How Does Cancer Impact Reproductive Health In Women?

Suffering from cancer is one of the toughest ordeals for any person; however to be unable to rear a child after cancer can be even tougher for a woman. Women who have suffered from cancer are at a juncture of life where although they have survived their disease, they are unable to reproduce. The thoughts of not being able to be a parent are harrowing; however the right knowledge will help you overcome the problem. There exist many misconceptions surrounding the issue, which will be discussed further in the article.

Getting Pregnant

After you have finished your cancer treatment, most oncologists suggest waiting 2 to 4 years before planning parenthood. This is because majority of recurrence occurs within this time frame; therefore it is to ensure that you are healthy enough to support yourself as well as the growing fetus. However, every person’s medical situation is different, thus your healthcare provider will be able to guide you properly.

As a woman, treatment via chemotherapy and radiation, may cause your eggs to be genetically damaged, it is thus advisable to wait until those eggs leave your body and are replaced by better ones.

Menopause

There is a misconception that women who reach their menopause cannot conceive; in reality even if you have hit your menopause, you have the ability to get pregnant. You may not be able to get pregnant the natural way, but you can use the frozen eggs, frozen tissues or embryos. While in menopause, you may require hormonal injections in order to prepare your body for the pregnancy. If your uterus is healthy, you should not face any difficulties.

Miscarriage

There is an increased risk of miscarriage in those women who have received radiation to their pelvic region. Miscarriage, low birth weight and preterm delivery are some of the common problems faced by women who have received radiation to their uterus. A specialist will evaluate your uterus and guide you regarding which is the right time to conceive.

Complications are also common if you have had fertility sparing gynecological surgeries. For example, those who have had a radical trachelectomy, continuous monitoring is required during the course of pregnancy and the delivery too is usually a cesarean-section birth. Also, if your cervix was removed, you have higher chances of miscarriage and preterm delivery. You must be in consultation with your oncologist in order to assess the risks. You can also consult a high risk obstetrician before trying to get pregnant.

Health Risks

Radiation and chemotherapy can cure you of cancer, but also cause long-term health risks. Some of these risks may cause damage to your heart or lungs which in turn make it difficult to carry a pregnancy. It is therefore important that you consult your oncologist for the long-term risks associated with your treatment plan. For example, many patients during pregnancy are recommended regular echocardiograms in order to ensure that their heart functions normally during the pregnancy term.

Children at Risk

Most cancer survivors worry whether their children too will be susceptible to cancer. But it is an unwarranted worry as research shows that a parent with cancer does not cause the child to be susceptible. The child is at the same risk as that of the general population. However the risk may increase if the cancer is genetically linked; but a small percentage of cancer are known to be genetically linked. Thus the risks are not higher, as is the preconceived notion amongst cancer survivors.

As a woman cancer survivor, you will have to assess the various risks especially that of recurrence and decide as there are chances that you may not be around after your child is bought into the world. Although it may be highly emotional, it is necessary to weigh all the options and address the problems before conceiving a child as the child’s future depends upon your present decisions.Get relevant information to help patients combat the deadly disease.

3 Alternative Treatments for Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are common to women who are undergoing the menopausal stage. It is a condition wherein you will feel intense warmth or hot feeling all over your face down to your neck and chest. Some women find this unbearable and too uncomfortable which can make them fret. Its episodes may occur from as little as few times in a week to more frequent like several times in a day.

Some of its common symptoms include a feeling of strong heat or warmth spreading on face all throughout the upper body. It is also characterized by flushed appearance and red skin. Rapid heartbeat, perspiration and chilled feeling are also included in its symptoms.

There are many treatments being offered today for this kind of menopause symptom. However, most women who are experiencing it often opt to choose alternative treatments or natural remedy as it is more effective and safe. Included in these are the following:

1. Black Cohosh – This is one of the most popular alternative treatments that are being used today by most women. Aside from menopausal symptoms, Black Cohosh is also being used to treat various medical disorders such as malaise, malaria and rheumatism. It is also called “macrotys” by a group of alternative doctors.

2. Plant Estrogen's – It is believed that the reason why women who live in Asian countries are less likely to suffer from hot flashes is because they are getting more estrogen compound through soy products and plants.

3. Ginseng – Though there is no concrete evidence that proves ginseng to reduce episodes of hot flashes, many women are still using it as they are claiming it to work wonder on their hot sweats. Ginseng is also known to treat mood swings and insomnia.

Other options:
You can also find relief from hot flashes through the following ways:

* If you are a smoker, you might want to quit if you want to relieve yourself from night sweats as it can worsen your hot flash episodes.
* Alcohol must also be avoided.
* Learn a rhythmic breathing exercise that will help you calm and relax your mind during episodes of hot flashes.
* Short-term, low-dose estrogen can also be used as treatment.

Aside from these alternative treatments, you may also opt to visit your doctor to ask for his advice on the best treatment that will work for you. Remember, you can always trust your doctor’s advice on things like this.

There are tons of ways you can choose from in order to free yourself from discomfort brought by excessive night sweats. But you certainly need to understand clearly yourself or your body to see the best remedy that can definitely help you treat your hot flash episodes.

Normal cherry save from pain in the legs

U.S. researchers have found that cherries reduce the risk of gout attacks.

What is gout

Gout - a disease which is characterized by acute onset: severe pain in the joints , swelling, redness and increased temperature of the skin over them. As a rule, in the pathological process involves joint of the big toe, also can be affected by the ankle, wrist, knee joints and joints of the hand. Gout is more common in men, women are exposed to the disease after menopause.

Gout is caused by deposits of urate crystals in the joints - uric acid - which leads to the development of inflammation and the appearance of severe pain. Urate crystals are formed when the level of uric acid in the blood. Increased levels of uric acid may be associated with an increase in its production in the body or in violation of excretion by the kidneys.

The essence of the study

The study involved 633 patients suffering from gout. The average age of the patients was 54 years, most of them were men. Follow up of patients was carried out in a single year. Each participant provided the authors of the study data is the start time of gout symptoms, take medication, risk factors, as well as on the use of cherries or cherry extract.

Among patients who consumed cherry, 35% eat fresh berries, 2% - the cherry extract and 5% - and fresh berries, and cherry extract. During follow-up registered 1247 gouty attacks, 92% of the attack affected the joint of the big toe.

Findings

These results indicate that fresh cherries and cherry extract reduces the risk of gout attacks. Maximum reduction in risk observed in the use of 30 berries per day. However, it should be noted that the cherries in any case is not a substitute for the standard treatment of gout.