that looks for abnormal cells in your cervix, which is the opening to your uterus. Usually, a Pap smear shows nothing worrisome. But sometimes, results are abnormal. What happens then? Here...

Healthy bones are strong and relatively solid. If you were to look at healthy bone under a microscope, you’d see a honeycomb-like pattern with the tiniest of spaces between dense frameworks of bone tissue. When a disease known as osteoporosis develops, bones become weaker and porous. If you were to...

It’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy, as the old song goes. But summer isn’t always easy during pregnancy, when you tend to feel the heat and humidity more than you do when you aren’t expecting. Here at Associates in Women’s Health in Cincinnati, Ohio, we want you to have...

Menopause can bring about vaginal changes that leave women feeling less excited about sex than they used to feel. Because it brings on shifts in hormone levels, menopause can lead to vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse, as well as vaginal itching, burning, and more frequent urinary tract infections. Here...

Time can take a toll on a woman’s vaginal tissue. As you age, your vaginal tissue can become dry and stiff. Intercourse may become painful. You may even notice that you leak urine when you laugh, cough, or sneeze--a condition known as urinary stress incontinence. If you’re noticing these annoying...

If you have excess hair on your face or body, you may want to consider having laser hair removal treatments. Here at Associates in Women’s Health in Cincinnati, we use the Harmony XL laser hair removal system for patients who want a simple solution for effective, permanent hair removal. Read...

When you look in the mirror, do you see little else besides wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots? Would you like to look younger and fresher? If so, you may want to consider a virtually painless laser treatment that can leave your skin glowing without surgery, discomfort, or downtime. Here...

One in five women experiences heavy menstrual bleeding, a condition known as abnormal uterine bleeding. If you’re one of those women, you know that heavy menstrual periods can be quite inconvenient, requiring you to change your tampons or pads as often as every hour and miss important events because of...

If you leak urine when you laugh, sneeze, cough, exercise, or lift something heavy, you may have a condition known as stress incontinence. Stress incontinence is a common condition that can affect women (and men) of any age. It happens when the muscles you use to hold in urine get...

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that occur on the inside of your uterus. They may cause symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding, painful periods, bleeding between periods, painful urination, pain during sex, or pregnancy complications. However, not all women with uterine fibroids experience symptoms. Also known as leiomyomas, or simply...

Eating right while you’re pregnant is one of the best gifts you can give your baby. Certain nutrients in foods can help your baby grow strong and healthy.It’s also important to avoid certain types of foods while you’re expecting, because eating them may lead to health problems for you and...

Are you familiar with HPV? If not, the experts at Associates in Women’s Health in Cincinnati, Ohio, would like to share some important information about it. HPV stands for human papillomavirus, which is the name used for a group of viruses that can cause sexually transmitted infection. You need to...

Is it you, or is it hot in here?If you’re going through perimenopause, or if you’ve already reached menopause, you can probably blame your hormones for those hot and cold temperature fluctuations you’re feeling.The hormonal changes associated with menopause can leave you sweating one minute and shivering the next.This can...

How to Prevent Summer Pregnancy Skincare IssuesWhen you’re pregnant, your skin can undergo a variety of changes. Some are enjoyable--you may develop a healthy glow that’s rosier than anything you’d get with a brush of blush.But some changes may make you frown. For example, you might start getting pimples for...

Is your period so heavy that you need to change tampons every hour or two? Does your period last for more than seven days? Do you have blood clots the size of quarters? If so, you may be one of the 10 million women in the United States who have...

There can be several reasons behind vaginal discomfort. One of the most common causes is decreased estrogen production as you leave your reproductive years and enter menopause.  Estrogen plays a significant role in your vaginal health by lubricating the vagina and thickening the vaginal wall. It also increases vaginal acidity,...

Do you have fine lines or wrinkles that bother you? Associates in Women’s Health may have the answer for you: ClearLift™. There are several good reasons to consider having this fast, effective procedure. Here are five of them. ClearLift uses nonablative laser technologyThere are two types of laser technology used...

