Article: Your body’s level of estrogen drops significantly during and after menopause, stopping your periods and causing vaginal atrophy – drying and thinning of the walls of your vagina. Thus, the most common way to improve vaginal dryness is by replacing lost estrogen. Using estrogen may not be safe for some women, however. Discuss your issue with your doctor or OB/GYN so they can ask you your health history and do an exam.  You can also have low estrogen if you’ve had your ovaries removed or had chemotherapy cancer treatment. You shouldn’t use estrogen if you have or ever had breast cancer or endometrial cancer. Don’t use estrogen if you have undiagnosed vaginal bleeding. Replace estrogen locally by using an estrogen cream like Estrace or Premarin. Insert the cream into your vagina with an applicator. Use it every day for 1-2 weeks, then 1-3 times per week – or however your doctor suggests you use it.  Estrogen also comes in tablet form, like Vagifem. Insert the tablet into your vagina with an applicator daily for 2 weeks, then twice a week thereafter for as long as you need it. Vaginal estrogen is considered safe for long-term use. If you don’t want to use the cream, there are other options. Try an estrogen ring like Estring – a flexible ring that you insert into your vagina that releases estrogen to the local tissues. If inserting it is challenging, ask your doctor to do it for you. The ring only needs to be changed every 3 months.  You can leave the ring in place during sex. Only about 10% of the estradiol is absorbed systemically, so the side effects are minimal. Prasterone, or dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), is a non-estrogen vaginal suppository. Insert the capsule into your vagina daily. This can be a good option if you want to use local vaginal therapy but want to avoid estrogen. The medication ospemifene (Osphena) isn’t estrogen, but it’s similar to it and it acts similarly in your vagina. This pill can help improve vaginal dryness.  You may have hot flashes as a side effect. This medication can increase your risk for blood clots or cancer of the uterus, and you shouldn’t use it if you have or have ever had breast cancer. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medication. HRT involves taking estrogen supplements by mouth so that the level of estrogen in your whole body increases, not just in and around your vagina. This can be helpful if you have severe symptoms of menopause like hot flashes. However, it’s more likely to cause side effects and can increase your risk for some cancers.  HRT is available as a prescription in pill form, as well as a patch, an under-the-skin implant, or a gel you put on your skin. Weigh the risks and benefits of HRT with your doctor.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Discuss risk factors with your doctor. Use an estrogen cream. Try the estrogen ring. Try Prasterone. Ask about a prescription for ospemifene. Consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Article: The most common symptoms of OM and OME include ear pain or ear tugging (if the child can't yet verbalize pain), fussiness, fever, and even vomiting. In addition, a child may eat or have trouble sleeping normally because lying down, chewing, and sucking can alter the pressure in the ear and cause pain.  Given that the age group most commonly affected from ear infections and fluid ranges from three months to two years old, parents or primary caregivers will be required to give as much information and history as possible to the doctor on their children's behalf. Thus, it's important to keep track and careful record of any noted symptoms. Be aware that OME often has no symptoms. Some people may experience a feeling of fullness in their ear or a "popping" sensation. " Ear infections are considered secondary infections that follow the "common cold," or the primary infection. You should expect to see a few days of nasal discharge or congestion, cough, sore throat, and a low fever, all typical symptoms that accompany colds. Most colds are due to viral infections and, given that there is no treatment for viral infections, there is usually no reason to seek medical attention. Only seek medical attention if the fever cannot be controlled through appropriate doses of Tylenol or Motrin (and reaches temperatures higher than 102°F or 38.9°C). Keep track of all symptoms of the cold, as your doctor will want to know about the primary infection. The cold should last for a week. If you don't see improvement after a week, visit your doctor. OM and OME can block sounds, which can lead to hearing issues. Signs that proper hearing may be impacted include:  Failure to respond to soft sounds or other noises The need to turn up the TV or radio to a louder volume Talking in an unusually loud voice General inattentiveness Most ear infections don't cause long-term complications and often go away on their own within 2-3 days. However, frequent infections or fluid build-up post-infection can result in some serious complications, including:   Impaired hearing — Although slight difficulties in hearing are common with ear infections, more severe hearing loss can be a result of ear persistent infections or fluid, which can in some cases cause damage to the eardrum and middle ear.   Speech or developmental delays — In young children, hearing loss could result in developmental delays in speech, particularly if they are not yet verbal.  Spread of infection — Infections that remain untreated or that do not respond to treatment can spread to other tissues and should be addressed immediately. Mastoiditis is one possible infection that can result in the bony protrusion behind the ear. Not only can this bone become damaged but pus-filled cysts can also develop. In a few rare cases, severe middle ear infections can spread into the skull and affect the brain.   Tearing of the eardrum — Infections can sometimes result in a tearing or rupturing of the eardrum. Most tears usually heal within three or so days, but in a few exceptional incidences, surgery may be required.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Take note of visible symptoms related to the ear. Keep track of symptoms related to the "common cold. Look for signs of hearing problems. Understand the potential complications.