Gynecological treatments
Dr. Okan Özden gives reproductive and sexual health services that include pelvic exams, Pap tests, cancer screenings, and testing and treatment for gynecologic disorders. He diagnoses and treats reproductive system disorders such as endometriosis, infertility, ovarian cysts, leiomyomas and pelvic pain.
Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
Abnormal uterine bleeding is an increased or decreased vaginal bleeding compared to your regular periods, after menopause, or during pregnancy. Specifically, you shouldn’t be bleeding after period ends or spotting between periods, after sex, or after your cycles have ceased due to menopause.
It’s also abnormal to experience prolonged menstrual bleeding or bleeding more heavily than usual during your regular menstrual cycle. Heavy uterine bleeding (HUB) can often lead to low blood counts requiring blood transfusions or iron infusions.
Uterine Fibroids
The chances are that you aren’t aware you have fibroids, which are also called leiomyomas or myomas. Many women don’t experience any symptoms. Fibroids are essentially small balls of muscle that grow in the muscular wall tissue of your uterus. They’re almost always non-cancerous, rarely turn into cancer in the future.
Women who do experience symptoms may communicate any of the following:
- Heavy bleeding or painful periods
- Anemia
- Feeling a sense of fullness in your lower stomach
- Noticing your lower abdomen appears to be distended
- Having to urinate frequently
- Pain during sex
- Lower back pains
- Complications during pregnancy and labor
- Rarely, reproductive problems
Ovarian Cysts
A cyst is a sac or pocket filled with fluid, solid matter or a mixture of both. A cyst can appear almost anywhere in your body. When a cyst appears on one of your two almond-sized ovaries, it’s called an ovarian cyst. Ovarian cysts usually form during the ovulation part of your cycle, when your ovaries release the ova. Most women experience cysts at some point in their lives without knowing it.
Treatment
- Since most ovarian cysts are benign (not cancerous), your doctor often will monitor them closely with ultrasound. Most cysts go away independently and don’t require surgical intervention unless you’re experiencing uncomfortable symptoms.
- Birth control pills help control hormone production. These are effective because hormones are the number one reason women get cysts. Additionally, birth control can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.
- Surgery is an option when the cyst is malignant, gets more prominent, and is still present after several menstrual cycles. Your doctor can surgically remove any cyst that causes you discomfort.
Genital Warts
Genital warts are a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that will affect almost half of all sexually active people at some time in their lives. The unsightly formations typically are only mild genital warts —they appear as soft bumps on the mucus and the skin of male and female genitals. Some have a cauliflower-like appearance, and others may be too small to even see with the naked eye.
Genital warts occur due to human papillomavirus and are sexually transmitted. They typically form around the anus or directly on the vagina, penis, cervix, urethra, or vulva. They can appear as a single wart or form clusters. Genital warts or other abnormalities in the genital area should always be evaluated with a thorough consultation and examination by a physician gynecologist for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. It may be a symptom or sign of a severe illness or condition.
Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the loss of control of your bladder. It can occur for several different reasons. While it’s a fairly common condition, it can cause embarrassment, leading people to keep their symptoms to themselves.
Causes of urinary incontinence can include:
- Bladder muscles are weak
- Spastic or overactive muscles
- Damaged nerves around your bladder
- Medications
The specialist should evaluate your urinary incontinence with a thorough consultation and examination by your local gynecology specialist for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan to exclude any serious underlying condition.
Pelvic organ prolapse
Dr. Okan Özden has extensive experience with repair procedures. He might use vaginal approaches or other minimally invasive surgery, also called laparoscopic surgery, to treat some types of pelvic organ prolapse. Minimally invasive surgery can shorten your hospital stay and make recovery faster.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Polycystic ovarian syndrome, often called PCOS, is a condition that affects women of childbearing age with a disorder of the endocrine system. It’s relatively common, affecting as many as one in 10 women. The syndrome can be detected in girls as young as 11 and affects nearly five million women in the United States. Suppose you have been diagnosed with PCOS or have concerning symptoms. In that case, you should always be evaluated with a thorough consultation and examination by a physician for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
If you have PCOS, you often may have enlarged ovaries that contain pockets of fluid. Called follicles, or cysts, these tiny fluid sacs can be seen through an ultrasound.
It’s a severe condition that, for many women, is accompanied by other health complications.
Op. Dr. Okan ÖZDEN 