Does a Miscarriage Always Cause Abdominal Cramps?
Sudden abdominal cramping during a pregnancy can be quite alarming, as this can make a woman fear that she’s having a miscarriage.
Many expectant women want to know if a miscarriage will necessarily cause cramping in the abdomen. (more…)
Older, Obese & Need IVF: Fertility Doctor Explains What to Do
You’re older, you have no kids but desperately want a baby, but you’ve been told to lose a lot of weight before you can have IVF.
By the time you lose the weight, you fear you’ll be “too old” to be considered for IVF or, at least, your older age will be an issue with success. (more…)
Can Infertility Cause Dark Discharge Between Periods?
Dark vaginal discharge means the presence of blood, a frightening occurrence since bleeding between periods can mean cancer.
Infertility as a possible cause may spring into the minds of some women.
What else besides uterine and cervical cancer can cause dark discharge between periods?
What appears to be a dark discharge from the vagina has many potential causes other than cancer, including a uterine polyp and hemorrhoidal blood that can make it to the tissue paper and make a woman think it originated from her vagina.
Infertility and Dark Vaginal Discharge Between Periods
Infertility might be a cause, says Daniel Kort, MD, Practice Director of Neway Fertility, one of NYC’s leading fertility centers specializing in customized and affordable natural fertility treatments.
Dr. Kort explains, “Some women who fail to release an egg (and thus have infertility) have discharge between periods.
“However, many women who do release an egg also have discharge between periods.
“In fact, after ovulation, vaginal discharge will change, becoming thicker and whiter. If there is blood for any other reason, this discharge can be dark.”
But if a woman has infertility, wouldn’t this prevent menstruation?
If a woman is not ovulating (ovary releasing an egg), this means she is infertile. So how could she then have “periods” between which she is seeing a dark discharge?
What she thinks is her period is actually not menstruation, but something called estrogen withdrawal bleeding. It can mimic a period.
Estrogen is required for ovulation. If the levels of estrogen fail to build up enough for this process, ovulation will not occur. The levels of this hormone may then drop dramatically.
This is when estrogen withdrawal bleeding can occur, masquerading as menstruation. This non-menstrual bleeding is also called anovulatory bleeding.
Another cause is if, gradually over time, the uterine lining builds up to a point where it then must be shed. This is called estrogen breakthrough bleeding.
So what, then, might be causing brown or blood-tinged discharge in between these pseudo-periods?
The possible causes include a benign uterine polyp, bleeding from an aggravated hemorrhoid, anal fissure or anal skin tag that can get on tissue paper after wiping; or cancer of the vagina, vulva, cervix or uterus.
Sinking estrogen levels from periomenopause (and especially postmenopause) can dry out the vaginal tissue and make it more friable when stressed by intercourse or aggressive wiping, leading to minute traces of blood appearing on the toilet paper or panties.
Dark or brown discharge with no explanation requires an exam by a gynecologist to rule out serious causes.
Neway leverages state-of-the-art techniques to achieve the highest pregnancy rates in the United States. Neway, founded in 2011, is the first fertility center in the U.S. to deliver over 10 babies using IVM, a groundbreaking fertility treatment requiring little to no medication. Neway specializes in IVF, IVM, natural cycle IVF, IUI, genetic testing and more.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
Top image: Freepik
Can Heavy Lifting at the Gym Cause a Miscarriage?
There’s a difference between heavy lifting on the job and heavy lifting at the gym when it comes to risk of miscarriage. (more…)
Types of Cancers a CT Scan Most Likely Causes & Risks
There are two kinds of cancer that radioactivity most commonly causes, especially in children and young adults.
A CAT scan emits more radiation than any other imaging modality. (more…)
Nosebleed in Only One Nostril in a Child: Cancer or Dry House?
When a child has recurring nosebleeds from only one nostril, this can be from leukemia, lymphoma or a cancer inside the sinus cavity. (more…)
Trouble Breathing when Lying on Right Side Only – Causes ?
If you have trouble breathing when lying on your right side only, don’t let that diffuse the situation:
It’s cause for concern and you need to see a doctor. (more…)
Can a Meningioma Be Mistaken for Acoustic Neuroma?
Because the cells of benign, slow-growing brain tumors divide slowly, the shrinkage effect of targeted radiation can take three years to show significant reduction in tumor size.
If you’ve been diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma…it IS possible that it’s really a meningioma.
A meningioma can be mistaken for an acoustic neuroma (aka vestibular Schwannoma). (more…)
Can LPR Be Transient, Caused by Sudden Acute Stress?
LPR is often a chronic problem that many people suffer with, but sudden acute anxiety or stress can also fire up the stomach acid and cause LPR.
LPR stands for laryngopharyngeal reflux disease. It’s also known as silent reflux.
Symptoms of LPR (no particular order)
• Hoarse voice throughout speech
• Hoarse voice only at the start of speech after prolonged silence
• Persistent feeling of tickling or itchiness in the back of the throat that causes coughing
• Frequent coughing, may be slightly productive (expelling very tiny clear droplets)
• Sore throat
• Burning throat
• Sensation of lump in throat
• Sensation of difficulty breathing
• Dry mouth
• Reflux episodes into the nose causing burning nasal cavities
Acute stress or anxiety – that which comes on suddenly – can cause a few or all of these LPR symptoms.
“Reflux occurs when stomach juices comes back up to the esophagus in GERD and to the throat in LPR,” says Gene Liu, MD, MMM, and Chief, Division of Otolaryngology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group.
“LPR, just like classic GERD, can be short-lived or become a lifelong problem,” continues Dr. Liu.
“Anxiety and stress can ultimately lead to many physical symptoms, and the symptoms of reflux have been noted to frequently increase following periods of significant stress.
“Thankfully, in many instances, the reflux symptoms will significantly decrease, or even completely resolve after a period of time.”
I personally know what it’s like to experience LPR out of the blue, in that prior to the onset of symptoms, I had no chronic history of this common condition.
Then suddenly I had a hoarse voice every time I spoke, which cleared up when I cleared my throat. I also had a persistent cough that never subsided unless I was lying in bed.
The triggers were the diagnosis of my parents’ dog, who was a big part of my life, with a brain tumor, and my sudden onset of odd-looking diarrhea, which I thought might be colon cancer.
I scheduled my first colonoscopy and had that to look forward to, while the eight-year-old German shepherd’s condition was worsening.
The dog was put down the day before the colonoscopy, and the cough persisted – right into the colonoscopy procedure room.
At the end of the procedure the doctor told me everything looked normal. The coughing ceased and never returned.
Coincidence? I think not. This fits the bill for a reactive kind of LPR to all my stress and anxiety. The symptoms were minor, nothing compared to what affects many people on a chronic level.
But even short-term LPR in response to sudden stress and turmoil can consist of more troublesome symptoms such as throat pain/burning, a big knot in the throat and a sensation of difficulty breathing.
The cough departed as soon as it had arrived. The cause of the diarrhea turned out to be benign.
But the lesson learned is that laryngopharyngeal reflux disease can most certainly strike out of the blue in response to sudden stressful events, and will likely disappear when there’s a resolution or closure to the turmoil.
Dr. Liu’s clinical areas of focus cover a broad range including surgery of the head and neck, sinuses and thyroid, and disorders of the ears, salivary glands and vocal cords.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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Top image: ©Lorra Garrick
Can Cancer Cause a Swollen Feeling in the Throat?
Many different cancers can cause you to have a swollen feeling or lumpy sensation in the throat, even if you’ve never smoked or drank.
But there’s more to this than you’re probably thinking. (more…)
