Women’s Health

November 20, 2020

The Importance of Well-woman Visits

It’s time to reframe how you think about your annual trip to the gynecologist. While many women do not look forward to their yearly pelvic exam, this appointment is much more than that — it’s a time dedicated to you and your wellness. Well-woman visits are a critical touchpoint where we can focus specifically on […]

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November 5, 2020

Urinary Tract Infections: Fact vs. Fiction

For both men and women, if you have pain or burning when you urinate, it may be a urinary tract infection (UTI). A UTI occurs when bacteria gets into your urine and travels up into your bladder. Most UTIs can be easily taken care of. Because this tends to be an awkward subject to talk […]

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October 27, 2020

5 Things to Know about Mammography during COVID

By Jennifer Bringle Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, much of our day-to-day lives has changed significantly. And the same goes for clinical environments. While it may be tempting to skip routine screenings to avoid COVID exposure, forgoing preventative care like annual mammograms can be far more detrimental to your health. Rachel McEachern, MD, […]

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October 23, 2020

Newborns and Coronavirus: Helpful Ways to Protect Their Health

One thing that won’t ever change? Newborn babies at our hospital and their mothers who get our absolute best, every time. It’s understandable for parents to have questions about what to be aware of with respect to newborns and COVID-19. Although there’s no vaccine for COVID-19 yet, there are ways to safeguard yourself and your […]

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October 21, 2020

Angel Medical Center’s Breast Services Combine the Latest Technology with Superior Patient Care

By Karen S. Gorby, RN, MSN, MBA, CENP, FACHE October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One in eight women will receive this diagnosis at some point during their lives, but fortunately, deaths due to breast cancer are going down. The decrease is in large part due to constantly evolving advanced imaging technology. When you come […]

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October 20, 2020

Should Your Mammogram Be 2D or 3D?

By Cherry Odom, BSN, RN-BC “We found 1,241 breast cancers across the Mission Health system in 2019. That is a lot of lives and families touched.” Annual screening mammograms remain a woman’s first defense in early recognition of breast cancer. Advances in detection of breast cancer now provide women with options that tailor screenings adapted […]

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October 15, 2020

The Importance of Mammograms: One Woman’s Story

By Jennifer Bringle Lori Smith never thought she’d be the one receiving bad news after a mammogram. After years of helping area women get screening mammograms through her job as regional radiology manager for Angel Medical Center and Highlands-Cashiers Hospital, she knew there was always a chance an exam might reveal an abnormality. But Smith […]

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August 27, 2020

Breast MRI during COVID-19

By Cherry Odom, BSN, RN-BC When a woman hears “You may have breast cancer,” she may experience every emotion from disbelief to panic. If a mammogram or ultrasound have not given enough detail, fortunately, breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive procedure that can be ordered instead of biopsy or surgery. Follow-up Care Mission […]

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June 23, 2020

Ask the Doctor: Pelvic Floor Health

Sarah Bradley, MD, of Western Carolina Women’s Specialty Center, answers some questions about pelvic floor health. Q: What is the pelvic floor and what does it do? A: The pelvic floor is a group of muscles in the pelvis that support the organs in the pelvis, including the rectum, vagina, uterus and bladder. Contraction and […]

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January 13, 2020

Cervical Cancer: One of the Most Preventable Cancers

By Carolyn Comeau October’s pink ribbons signify Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but many aren’t aware that January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. It may get less press, but cervical cancer, which occurs when cells grow abnormally in the cervix, is a disease every woman should be mindful of. Prevention Is Key — and Easy Brian […]

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