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Your body is a miraculous thing. For the most part, it operates autonomously. Your heart beats effortlessly and your reproductive system knows just what to do each month with your menstrual cycle.
The body maintains many processes instinctively; no direct involvement from yourself or your gynecologist is required. But when these subconscious processes are interrupted by disease or ailment, our bodies do another incredible thing–they tell us something’s wrong so that we can temporarily intervene and return to health.
When it comes to a woman’s health, paying attention to the body’s red flags is crucial to maintaining optimal reproductive health. Here’s a list of eight signs that your body is calling out for help–and your Las Vegas gynecologist may be able to help.
All vaginas have a scent. It’s normal to have a slightly acidic smell. Get to know your personal vaginal aroma so that you are familiar with your healthy scent. When your vaginal fragrance changes drastically, pay attention. Your body is telling you that something is off.
For example, a forgotten tampon will create a stench, reminding you that you’ve got to do something about it. Bacterial Vaginosis and Trichomoniasis are infections often easily detected by your body’s radiation of unusually foul-smelling, fishy odors. These two culprits require your gynecologist’s intervention to prescribe medication that kills the odor-causing bacteria.
Vaginal swelling is another red flag that you should never ignore. Noticeable swelling usually happens on the outer vulva and there are many possible explanations. Some common reasons that your lady parts are inflamed can include:
If you’ve recently switched laundry detergents or personal hygiene products, you can try going back to what you used before to see if the swelling subsides. But if you have a fever or pain that accompanies your vaginal swelling, or if swelling persists longer than a few days, contact your gynecologist promptly for proper assessment and quick treatment.
Pain is the body’s uncomfortable way of getting your attention; so never ignore it. Painful periods are not a normal part of life and neither is painful intercourse. If you’re experiencing debilitating pain in your reproductive organs, contact your gynecologist to identify the cause and provide relief. Some common causes of pain include infections, dryness, pelvic floor dysfunction, and endometriosis. All of these have treatment routes.
One in four women have experienced abnormal menstrual cycles in their lifetime. Period abnormalities can be especially alarming when they include excessive blood loss, large clots, or non-stop bleeding between cycles.
If your period becomes irregular, or you find yourself heading to the bathroom non-stop to change your super tampon and pad, your body is alerting you that it needs your attention. Stress, hormonal imbalances, infections, growths, and other diseases may be to blame. Our staff can help you online, or in-person at our Las Vegas hybrid clinics, to help uncover the root cause of your bleeding and get you back to normal quickly.
Related: Irregular Periods: What is Normal & When to See Your Online OBGYN
If your menstrual cycle is irregular or non-existent, it can be a sign that your body is not ovulating. It’s called amenorrhea, and it’s a problem if you are trying to conceive. Periods are a sign that your reproductive system is functioning properly; so a lack of a period means something is off.
Possible causes of missed periods, or absence of menstruation, include: pregnancy, hormonal imbalances, stress, low weight, certain medications, or menopause. If you’ve missed three or more periods, it’s time to contact your gynecologist.
If your lady parts develop new sores, bumps, or blisters, you may be wondering if you need to contact your OBGYN. There are many causes, including:
In most cases, if your sores, bumps, or blisters are accompanied by pain, pus, blood, odor, or itching that causes disruption to your normal lifestyle, then you may want to have your gynecologist take a look.
Vaginas use discharge to perform self-cleaning and flush out dead skin cells and other foreign materials. So a certain amount of discharge is expected in a healthy vaginal environment. If you’re not sure whether your discharge is normal or not, check out the related blog below:
Related: Here’s What’s Normal Vaginal Discharge… and What’s Not
Abnormal discharge can be yellow, green, or foul-smelling. An increase in discharge that is accompanied by other symptoms such as pain, bleeding, itching, soreness, or burning is also a cause for concern. Changes in your discharge are your body’s way of communicating changes in your body to you. The most common cause of abnormal discharge is an active infection, so it’s important to see your gynecologist as soon as possible.
Saving the best for last: there’s nothing more embarrassing or irritating than vaginal itching. It is not normal to experience itching down there, so if you have vaginal itching, your skin is talking to you. The most common culprits are irritants like soaps, detergents, and fragrances. Infections, from yeast or bacteria are another cause. If you’re unable to rule out irritants or the itching doesn’t stop, your online OBGYN can help.
Learn to read your body’s language and recognize red flags early on. My Virtual Physician has board-certified gynecologist available to meet virtually with you online, or with staff at our Las Vegas hybrid clinics, to help calm your body back to normal. Schedule your appointment now to get treatment today.
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Do you have a doctor’s appointment coming up? What kinds of emotions conjure up when scheduling the appointment? Anxiety? Annoyance? Dread? For many, just the thought of setting up healthcare commitments can be overwhelmingly negative.
Not to mention the eventuality of going through with the actual appointment. There’s a lot that can and will go wrong if you tolerate bad behavior from your healthcare provider. If your healthcare experience has been a thorn in your side, then you might be considering leaving your doctor. And you may be wondering–what are my options?
