Girl’s Guide: Women’s health risks
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Mary Kay Burdette, clinical manager for Lee Obstetrics & Gynecology, said many women have a problem with being in tune with their own bodies.
“The number one cause of death in women is heart disease,” Burdette said. “A lot of the times the symptoms women have are not as big as men.”
Some of the most commonly ignored symptoms before a cardiac event include shortness of breath, unusual fatigue, indigestion, sleep disturbances and anxiety.
“Twinges in the arm and twinges in the mouth are felt (as well),” Burdette said. “But women tend to minimize and put their health care needs on the back burner.”
Another large health risk for women is cervical cancer, which is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).
Burdette said this disease is 100 percent preventable if the right measures are taken.
“(HPV) comes from sexually transmitted diseases,” Burdette said. “Condom use can control this. Also not having sex with six million people.”
There is also the option of getting the Gardasil vaccinations.
“There are over 100 HPV viruses,” Burdette said. “Gardasil only protects you from four, although they are the biggest four viruses.”
Since the vaccinations became available in 2009, there have been rumors of dangerous side effects, but Burdette said she’s never heard of anyone being negatively affected.
“It’s just a shot,” Burdette said. “There are very rare side effects at the sight of injection.”
These side effects may include itching, swelling, bruising and redness at the injection sight like any other booster shot.
Liz Blair, freshman in communication disorders, said she is currently receiving the Gardasil vaccinations.
“I’ve had two of the three (shots) in the series and have experienced no side effects,” Blair said. “My arms (were) a tad sore the next day.”
Although Gardasil is said to be an effective preventative of HPV, Burdette said it’s important for women to realize there are many other types that can be contracted.
“You should not think that you are now (fully) protected because you got the shot,” Burdette said. “Cervical cancer is really hard to diagnose because it’s asymptomatic.”
The best way to diagnose HPV is with a Pap smear, which can also serve as a preventative method against the disease, although the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recently changed the age recommendation for women to begin annual Pap smears from 18 to 21.
Blair said she is concerned about her health and visits the doctor regularly.
“I get annual check-ups mainly because I want to make sure I’m healthy and don’t have any underlying health conditions,” Blair said.
The main concern for Blair is making sure she doesn’t develop hyper thyroid disease.
“My mom has had hyper thyroid disease and because of this I am tested annually to make sure I don’t develop it,” Blair said.
Along with hyper thyroid disease, breast cancer is another health risk for women that is often genetic.
Burdette said breast cancer is another disease that can easily be prevented.
“One way to detect it early is to start doing a self-breast exam,” Burdette said. “You’ll know your breast so well that you can easily detect an abnormality.”
Allie Self, senior in biomedical sciences, said her gynecologist reminds her at each and every visit to perform self-examinations.
“I know the importance of breast exams,” Self said. “But I don’t do them because I always forget.”
The best time for a self-exam is usually the week after your period, Burdette said.
Symptoms of breast cancer include lumps, knots or thickening in the breast tissue.
Your article is blindingly misinformed and dangerously ignorant. Shame on you and your editor! I'll leave it to others to point out your blatant errors in other areas, but breast cancer PREVENTABLE??? Do tell! As a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed at 39 years old with a very aggressive type of breast cancer, I'd love to be able to tell my 3 young children that it's preventable! Yes, I'm angry, and you owe your readers a sincere apology and a factually correct version of this "article." Again, shame on you!!
"Sex with 6 million people"????
REALLY?
Are you telling me the folks at the Department of Health in Montgomery were not chomping at the bit to get in this story?? their outreach program is huge and funded by that big ol stimulus package. But then again if you're a lazy college student who doesn't care about your journalistic service to your audience and just wants a resume builder, I guess this newspaper falls under that.
Sad, Editor should have pride in what they are doing here.
by the way tho folks my colleague here at the school of engineering tried to post something on an engineering school article they misquoted and made up numbers for (textile article) and they deleted his comments when he tried to correct them.
Censorship is the first step towards Facism
Regarding cervical cancer "Burdette said this disease is 100 percent preventable if the right measures are taken." NO disease is 100% preventable. According to the Mayo Clinic "What causes squamous cells or glandular cells to become abnormal and develop into cancer isn't clear. . . However, HPV is a very common virus and most women with HPV never develop cervical cancer. This means other risk factors, such as your genetic makeup, your environment or your lifestyle choices, also determine whether you'll develop cervical cancer." (MayoClinic.com) Note the last sentence, please.
'“It’s just a shot,” Burdette said. “There are very rare side effects at the sight of injection.”' The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required the addition of this warning to the official prescribing information: "Because vaccinees may develop syncope, sometimes resulting in falling with injury, observation for 15 minutes after administration is recommended. Syncope, sometimes associated with tonic-clonic
movements and other seizure-like activity, has been reported following vaccination with GARDASIL." "Just a shot," Ms. Burdette?
Ms. Burdette's information about the causes and prevention of breast cancer is also incorrect. Less than 20% of all breast cancers are genetic, or caused by an inherited gene mutation. More than 80% of breast cancers are diagnosed in women with no family history of the disease. I don't know anyone who defines "often" as less than 20% of the time.
Ms. Burdette states that breast cancer is "easily prevented." If this is so, then none or very few of the young women she comes in contact with and educates in breast cancer prevention will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetimes. Do you have statistics to prove this claim, Ms. Burdette? Considering that the rate of breast cancer diagnosis had not diminished to next to nothing over the last few year disproves this claim. Or are you the one person on the planet who knows how to prevent all breast cancers, Ms. Burdette?
As a breast cancer survivor I am appalled at the statements made in this article. I also noticed that Ms. Burdette's title is given, but no clinical credentials. Obviously she is not qualified to be speaking on this topic.
NativeMainer, RN, MSN, Full Time Taculty
When are they announcing the Nobel prize for Ms. Burdette? I mean, really, for decades the medical community struggles to find a cure for cancer, and this woman comes and cuts to the chase to the point that there is no need for cure, because she has the secret on how to PREVENT it?
No, really, people, you couldn't find anyone better for an article of such a tremendous importance for the life and well-being of young women? You had to pick someone who doesn't even know the difference between "prevention" and "detection"? How did this person manage to become a "clinical manager"? I'm not sure of for how long from now, though, because after such a humongous blooper, it's hard to see a bright career future for her.
I am going right now to put in the entry for Darwin awards for Ms. Burdette.
Breast cancer - preventable? If only this were true. Cervical cancer - 100% preventable if you don't have sex with "six million people"? This woman is a credible source???
Telling young women that it is their fault if they contract these diseases because they are "not in tune with their own bodies" is irresponsible and heartless.
Who is this woman to tell the thousands of families who have had wives/mothers/sisters/ daughters who died from these diseases that it was their loved one's fault that they died?
Where is the editor of this "newspaper"? Did anyone actually read this article before it was published? A retraction and apology to every woman who has been touched by these diseases is in order.
The irresponsible reporting and newsgathering is to blame.
I am just sorry it was on such a sensitive and important topic. It's really unfortunate when people do not do the jobs they are meant to do.
Thanks for being strong
Was Mary Kay Burdette, clinical manager for Lee Obstetrics & Gynecology, honestly the BEST interview for this piece?
from this gem, "You’ll know your breast so well that you can easily detect an abnormality.”
I think not.....
I am a 40-something woman living with Stage IV breast cancer. I have lost so many friends to this disease. A disease that affects many women in their 20's and up.
That this misinformation comes from a clinical manager at an obg/gyn clinic is both appalling and fightening. I would have expected better than this.