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Podcast #4Welcome to Your Health, one way you can stay current on health issues and get tips and suggestions on staying healthy. I'm Neal Linkon, the manager of Web communications for Aurora Health Care, and it is my pleasure to bring you these programs. Many of the topics are the result of listener suggestions, so please don't be shy about sharing yours. You can reach us at internet@aurora.org. One of the most frustrating and emotionally troubling issues a couple can face is the inability to start a family. But many of the problems that can cause infertility don't have outward symptoms. So how do you know when to get help? Dr. Mark Severino is a reproductive endocrinologist, which is an expert in infertility and what can be done about it. He's helped couples for years to conceive and has had success rates above the industry average. So we asked Dr. Severino to help us understand what a couple should do, and when. To learn more about fertility services, and to hear more from Dr. Severino, go to www.Aurora.org/Baby. Even facing a life threatening diagnosis or a difficult and expensive procedure, some people find it hard to seek a second opinion. But you owe it to yourself and to your loved ones to do just that. Getting a second opinion can mean:
If the diagnosis concerns you, get a 2nd opinion. Seeking a 2nd opinion doesn't mean you don't trust your doctor. Your doctor will understand your need to be sure. According to the American Heart Association:
To learn more or to seek a 2nd opinion, go to www.Aurora.org/SecondOpinion. If you've been listening to our previous programs, you know that Care management is our philosophy of care. It's a focused approach to planning and giving care to the people we serve. In each edition of Your Health, we'll look at a Care Management initiative to give you a better idea of what this is all about. Most importantly, these segments will have real meaningful and useful information to help you and your loved ones. In this edition we'll look at mammograms and pap tests. A mammogram is recommended for women every 1 to 2 years starting at age 40. And a Pap test is recommended for women who are or have been sexually active and have not had their uterus removed. Testing should begin within 3 years of first sexual activity, or at age 21, and should be done at least every 3 years (after 3 consecutive normal tests) up to age 65. Why is a mammogram so important? A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the inside of the breast. It can find cancer at a very early stage—long before a lump would be felt during an exam. When cancer is found very early, the chance for a cure is much better. Using a large x-ray machine, a technician will take pictures of each breast. This is done by pressing the breast between two plates, first from top to bottom and then from side to side. Be sure to tell the technician if you have breast implants—special pictures may be needed. The test should take about 10 to 15 minutes. Ask your health care provider how and when you will get your test results. Compression of the breasts is done to get the best pictures with the least amount of radiation. It can hurt for a short time, but it allows the best chance for finding a problem. There are no known significant risks when guidelines are followed. The dose of radiation is low, and the test will not damage breast tissue. What can you do to help decrease your chances for breast cancer? Discuss your risk factors with your health care provider. Risk factors for breast cancer may include:
Ask your health care provider how and when you will get your test results. And be sure to follow his or her advice on how often you should have a mammogram. A Pap test is looking for cervical cancer. Also known as a Pap smear, it is a simple screening test for cancer of the cervix. The cervix is the bottom part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. When cancer of the cervix is found early, chances for a cure are good. The test should be quick and painless. It is most often done along with a pelvic exam. You will lie on a table with your legs apart and your feet in stirrups. An instrument called a speculum is used to spread the vagina so the cervix can be seen. Then the cervix is scraped gently to obtain a sample of cells. The cells are placed on a microscope slide and sent to the lab for testing. Ask your health care provider when and how you will get your test results. An abnormal Pap test does not always mean cancer. It could be that an infection is present. Or it could be a “false negative” result from a problem with the test itself. Your health care provider will discuss your results and let you know if further testing will be needed. Risk factors for cervical cancer include:
Always tell your health care provider about:
These are not always signs of cancer—but they can be. Be sure to follow your health care provider's advice on how often you should have a Pap test. To learn more about care management, go to www.Aurora.org/CM. For more on mammograms and pap tests, go to www.Aurora.org/Pap. Another edition of Your Health is now history. But our desire to hear from you isn't! So please drop us a line at internet@aurora.org. I'm Neal Linkon, and thanks for listening.
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