We know what it’s like to begrudgingly drag yourself to the doctor only to have the same terrible experience over and over again–and we also know the temptation to skip checkups to avoid the discomfort altogether. But is it enough to warrant the drastic step of switching doctors? Well, the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and expecting different results. Why not give something new a try?
Whether it’s your primary care physician–or your gynecologist–that you’re looking to replace; our team of Las Vegas doctors are here to step in and provide the care you deserve. We want you to know that you do not have to accept sub-par healthcare services any longer. We created this reference to help you make the decision.
If you’re unhappy with your healthcare experience, it’s likely that one, or a combination, of the below experiences has happened to you. Let’s cover some common reasons that patients decide to call it quits and find a new doctor.
In relationships–whether personal or professional–communication is the keystone that holds everything together. In a doctor-patient relationship, both parties need to feel safe and comfortable to communicate openly. That way, the doctor can make a proper assessment and diagnosis because the patient shared all pertinent facts, symptoms, and concerns.
If you feel your doctor is doing any of the following during your visit, it’s a red flag:
A minor occurrence here and there may be excusable, but if you have an overall bad experience every time you see your physician that leaves you feeling deflated and drained, then it’s likely time for a change.
You’ve done your part and shared all the juicy details of your symptoms with your Las Vegas OBGYN, but you are still sick! If you’ve been prescribed medication that worsens or does nothing for your symptoms and your doctor isn’t willing to correct it or make suggestions for something better, that’s a problem. Make sure you’re working with a physician who is your advocate, who listens to your concerns, and who is competent enough to make an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
Something that might be even worse than the wrong treatment is when your doctor tells you nothing can be done. If you feel like your doctor ignores your concerns, gives ambiguous answers to your questions, or is uninformed about the latest medical advancements and treatment options, then it might be time for a second opinion.
Seeing your doctor should not require you to use vacation time; but unfortunately, the traditional in-person experience at a doctor’s office still requires it. How much time do you spend on your appointment?
Depending on your personal factors, the whole process of a simple doctor appointment will take a minimum of two hours, and in worst-case scenarios, up to four hours out of your day.
It’s often a frustrating experience with little or no apology for keeping you waiting. If your doctor often runs behind and has no consideration for your time, it can be a damaging combination. Pile on top of that a doctor whose assistant calls to cancel and reschedule your appointment (that has been booked a month in advance) for no reason, and you are officially feeling violated.
Customer service should not go out the window when it comes to healthcare. Don’t allow your doctor or the facility to walk all over you and take advantage of your time. A recent study showed that 8 in 10 patients factor in customer service when they choose healthcare providers. If your provider won’t administer consistently good customer service, find another who will.
And the last straw to cutting ties with your healthcare provider is when it affects your pocketbook. Healthcare costs can be vague, confusing, and mysterious, especially when health insurance factors in. If you’ve ever asked for the cost of your appointment beforehand, you’ve likely received a confused look and some jargon about not knowing which medical billing code will be used.
That explanation is becoming less and less accepted by patients as pricing transparency is in demand. If you need to know how much your healthcare will cost up-front, there are doctors who will provide it willingly. Your doctor should also be considerate of your financial situation when prescribing treatments and offer less expensive alternatives when appropriate.
If the above scenarios are recurring every time you see your doctor, you may be ready to move on. You’ve got three basic options to choose from:
Option #1, switching doctors within the same facility, is viable if you believe it is strictly a personal shortcoming of your doctor, but won’t do much for facility-wide dysfunction.
Option #2, switching facilities and doctors, is a good choice if you prefer in-person visits but have reason to believe there are facility-wide functioning problems with the original clinic.
Option #3, finding a doctor online, will usually solve all of the concerns and inherent problems of traditional brick-and-mortar facilities. Here’s why:
My Virtual Physician is proud to offer online gynecology, pediatrics, and primary care–along with hybrid healthcare options in Las Vegas. We strive to provide an excellent patient experience that meets you where you are. Check out our testimonials to see what our patients are saying about us and make the switch today!
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A leaky bladder can put a damper on life. The never-ending cycle of bathroom breaks tempts you to hold back from enjoying a full-bellied laugh with your friends or an intense group workout at the gym. You’re not alone┈bladder control problems are common in women–but you shouldn’t have to limit your life like this. And the good news is, you don’t have to; urinary incontinence is a treatable condition.
My Virtual Physician’s team of Las Vegas gynecologists wants to help provide the solution to your leaky bladder situation. In this blog, we’ll cover the basics of stress incontinence, its causes, and provide our recommended remedy.
Urinary incontinence is a medical condition that affects your ability to hold or control your bladder and the flow of urine. There are many types of urinary incontinence:
Each type of urinary incontinence has a different cause and treatment. In this article, we are focusing on one type: stress incontinence. Stress incontinence happens when you abruptly leak urine as you:
Stress urinary incontinence, or SUI for short, affects more women than men. The woman’s urinary system is more prone to weakening of the pelvic muscles that keep the bladder sealed. Some of the reasons that women have a higher prevalence include anatomy, childbirth, and hormonal changes which are all unique to women. Risk factors that tend to lead to stress incontinence include obesity, neurological conditions, trauma, certain medications, and childbirth.