You’re at work, being productive, when a sensation of heat comes out of nowhere. Before you know it your heart is pounding, your skin is flushed, and you’re starting to sweat. This scenario is all too familiar to women going through menopause. Roughly 75% of women experience hot flashes at...

While modern medicine has many great ways to see what’s going on inside your body with advanced imaging equipment, sometimes it’s necessary to get a closer look. Typically, this meant invasive surgery, but modern science stepped up once again with tools that can take a quick peek at your insides...

Associates in Women’s Health (AIWH) is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and provides both medical and aesthetic services. Established in the 1960s, AIWH has four gynecologists: Dr. Ellen W. Feld, Dr. Lisa Gannori, Dr. Preeti Ghatora, and Dr. Rick Valido.What Kinds of Services Does AIWH Offer?AIWH offers a range of gynecologic, obstetric...

If you are a Cincinnati resident who is concerned about your appearance due to skin problems, you are not alone. We treat many patients with conditions like acne scars, blemishes, wrinkles and sagging skin. We live in an exciting era of tremendous advancements in the field of dermatology. No matter...

As a woman, you have unique needs that require more than your annual visit to your regular physician. You need to focus on your reproductive system, including breast health and comprehensive exams that include the most intimate part of your body. Associates for Women’s Health provides you with your go-to gyno services...

Maintaining a flawless and smooth look can be difficult and time consuming if you resort to shaving or waxing your skin. You must touch up your hair removal every few days and invest in razors, shaving creams, and wax strips that can be costly to buy.When you want permanent results...

Female urinary incontinence is a medical condition that causes women to have trouble controlling their bladder. These bladder issues often lead to leaking urine at various moments throughout the day. Women that have experienced pregnancy, vaginal childbirth, menopause or a hysterectomy are more likely to suffer from female urinary incontinence....

Most women know they should see an obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) in order to maintain good feminine health. However, it can be challenging to get over fears, anxieties or misconceptions about going to the OB/GYN. Our gynecological specialist can treat and diagnose problems your general practitioner may not be trained to recognize....

Urinary incontinence is a problem that troubles both men and women, although women are affected more often. It is a condition in which bladder control becomes more challenging. It is common to experience leaks, especially when coughing, sneezing, laughing, or during physical exertion. It becomes harder to hold one’s urine...

Your face is one of the first parts of your body that people notice, and it’s also the area that is most vulnerable to the effects of aging. Broadband light therapy is a newer treatment for skin rejuvenation, and by combating the earliest signs of aging, it can rejuvenate the...

Although both men and women suffer from incontinence, women tend to experience it more than men. This is because of issues regarding menopause, strain on the bladder from pregnancy, childbirth and the way the female urinary tract is arranged. Many women turn to medications or panty liners to try to...

A gynecologist is a doctor who specializes in women’s health and pays particular attention to the female reproductive system. In the United States, they can serve as a woman’s primary care physician. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that patients start visiting gynecologists while in their early teens.Check-UpsGiven...

You have been in good health without any problems. Your weight is good, you have plenty of energy and you feel like you are headed in the right direction. There is only one problem and it is in an area that you don’t even want to talk about. It’s something...

Scars form on the skin as part of the natural healing process of wounds that spread to the dermis, which is the middle layer of the three layers of skin. When there are wounds on the surface layer or epidermis, scars usually do not form. There are two main types...

Ovarian cancer is a disease in which cancer cells develop within the ovaries. It develops in about one out of 75 women in the US, and it is the fifth most lethal cancer in women between the ages of 35 and 74. If a woman is diagnosed during the early...

As a child, you have smooth, soft skin, but when you get older, the aging process takes over and creates wrinkles. The problem with wrinkles is that they make you look older. Wrinkles can take away from your appearance and put a damper on your confidence.The Harmony XL laser treatment...

Broadband light therapy, or BBL, is a popular and effective method for removing visible broken capillaries from the skin. It is also frequently used to remove freckles and age spots, and to improve uneven skin texture. It is cleared by the FDA and requires no surgery or downtime. Many individuals...

