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Many women regularly experience or have experienced menstrual pain before. For some women, despite continuously seeking answers to explain this pain, their physician may not be able to easily determine the cause. Endometriosis, often a very painful disorder, is fairly common, but is extremely difficult to diagnose and treat. More than 5.5 million American women have symptoms of endometriosis, and it is estimated to affect approximately 10 percent of reproductive-aged women. What is endometriosis? Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus, called the uterine

Vidhya Prakash, MD, has been appointed to the dual position of chief medical officer and associate dean of clinical affairs and population health at SIU Medicine. Prakash will begin her duties on March 1. She joined SIU School of Medicine in 2014 as an assistant professor of internal medicine. She was subsequently promoted to a full professor position. Most recently, she was the Department of Internal Medicine’s vice chair of clinical affairs and chair of the Clinical Competency Committee. Prakash has served the organization in many other positions, including president of the Faculty Council

Bone health matters—no bones about it! At SIU Medicine, our team is educating the community to learn more about bone health, including what can affect your bone mineral density and how to protect it. The bare bones of bone health: 5 quick things to know Bone mineral density refers to how strong your bone tissue is. The lower your bone mineral density, the weaker your bones. Most people achieve peak bone mineral density by their late 20s. After this age, the focus is on maintaining bone strength and minimizing bone mineral loss. Drinking milk, just by itself, may not be good for your bones

An estimated 25 million American adults experience urinary incontinence, which is the involuntary loss of urine from the bladder or the inability to control urination. While this group of conditions can affect anyone, urinary incontinence is most common in women older than 50. As area leaders in urology care and research, our multidisciplinary team at SIU Medicine has helped thousands of women throughout the region find answers and relief from their bladder concerns. Types of urinary incontinence and its symptoms Several types of urinary incontinence exist, including urge incontinence (being

A mammogram—an X-ray picture of breast tissue—is a valuable tool that can screen for breast cancer . In many cases, mammograms can detect breast cancer even before a woman notices any symptoms. Early detection allows doctors to initiate appropriate treatment sooner, which may improve outcomes and reduce costs. Most women over the age of 45 are advised to get mammograms every year, or once every two years once they reach age 55. However, the exact frequency and timing of mammograms varies for different women. If your doctor has advised you to get your first mammogram, you might have a lot of

COVID-19 Update: March 25, 2020 This is a daily joint communication from the Sangamon County Department of Public Health along with Memorial Health System, HSHS St. John’s Hospital, Springfield Clinic and SIU Medicine updating you on the status of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Sangamon County. This communication will come each day as necessary. At the time of this press release, we are announcing one new positive case in Sangamon County. The total number of confirmed cases between our five organizations is six, including one death. Currently, all of the active cases are no longer hospitalized.

Pregnancy can be one of the best times in your life. If you’re pregnant, you might be filled with wonder and excitement about the little one growing inside you. You may also fret over your own and your baby’s health. This can especially be the case if you’ve learned you have high blood pressure during your pregnancy. Fortunately for you, the doctors at SIU Medicine are highly trained in helping expectant moms manage this issue during pregnancy. What types of hypertension occur during pregnancy? Hypertension during pregnancy is a common women's health issue. Some women have chronic hypertension