As a woman, you may have already noticed that there are many medical specialists out there. Your primary care physician will be your first stop when it comes to diagnosing any issues or providing routine health screenings. However, if you’ve been experiencing pain during intercourse and vaginal bleeding, the time has come for an OB/GYN specialist. These doctors can help diagnose what is going wrong with your reproductive system and provide treatment recommendations from pelvic floor therapy to surgery options depending on the severity of the issue(s). Consider booking an appointment with Dr. Peter A Khamvongsa in Florida.
Which treatments do these OB/GYN specialists offer?
Advanced Colposcopy
This is a common procedure by an OB/GYN specialist. It deals with symptoms such as vaginal bleeding and pain during intercourse. One of the newest treatment options, advanced colposcopy, can help detect early signs of cervical cancer. This screening method doesn’t require a biopsy, so there’s no chance of causing further harm to your reproductive organs or increasing your risk for infection.
There are many methods that doctors use to diagnose cervical cancer. The most common is the Pap smear. A Pap smear, also called Pap test or gynecological cytology test, allows your doctor to view cells scraped from your cervix. The examination of the cells is usually under a microscope for signs of cancerous and precancerous (abnormal) changes.
Endometrial Ablation
Another popular treatment procedure performed by doctors specializing in OB/GYN is called endometrial ablation. Many women undergo this treatment due to heavy menstrual bleeding, resulting in anemia and other severe conditions.
While the procedure itself is not complicated, there are some possible risks that your doctor should discuss with you before performing it. These risks include:
- Infection
- Hemorrhage
- Fever
- Uterine perforation punctures during surgery,
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Heart attack
- Pulmonary embolism clot formation
- Stroke
Accessa Procedure
In this procedure, the doctor also uses a flexible tube through the cervix and into the uterus. It helps the surgical instruments pass. A laser fiber or electrical current tip located on the tool at the end of the device is used to destroy abnormal tissue.
When considering an Accessa procedure, keep in mind that the risks include uterine perforation, bleeding, infection, cervical stenosis (obstruction), incomplete removal of fibroid tissue, and incomplete removal of a polyp. Pelvic disorders may also result from a misdiagnosis of adhesions as tumors.
Fibroids Treatment
Another standard treatment for uterine fibroids, also called myoma, is a hysterectomy. It involves surgically removing the uterus and, at times, the cervix as well. Fibroids are benign tumors that affect roughly 30% of women in America and can cause pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, and infertility.
A possible complication of a hysterectomy is uterine prolapse when an undiagnosed weakening or tearing of the vaginal supporting tissues causes the uterus to drop into the vaginal canal. Symptoms include pessary use or urinary incontinence.
Doctors that specialize in OB/GYN offer many different treatments for various gynecological conditions. Some of the most common are colposcopy, endometrial ablation and Accessa procedure. All these procedures have risks associated with them, so it’s essential to consult your doctor before making any decisions about treatment options.