If you are a woman approaching age 65, you might be wondering when you need to have an osteoporosis screening and what this test entails. The U.S. Preventive Service Task Force recommends that women older than age 65 and younger women at high risk for osteoporosis have a bone density...

Early pregnancy care helps to keep you and your baby healthy throughout pregnancy, delivery and beyond. If you’ve just learned that you are pregnant, you may feel apprehensive about what to expect during your first doctor’s appointment. Preparing for early pregnancy care ahead of time can help to soothe some...

Unwanted hair growth can have a decidedly negative effect on our appearance. This is true regardless of whether the hair is growing on the face, belly or legs. As we age, our skin becomes less elastic, meaning that shaving can be hazardous because of the appearance of wrinkles and skin...

A yeast infection, or candidiasis, is a fungal infection caused by an overgrowth of the yeast genus Candida, with C. albicans being the most common culprit. C. albicans normally occurs in small amounts within the human body, but some health problems and medications can cause it to grow out of control.Yeast...

Preconceptual counseling is intended to assess the risks of pregnancy for a woman before she gets pregnant. The risks can be to the woman herself if she has a health problem like obesity or diabetes that increases the risk of complications.There are also risks to the baby. For example, some...

When it comes time to have your annual pelvic exam, many women simply have their family physician perform it. While some general practitioners are perfectly competent, it is usually a better plan to have your routine pelvic exams done by an OBGYN, for a variety of reasons.Addressing Any Current ConcernsIf...

Ten million women are plagued with frequent, heavy periods that genuinely affect their lifestyle. Even if their periods were normal when they were younger, the frequency and intensity of their cycles change as they near menopause. Novasure is a safe and effective procedure to lighten menstrual bleeding or eliminate it.How...

An estimated 5 to 10% of all cases of cancer are believed to be inherited. What is actually inherited isn’t the cancer; instead, a mutated gene that greatly increases the risk of developing a particular type or several particular types of cancer is inherited.Myriad MyRiskUnlike most genetic tests that only...

No one wants to face the possibility of cancer. The thought that this deadly illness could affect any part of your body is terrifying. Many people will completely avoid the doctor’s office because they would rather live in denial than deal with any health issues. Avoidance is the worst thing...

Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle. Bone is a living tissue made up of cells. If the old cells die off faster than they can be replaced, the bone eventually loses density and becomes brittle. The bone eventually becomes so fragile that even a...

Advanced Fluorescent Technology (AFT) is one of the newer forms of light therapy. Unlike a laser, AFT uses a broad range of light wavelengths to deliver energy to the skin to treat fine lines, liver spots, discolorations, spider veins, and rosacea. AFT is a type of intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy.IPL TherapyIPL therapies,...

The inconvenience and frustration of acne can happen at any stage of life, whether you’re a teenager or an adult. In some cases it can also cause terrible scarring. When acne products have not been effective in addressing problems with scarring, the Harmony®XL Laser System can help you deal with...

Most people who are concerned about the effects of the aging process on our skin and bodies have heard of collagen. Collagen is an organic compound containing amino acids that are responsible for maintaining the structure of connective tissue such as ligaments, bones and skin.As we age, collagen slowly begins...

These days, many women find themselves struggling with female urinary incontinence. This condition occurs when a woman perceives the need to pass urine and cannot contain the urge. Thus in an instance of female urinary incontinence, there is an involuntary release of urine. This leakage can range from large loss of...

These days, many people are looking for safe, non-invasive procedures that they can utilize to rid themselves of unwanted acne and the scars it leaves behind. If this is your objective, it’s important to note that YAG laser acne treatments might be the perfect solution for you.At Associates in Women’s...

Hair removal is a procedure that has become extremely popular over the past decade. Some people want to have unsightly hairs removed that are growing in at odd locations on their body, while others just want to avoid the annoying chore of having to shave on a regular basis. Whatever...

While there are a variety of anti-aging treatments on the market, many of them are painful or even dangerous. Many people wish there was a safe, painless way to get dramatically more youthful skin. There is now good news for these people: ClearLift Fractional Laser Resurfacing offers the dramatic results...