Many women believe that there is nothing that can be done to prevent or treat stress incontinence. They manage the condition by wearing pads or protective underwear just in case. Pelvic exercises are an inconvenience and surgery seems too extreme without a guarantee to fix the issue, so many women accept leaky bladders as part of aging–but it doesn’t have to be.
There are insertable devices that can be used to strengthen and support the urinary organs, muscles, and tissues; these are called pessaries. They are usually made of silicone or another medical-grade material and are used to reposition the urethra and help prevent incontinence. Traditionally, these devices are selected and fitted by your physician. However, today, there’s a new product on the market that is making pessary access available to more women, more easily: it’s called Uresta.
Uresta is a reusable bladder support device that can be self-fitted by you, the patient. It is comfortable, easy to insert, and comes in five different sizes, with three common sizes included in the starter kit for initial fitting. If the starter kit sizes are not a perfect fit for your body, the other sizes are available to you for free at your request. Uresta has proven effective for the majority of women who have tried it. The numbers speak for themselves:
My Virtual Physician’s Las Vegas OB GYNs are strong believers in providing patients with the tools they need to manage their women’s healthcare needs–without jumping through hoops. That’s why we advocate for the Uresta pessary device. You don’t have to come into an office for an awkward fitting appointment; you can self-fit from the privacy of your own bathroom.
If you struggle with stress incontinence and would like to see if Uresta is your solution, we’d like to help. Schedule a virtual appointment today with a Las Vegas gynecologist at My Virtual Physician to discuss your options, get your Uresta prescription today, and get your life back.
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How much are you paying for your healthcare? Healthcare in the United States is expensive. In fact, it’s so expensive that over 90% of Americans purchase or apply for medical insurance just to offset the cost of care.
If you’re looking for an affordable alternative to the traditional model, we have great news for you–it is possible to get affordable OBGYN care in Las Vegas–even without health insurance. Let’s review the traditional model of healthcare expenses that we’ve all begrudgingly accepted up until now, and then we’ll cover the new path forward.
Do you know how much your next doctor appointment will cost you? If you’ve ever called ahead to get a quote, you likely got a confusing answer or none at all. Seeing your doctor in the traditional sense can be expensive and many factors influence your out-of-pocket cost, even for a simple diagnostic exam with your Las Vegas gynecologist, such as:
All factors considered, without health insurance, you’ll likely pay between $200 to $500 after all is said and done for just a simple appointment at a brick-and-mortar facility. Even with health insurance, you’ll still be on the hook for paying a large sum of cash until you exceed your deductible. That’s just for one appointment; imagine if you had an ongoing condition requiring regular physician monitoring–this paints the picture clearly of why health insurance came into existence.
Related: No Health Insurance? No Problem.
Health insurance was originally designed to help offset the patient’s out-of-pocket costs for medical expenses. It generally works like this:
While you can get health insurance on your own, if you’re working a traditional job, you probably depend on your employer for your health insurance. Many employers offer to subsidize a portion of a health insurance plan as an employee benefit. If this isn’t an option for you, you may have looked into the government marketplace.
If you’ve checked out the HealthCare.gov plans and pricing, you’ll quickly realize how unaffordable medical insurance has become. Family premiums are over $400 per month for plans with a high out of pocket max and high deductibles–both exceeding $8,000 per year. That means you could spend as much as $5,000 per year on premiums plus another $8,000 on healthcare for a total of $13,000 per year. This model has become unsustainable.
Luckily, there is a new model for affordable healthcare and technology is paving the way. The acceptance and advancement of telemedicine, a new way to see your doctor, has been drastically accelerated by the pandemic. Virtual doctor visits are creating a new alternative to the traditional model of unaffordable medical care. There are many reasons telemedicine makes healthcare more affordable, including:
Besides the cost savings, there are countless other benefits to moving healthcare visits online including time savings, elimination of the commute, less disruption to your routine, privacy, comfort, and much more.
Related: Telemedicine: An Advantage for Patients & Providers of Prenatal Care
So how much will an appointment with one of My Virtual Physician’s Las Vegas OBGYNs cost you? Our pricing is simple and transparent. We offer appointments as needed for a flat rate for quick things like renewing your annual prescription or getting a UTI treated. If you have ongoing care needs, we offer individual, family, and employee membership levels that allow unlimited visits for a flat fee. You can explore our current rates here, where you’ll find all of our pricing transparently available to you.
With My Virtual Physician, you won’t need to pay insurance premiums and there are no surprises about how much the appointment will cost. We promise our patients affordable access to the best Las Vegas gynecologists right from the comfort of your own home.
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Healthcare doesn’t have to be unaffordable. The old model is breaking down and being replaced with one that works for both patients and providers. My Virtual Physician is proud to be a quality Las Vegas OBGYN provider that anyone can afford.
