May, 2018

Understanding Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Throughout a woman’s lifetime, she undergoes a series of changes from menstruation to menopause. There’s another common change that many women may not be aware of, even though 300,000 surgeries are performed every year in the U.S. because of it. This change is known as pelvic organ prolapsed. When the muscles and other tissues supporting pelvic organs weaken or are injured, they can drop from their normal positions. This is particularly common with the bladder, which can slip out of ...

Women & Heart Disease

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of American women – more deadly than all cancers combined – yet many women aren’t aware of the risk factors and symptoms associated with this dreaded condition. Here’s some important information on this much misunderstood disease: It can happen at any age. While your risk does increase with age, especially after menopause, heart disease can also strike early. For instance, young women who smoke and use birth control pills raise their risk...

Internal Medicine Q & A with Georgette D. Farmer, ARNP-C

Georgette D. Farmer, ARNP-C assists patients of internal medicine specialist Dr. Stephen Swengros from Watson Clinic Highlands at 2300 E. County Road 540A in south Lakeland. Working together, these highly experienced medical providers offer a range of general primary care services, preventative screenings, and fast and comforting treatments for sick visits. They also honor same day appointments for established patients when a minor illness or injury demands more immediate attention. This service...

The Facts about Menopause

Menopause typically occurs between the ages of 45 – 58 and marks the end of menstruation cycles. These cycles will usually change in the years leading up to menopause due to a shift in estrogen levels. Estrogen levels begin to shift in the years leading up to menopause, which causes a change in menstrual cycles. This time frame is referred to as perimenopause, and can last for as long as eight years. During this time, periods can become unpredictable in length, intensity, or frequency. Wom...