Current medical guidelines recommend that women receive a thorough medical assessment on an annual basis. This assessment should include breast and cervical cancer screening, contraceptive management, immunization updates, screening for medical or menstrual problems, and health education around healthy weight, exercise, and sexual habits.

https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Annual-Well-Woman-Exam-Infographic

Itching symptoms can occur with various infections, inflammatory skin disorders, or irritant exposures. Most commonly, women are treated for yeast infections when they complain of itching. However, if itching persists or recurs despite this treatment, there may be other underlying causes.

We have met many women who have undergone multiple recurrent treatments and become frustrated with unresolved symptoms. Our providers at Selah are experts at diagnosing the root cause by listening carefully to you, and by performing a thorough exam and specialized testing.

Heavy menstrual bleeding is a common experience, particularly among women at the beginning and end of their menstrual cycling years. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are often hormonal or structural causes that can be identified and treated effectively.

It is also important for women to know that it is not normal to skip periods on a regular basis. This can be a sign of more serious health conditions and should be evaluated by an experienced gynecology provider.

At Selah, our providers are trained in advanced ultrasound and will often incorporate this into your visit in order to most fully evaluate your condition. We aim to provide you with a full range of treatment options, including natural care options that may provide relief without as many side effects. We also offer a full range of surgical options for treatment when that is appropriate to the cause, but surgery is generally not our first-line recommendation.

Excessively painful periods can be very disruptive to a woman’s lifestyle and ability to meet family and work responsibilities. Often these symptoms may have started in her teen years and worsened over time. These are features that are suggestive of a more serious disorder called endometriosis. This is a condition in which uterine lining cells have spread to other areas outside the uterus, causing inflammation and pain from menstrual bleeding in the pelvis. This type of inflammation produces much more pain than usual menstrual cramps, and can be associated with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches.

Long-standing endometriosis can lead to internal scarring and pelvic muscle spasm that can make certain activities or sexual intercourse particularly painful. Untreated, it can also lead to fertility issues.

Fortunately, there are a range of treatment options that can be effective in treating endometriosis. At Selah, our providers are experienced in providing medical and surgical treatments, and often refer to ancillary services such as physical therapy to maximize symptom relief.

Pelvic pain in women can have a multitude of causes, some of which involve the female reproductive organs, and some of which don’t. For many, it can also be discouraging to try to find answers and effective treatment.

At Selah, we don’t ever treat chronic pain with narcotic pain medication. Instead, we strive to identify the underlying cause of the pain and work together with our patient to develop a specific treatment plan for that cause. Sometimes surgery or medicine is helpful in some cases, but in others, it can actually be detrimental.

Since we understand that health is influenced by physical, emotional, and spiritual factors, we consider each patient holistically when we develop a treatment plan. We also value the benefit of incorporating different treatment modalities and will often partner with other providers to get maximum benefit, including physical therapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, nutritionists, and counselors.

Every woman who has gone through miscarriage understands the deep grief associated with this type of loss. But for women who have gone through this experience two, three, or even more times, the sense of loss can be unspeakable and life-altering. At Selah, we understand the emotional impact of recurrent miscarriage on a woman and her family. We want our patients to feel that their grief and their deep desire for a baby are genuinely valued.

Selah providers will work hard to search for underlying medical causes and provide treatment plans to address them. This often includes advanced ultrasound and advanced lab testing as necessary to help find answers. Through this process, we have seen the joy of a baby restored to so many families. Selah is a place where Hope resides.

An emerging epidemic of hormonal dysfunction is happening in US women, resulting from genetic susceptibility, possible environmental exposures, and obesity. Despite the various causes, this hormonal dysfunction can lead to the same symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (known as PCOS). Women typically have irregular and often heavy periods, acne, unwanted coarse hair growth on the face, chest, and abdomen, and trouble with weight gain that is difficult to curtail. Beyond the obvious symptoms, the impact of these hormone changes on a woman’s organ systems can be significant, including higher risks of diabetes, heart disease, and uterine cancer.

At Selah, we are interested in treating underlying metabolic causes instead of only managing symptoms. With proper treatment and weight loss success, many of the features of PCOS can be reversible. We recommend a full laboratory and ultrasound evaluation, followed by a holistic treatment plan that will have the potential to bring long-term resolution of this syndrome.

If you have had menopause symptoms (hot flashes, mood swings) and haven’t had a period for longer than 12 months, you may have entered menopause. Any vaginal bleeding that occurs after menopause can be concerning and should be evaluated by a health care provider immediately. Sometimes this bleeding is caused by a thin uterine lining that occurs after menopause, but other times it could result from polyps (benign growths) or tumors (cancerous growths).

At Selah, we take postmenopausal bleeding seriously and will help you find an answer and the right treatment quickly.

Although most women experience some degree of mood alteration prior to and at the start of their period, others experience excessive symptoms that cause them significant personal and interpersonal distress.

At Selah, we understand how to distinguish normal discomforts from abnormal ones. We also value the impact of these symptoms on a woman’s relationships and life success. Sometimes complete hormone testing can be helpful to identify underlying causes. Sometimes nutritional deficiencies, poor nutritional habits, or sleep disorders contribute to this syndrome. In other scenarios, these symptoms result from the impact that long-standing negative beliefs and emotions have on neurochemical signalling in the brain.

We aim to identify and treat all of these causes effectively, but also equip our patients with tools to reduce and curtail the cycles of poor emotional and spiritual health that predispose them to excessive premenstrual symptoms.

It is currently estimated that 11 to 20% of women who give birth in the US each year have postpartum depression symptoms. These include anxiety, panic symptoms, irritability, depression, fear, and repeatedly going over thoughts. It may also include other physical symptoms, such as fatigue, loss of appetite, weight gain, weight loss, and insomnia. These symptoms can interfere with breastfeeding, baby bonding, and effective relationships.

Many women suffer silently from the impact of postpartum depression, which can occur anytime during the year after giving birth. Fortunately there are very effective treatments available for postpartum depression. Our providers are experienced in recognizing this disorder and supporting women to make the treatment decisions that are best for them and their families.