Blog Archive

For over one-third of women experiencing menopause or perimenopause, the associated hormonal changes may cast a shadow over sexual intimacy. Vaginal dryness and pain can become unwelcome companions, affecting your comfort, confidence, and libido.  MonaLisa Touch® offers a nonsurgical, hormone-free solution to these common concerns. At Evergreen Women’s Health, gynecologist...

While itching, burning skin conditions are always a nuisance, those that affect your most intimate areas are particularly distressing and uncomfortable. For women with lichen sclerosus, this can be a daily reality. Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that causes itchy, painful patches of thinning, discolored skin, typically...

If starting a family is your dream, being diagnosed with endometriosis may pose challenges. This common condition affects one in 10 women in the United States, causing symptoms such as pelvic pain, heavy menstruation, and, often, fertility issues. At Evergreen Women’s Health in Vancouver, Washington, Cynthia McNally, MD, and Cory...

Estrogen levels fluctuate throughout a woman’s life, but when nearing menopause, those fluctuations can become extreme. Once in menopause, estrogen production declines dramatically, causing unpleasant symptoms and affecting your health in other ways, too. At Evergreen Women's Health, Cynthia McNally, MD, and Cory Killeen, FNP-BC, offer hormone replacement therapy (HRT)...

There are a lot of urban medical myths that are passed down from one generation of medical students to the next. Allegedly, a patient once listed “Fireballs of the Eucharist” as the reason for her visit with a gynecologist. There is an inner (very immature) child in me that thinks...

What is perimenopause? A recent article in "Menopause Magazine" (yes, that's a thing) concluded "Women in the Late Reproductive Stage (LRS) experience symptoms strikingly similar to those often associated with the menopause.  Women do not expect these changes until the age of 50 years or later and are surprised by...

There is so much confusion and misinformation when it comes to pelvic exams: what they entail, what they can and cannot diagnose, and how often they are necessary.  When I was in residency (before computers or Snapchat or memes--yes, I am old), we were encouraged to do A LOT of...

Spoiler alert: There is no screening for ovarian cancer. It is understandable that one would expect screening to exist. Ovarian cancer is deadly, killing over 14,000 women a year in the US. There should be a screening protocol, something analogous to mammograms for breast cancer or colonoscopy for colon cancer....

“Dr. McNally told me to leave my husband.” While reviewing the notes in a patient's chart, I was startled to see that she had said this to another provider. Noooooo, I did not say that!  Allow me to explain. My patient had complained that her libido wasn't what it used...

I think it is a good thing that women do not need to see a doctor for every ailment, that they can self-diagnose and treat with over-the-counter medications. But sometimes, self-diagnosis leads to the wrong treatment and worsening symptoms. Case in point: chronic yeast infections. Yes, there are definitely women...

It's a common scenario: A young woman goes to the Emergency Room with pelvic pain. She's told that it must be an ovarian cyst or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (a condition often caused by an untreated STI), but she's monogamous and has no risk factors or fever. She's treated with antibiotics...

“Annuale’s not for everyone. Do not take if you are using MAIO Inhibitors or if your occupation requires you to operate heavy machinery. Do not take Annuale if you ever plan to become pregnant, as it may turn your baby into a firemonster. In the days around your period, you...

Painful sex (the unintentional kind) can make life and relationships less satisfying. Sex is not a necessity–it is not like oxygen, food, or shelter–but it is important to many women. If you are experiencing painful sex then you should schedule a gynecology consultation today" “Dyspareunia” is the medical term for painful sex,...