Dr. Ruth Jeong Lee, DO

Asthma is a chronic lung disease where the tissue and airways of the lungs become extremely sensitive to certain substances. When these substances are breathed in, the lungs become inflamed. The muscles around the airways tighten and squeeze the lungs, and passages within the lungs swell and tighten. The airways themselves produce mucus, which further clogs the tightened, swollen airways. A person having an asthma attack finds it very difficult to breathe, and a severe attack can even be fatal.

Asthma affects people of all ages, but people with asthma are most often diagnosed as children. Symptoms can include wheezing, a tight feeling in the chest, shortness of breath, and coughing. Some people have mild symptoms all the time, and some people have no symptoms at all, but everyone with asthma is susceptible to occasional severe attacks or flare-ups of symptoms when they are exposed to triggers. Triggers vary widely but can include:

• Allergens (dust mites, pet fur, mold, pollen, grass)
• Irritants (smoke, pollution, dust, chemicals)
• Viral infections
• Physical activity, especially outdoors
• Certain medications or chemicals in foods (aspirin, sulfites)

Endometrial ablation is a procedure that destroys and removes a thin layer of the uterine lining. It is usually performed to treat heavy menstrual bleeding, especially if bleeding cannot be controlled by medications. After an endometrial ablation, periods often stop completely. If they do not, they are much lighter and easier to manage.

A hysteroscopy is a diagnostic procedure performed to examine the inside of the uterus. A thin tube with a camera and light at the end, called a hysteroscope, is inserted through the vagina. It allows the physician to view the cervix and uterine walls. Sometimes, gas or liquid is used to expand the uterus and allow a better view. If necessary, tiny instruments can also be passed through the tube and used for certain procedures, such as taking a biopsy or removing a polyp.

Hysteroscopy is often done to figure out the cause of abnormal menstrual bleeding. However, it can also be used to:

• Identify the cause of recurrent miscarriage
• Remove polyps or fibroids, non-cancerous growths in the uterus
• Remove adhesions, scar tissue within the uterus
• Identify uterine septums, a wall of tissue dividing the uterus
• Perform ablation, the removal of excess uterine lining