Douching is the practice of flushing out the inside of the vagina with water or a solution that consists of water mixed with vinegar, baking soda, or iodine. Often times the mixture comes in a bottle or bag and is paired with a tube or nozzle that can be used to direct the solution into…
Category: Health
Male Circumcision
Male circumcision refers to the removal of the foreskin which surrounds the glans of the penis. This medical procedure—often considered to be the oldest documented surgical procedure—is mostly performed on infants, but it is not uncommon for adults to undergo circumcision as well.1 While it most likely began as a religious practice, circumcision is the…
Diphallia (Two Penises)
What is Diphallia Diphallia (“Di” meaning two and “phallia” meaning penis) is a medical condition in which a male is born with two penises. This is an extremely rare disorder-only approximately 1000 cases of diphallia have been recorded since 1609. Diphallia occurs in one in 5.5 million males in the United States. It is a rare…
Vaginitis
Vaginitis is the broad term for inflammation or infection of the vagina. There are many types of vaginitis; each of which is characterized by different causes and symptoms.1 Symptoms of vaginitis include vaginal itching and irritation, painful urination, pain during intercourse, light vaginal bleeding or spotting, and vaginal discharge that has a foul smell or…
Annual Gynecological Exams: What to Expect
In order to maintain good reproductive and sexual health, females should visit a gynecologist- a doctor who specializes in females’ reproductive health- for an exam about once per year. Generally, females should begin seeing a gynecologist at the age of 21, but begin earlier if they become sexually active. After their first visit, females ages…
The Pap Smear
A Pap smear, also known as a Papanicolaou test or Pap test, is a procedure that checks for abnormal cells on the cervix.1 It is named after George Papanicolaou, M.D., who is credited for developing the Pap smear.2 The Pap smear drastically transformed how early cervical cancer can be detected in females.2 The cervix is…
Breast Self-Exam
Performing breast self-exams on a regular basis can help detect breast abnormalities at an early stage. Adult females (ages 20 and older) should perform breast self-exams (BSE) at least once per month. Regularly performing breast exams can help you become familiar with the look and feel of your breasts so that you can more easily…
Testicular Cancer
In early 2021 the estimated number of new cases of testicular cancer was 9,740. It is a rare disease, yet the chance of someone losing their life to it is only 1 in 5,000.1 What is it? Testicular cancer begins in the germ cells located in the testicles. Germ cells are responsible for making sperm…