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Story by Michael Martoccia

Signs Of Stress
With a recent return to the workforce and renewal of careers by hundreds of area women, doctors are seeing an increase in illnesses created by workplace stress.

“We’re seeing the chronic symptoms of major depression and anxiety disorders. A lot more women are dealing with irritability, emptiness, and hopelessness,” said Dr. Tammy Chen, a psychiatrist with Piedmont Behavioral Medicine Associates and on staff at Piedmont Medical Center.

One statistic that might surprise you: Anxiety disorders are 2 to 3 times more prevalent in women.

The recent downturn in the economy, cramped household budgets, and in turn swapping coveted at-home tasks for a spot back in the workforce has only intensified the risks for area women of all ages.

Although public awareness and acceptance of mental health disorders is increasing, many people are reluctant to talk about symptoms they’re experiencing. For many, there is still a sense of shame that accompanies a diagnosis of a mental health problem. Not surprisingly, most women don’t even recognize there may be a disorder.

Across the country, 14.8 million Americans suffer from depression. In fact, it’s the leading cause of disability in Americans ages 18 to 44.

What should you look for? Most symptoms last for two weeks or more and Dr. Chen says most disorders are accompanied by four or more of the most common symptoms. These include, but are not limited to, being constantly fatigued, wrestling with mood swings and feelings of emptiness, hopelessness, and guilt.

“Because more women are trying to equal the men in the workplace and then run the house, they are pushing themselves too hard. That just exasperates the situation and can lead to a mental disorder,” said Dr. Chen.

“We need to catch it (mental disorder) early. Some bring their spouse in and we give them the space to talk about it….the spouse should support the cause. A lot of women are trying to avoid being too emotional, but it’s good to let their emotions out.”

Eating disorders are also common, and can include anorexia and bulemia. Dr. Chen calls this “the silent killer”. She adds that it’s difficult to get women to recognize they may be suffering from this disorder. “There’s a lot of shame with this illness,” she added.

Regardless of the image, experts strongly recommend prompt attention to the issue

Gynecology Trends
From pelvic exams to safe sex practices to ample doses of vitamins, women of all ages and demographic backgrounds are being asked to place more emphasis on personal health.

Their livelihood depends on it.

According to Dr. Ansley Hilton, an obstetrician gynecologist with Fort Mill Gynecology and Obstetrics, here are some priorities for area women.

First and probably the easiest, for women age 30 and over, ensure you don’t deprive your body of important vitamins. You’re strongly encouraged to take Vitamin D supplements and get a minimum of 30 minutes of sunshine daily.

“Most women do a great job with sun screen to prevent skin cancer, but are depriving themselves of Vitamin D,” said Dr. Hilton. “Vitamin D is very important for bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis.”

Secondly, get regular pelvic exams. It’s during these pelvic exams that physicians can screen for infections. Dr. Hilton noted that these exams are highly encouraged for young women and teens.

Local medical experts also recommend that mothers take a more active role involving the health of their daughters, and should be responsible for bringing them in for regular exams and visits.

“Discussions concerning safe sex practices are part of a routine office visit for teens who are sexually active. There’s no set age for those teens to start coming in,” explained Dr. Hilton. “We encourage mothers to bring them in….it’s a very comfortable atmosphere.”

Another focus for mothers and their daughters has been guarding against cervical cancer, and that won’t change in 2010.

“A lot of women have been exposed to HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) in their teens and early 20s,” said Dr. Hilton. She recommends the vaccine Gardasil, and says that it’s primarily for those ages 9-26, and involves three injections over six months.

“They may not show signs of being exposed to HPV, but the vaccine is a huge deterrent against cervical cancer,” added Dr. Hilton.

Breast Cancer
Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. In fact, the American Cancer Society reports the breast cancer death rate is declining, in part because of earlier detection and improved treatments.

Yet, it should be on every woman’s list of things to conquer.

Simply, a woman’s best tool in fighting the disease is knowledge of her body, her family history and other risk factors.

“It’s important for everyone to have a primary care physician, even if it’s just once a year for a screening,” said Dr. Rhea Hsu, an internal medicine physician with Carolina Medical Consultants in Rock Hill.

Despite recent recommended changes on breast cancer screening, Dr. Hsu feels that monthly self-breast exams and annual physician breast screenings are important parts of preventative medicine.

According to The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2009, there were 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 40,170 deaths from breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is a little less 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35. Breast cancer death rates have been going down. This is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and better treatment

Currently, there are more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.

Among the screenings that Dr. Hsu and her team conduct are annual mammograms and pap smears. Her team can also do screenings for osteoporosis, as well as skin diseases and stress management.

“Women are primary caregivers for the household and kids, which makes it much more stressful,” said Dr. Hsu.

One of the trends she’s seen in women keeping pace with their recommended screenings has been the changes in health care coverage and the affect on their regular visits.

“The impact of the economy has caused some losses in insurance coverage and medical coverage….I’ve been giving out more samples of generic prescriptions lately and been seeing more mail orders for prescriptions. Unfortunately, the trend for some women has meant sacrificing in areas they didn’t sacrifice before,” added Dr. Hsu.