Posts tagged chronic pain
Pain During Sex - WTF?!?
Pain During Sex - WTF?!?

The medical term is dyspareunia, which means difficulty, discomfort, or pain during intercourse. It's a condition I see quite frequently in my clinic and while many people who experience this symptom cross their fingers and hope it will go away on its own, that's not the reality for everyone.

As confusing and frustrating as dealing with painful sex can sometimes be, I find there are only so many causes. If we work our way through the list we can typically get to the bottom of what's actually going on. In many cases I've seen my patients find relief and actually heal from experiencing pain during sex, I'll explain how.

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Cycle Health, Hormonal ImbalancesJacqueline Gabardysex, sexually transmitted infections, pain, chronic pain, uterine health
IUD Got you Down?
IUD Got you Down?

Intrauterine devices, aka IUDs, are one of the most popular forms of birth control because they are among the most effective while also being quite low maintenance and most last several years. But as with any medical device, they can come with their fair share of side effects and symptoms.

I've spoken with hundreds of women about their experiences with IUDs, so obviously I've heard it all. It ranges from those who can barely tell they ever got it put in to those who dread every single day they have it in and ultimately end up getting it removed because it doesn't work for them. I'm not here to tell you what the right choice is for you, but if you're dealing with side effects of an IUD or you're considering getting one, then I'd like to help you deal and to feel better.

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Pain, Uterine HealthJacqueline GabardyIUD, Pain, chronic pain, birth control
Anti-inflammatory Foods - what they are & why to eat them
Anti-inflammatory Foods - what they are & why to eat them

Many of my patients have heard about eating an anti-inflammatory diet a thousand times over, but few actually understand which foods to eat, which to avoid, the benefits to eating anti-inflammatory foods, and which conditions it works best for.

In reality, an anti-inflammatory diet is not that complicated, it mostly consists of eating minimally processed whole foods and keeping your intake of refined carbohydrates and processed fats to a minimum. Let's break it down.

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Pain, Food + NutritionJacqueline Gabardychronic pain, anti-inflammatory, pro-inflammatory, inflammation
10 Other Reasons Birth Control is Used
10 Other Reasons Birth Control is Used

In honor of last week's news that Trump is rolling back employer requirements for birth control coverage, I want to share some of the other reasons birth control gets used besides just preventing pregnancy.

To be clear, I believe that women should have affordable and easy access to birth control no matter why they choose to take it. But it truly enrages me to hear so many arguments against coverage made on the basis that it is simply used when women want to be promiscuous, thus they should learn to "control themselves" or "settle down and have a family."

These arguments are made by ignorant men who will never be at risk of experiencing some of the painful and/or dangerous conditions that birth control can help to manage or treat. Denying women access to medication that can reduce pain, save money, prevent surgery, and in some cases can even be life saving, is truly cruel, inhumane, and totally fucking sexist.

So let's talk about it. Let's make them impossible to ignore. Let's teach men and children about these conditions. Let's de-stigmatize birth control coverage for every woman whose life depends on it. It's our right.

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Hormonal Imbalances, Uterine HealthJacqueline GabardyIVF, menstruation, hormones, hormonal imbalance, birth control, endometriosis, chronic pain