Patient Education

Cara Hartoon would like to be your partner in health care. Feel free to ask your questions and share your concerns with us. We will work with you to develop a wellness program for the care and treatment you need.

We welcome you to our practice and look forward to caring for you.

Cara Hartoon provides a full range of medical services including the following:

Dyspareunia

Dyspareunia, also known as sexual pain, is the medical term for painful sexual intercourse in women. This is a common condition that affects many women at some point in their lives. Painful intercourse may be short-lived or may continue for a long period of time. It may occur just before, during or after intercourse, and the specific location and severity of the pain may vary. Women with dyspareunia may experience pain during penetration, pain with intimate touching or pain upon orgasm. ...

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) refers to the consistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection. For an erection to occur, a specific sequence of event needs to take place, allowing blood to enter the penis while restricting the outflow of blood. The pressure created by this "trapped" blood is what maintains an erection. If there is a consistent breakdown in any steps in the sequence, erectile dysfunction is the result. Erectile dysfunction may occur at any age, however, the occurrence of ED is increasingly common as a man ages. However, it should not be considered a natural part of aging. ...

Female Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine, is more common in women, especially during and after pregnancy, although it can affect people of all ages. While not usually a serious medical condition, incontinence can be embarrassing and can adversely affect quality of life. A symptom, rather than a condition, female urinary incontinence can range from mild stress incontinence to complete loss of bladder control. ...

Female Sexual Dysfunction

Many women experience problems with sexual function throughout their lives. However, when sexual problems continue to occur over a long period of time, a woman may be suffering from sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction is defined as any problems that prevent an individual from enjoying or receiving satisfaction from sexual activity. ...

Incontinence

Incontinence is a common condition that involves the involuntary loss of urine. Although it is not usually a serious condition, incontinence can be embarrassing and affect a person's daily life. Incontinence is most common in women, especially during and after pregnancy, but can affect people of all ages. ...

Painful Intercourse

Dyspareunia is the medical term for painful sexual intercourse in women. Painful intercourse may be short-lived or may continue for a long period of time. It may occur just before, during or after intercourse, and the specific location and severity of the pain may vary. Women with dyspareunia may experience pain during penetration, pain with intimate touching or pain when experiencing orgasm. ...

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction refers to an abnormal response of the pelvic floor muscles during defecation. This condition can cause pelvic pain and other problems as well as difficulty with defecation. Pelvic floor dysfunction, though sometimes of unknown origin, may be caused by traumatic injury to the pelvic area or may result from complications after surgery or vaginal childbirth. ...

Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction

For women, the pelvic floor muscles provide support to the organs of the pelvis including the uterus, bladder and rectum. In patients with pelvic floor muscle dysfunction, there is a weakness in the pelvic floor muscles and the body cannot properly control them, resulting in constipation and difficulty having complete bowel movements. ...

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse (vaginal prolapse) is a common condition in women, occurring when a pelvic organ shifts from its normal position to push against the vaginal walls. This movement causes pressure, stretching and pain. Most frequently, pelvic organ prolapse occurs after childbirth, menopause, or a hysterectomy when the muscles and ligaments supporting a woman's pelvic organs become more lax. ...

Pelvic Pain Syndrome

Pelvic pain syndrome is a chronic condition that involves persistent pain in the lower-abdominal and pelvic regions. Pelvic pain syndrome may be diagnosed when pelvic pain is chronic, and has been present for more than 6 months. It can affect women both physically and emotionally, leading to sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression and sexual dysfunction. Pelvic pain can be a symptom of an underlying condition, or its cause may remain unknown. Living with pelvic pain syndrome is often difficult, and many women spend years trying to determine its cause. ...

Pelvic Prolapse

Pelvic organ prolapse occurs when one or more pelvic organs prolapses, or drops from its normal location, and pushes against the walls of the vagina. This happens when the muscles in the area are weakened from either childbirth or surgery.

Symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse include: ...

Pelvic Ultrasound

An ultrasound, also known as a sonogram, is a painless imaging technique that produces images of internal organs through the use of high-frequency sound waves. It is a noninvasive, simple procedure that produces images of soft tissues, which often don't show up well on X-rays. A pelvic ultrasound is commonly used to view the abdominal organs, male and female reproductive organs, and to obtain images of a fetus in the womb. There is no ionizing radiation used during an ultrasound and there are no serious side effects associated with this procedure. ...

Pelvic Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are swollen blood vessels which do not function efficiently. While they most frequently appear on the legs, they may also develop in the pelvic region, in the lower abdomen or around the genitals, thighs or buttocks. Patients with pelvic varicose veins, or pelvic congestion syndrome, may be asymptomatic. They may also experience troubling symptoms, primarily pain in the region. Women suffer more frequently with pelvic varicose veins, but men are also susceptible to the problem. Pelvic varicose veins may be invisible, particularly when the patient is lying down. ...

Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder

Persistent genital arousal disorder, otherwise known as PGAD, is a condition in women that causes an uncomfortable sensation of arousal without intentional stimulation. The feeling does not always subside after orgasm and one orgasm may trigger the need for more.The symptoms may strike at any time of day and are not indicative of actual sexual desire. The arousal PGAD causes is typically most intense when there is some form of pressure in the genital area, which may result from wearing tight clothing, activities such as bike riding or sitting for a period of time. Patients with PGAD do not experience pleasure from this arousal. Instead, it may be associated with pain or an urge to urinate. ...

Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an important time in a woman's life. Having the proper medical care and knowledge is an essential part to having a successful term and delivery of your baby. We provide full pregnancy care, from conception through delivery, and even longer. Our experienced team can help you every step of the way on this incredible journey. ...

Prenatal Care

Prenatal care is essential to ensure the healthy growth and development of a baby. Regular visits to a health care provider will allow for the baby's progress to be monitored. Prenatal care will identify any potential problems before they become serious. Women who receive prenatal care have healthier babies, are less likely to deliver prematurely or have pregnancy-related problems. ...

Prostatitis

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland commonly resulting in pain and swelling. The prostate is a reproductive gland located just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The condition of prostatitis can also cause other uncomfortable urinary symptoms which can be chronic or acute, and flare-up irregularly. ...

Sacrospinous Suspension

Sacrospinous suspension is a minimally invasive procedure to treat vaginal prolapse, a common female disorder. The reparative technique is estimated to be needed by at least 10 percent of all women. During this surgical treatment, the top of the vagina is surgically lifted and fixed in place, using the sacrospinous ligament, a thin ligament attached to the spine, for vaginal support. ...

Surgical Mesh

Surgical mesh is a synthetic, permanent material made from polypropylene. It is stronger than the body's natural tissue and is frequently used to repair weakened tissue. The insertion of surgical mesh is a minimally invasive treatment for pelvic prolapse that effectively relieves pain and pressure in the pelvic area by placing a piece of soft synthetic mesh in the affected area to restore organ support. As a result of this procedure, patients can engage in their everyday activities without the discomfort and inconvenience of prolapse symptoms. Surgical mesh has been used in the past to strengthen abdominal hernia repairs. More recently, doctors are using mesh products to repair pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and as a surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence. ...

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence (UI) is the loss of bladder control. It is a common condition that involves the involuntary loss of urine. It may range in severity from occasionally leaking urine to a sudden urge to urinate that comes on very strongly. Although it is not usually a serious condition, UI can be embarrassing and affect a person's daily life. Urinary incontinence is most common in women, especially during and after pregnancy. It can, however, affect people of all ages. Being overweight or elderly may also increase the risk of urinary incontinence. ...

Uterine Prolapse

Uterine prolapse involves the dropping of the uterus into the vaginal canal as a result of weakened pelvic floor muscles. This condition can occur as a result of aging and multiple pregnancies and is most common in post-menopausal women. Obesity or excessive weight gain may also contribute to uterine prolapse. ...

Vulvodynia

Vulvodynia is classified as chronic pain or discomfort, which includes burning, stinging, irritation or rawness of the female genitalia, specifically of the vulva. The word "vulvodynia" actually means "painful vulva." This condition can severely impact the quality of life for affected women and may prohibit participation in sexual activity, physical exercise and even social activities. The condition is believed to be underreported because of its lack of visible symptoms and often a woman's reluctance to talk about her symptoms. As many as one in six women may be affected by vulvodynia at some point in their life. ...

Vaginal Prolapse

Vaginal prolapse, in which the muscles and ligaments that support the vagina weaken, is a common condition. When the vagina can no longer be supported, it shifts downward from its normal position, typically causing pressure, stretching and pain. In severe cases, tissue may actually protrude from the vagina. ...