According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 84.3% of U.S. adults had contact with a healthcare professional in 2018.
Our personal health is a topic that many of us need to examine from time to time. Sometimes, we feel embarrassed by our bodies or health conditions and so avoid getting help or talking about it.
However, avoiding uncomfortable conversations about your health can have serious consequences. Read on to find out which health topics you should be talking about and getting help for.
1. Mental Health Topics
Talking to your friends and family about your mental health is a great way to deal with what you’re going through. Whether you’re suffering from anxiety, depression, OCD, a personality disorder, or bipolar, it can be terrifying. Often, those who experience mental health conditions feel alone, so speaking to loved ones can help you see that you aren’t the only one.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to talk to your loved ones about it, you can talk to trained professionals or mental health helplines about how you’re feeling.
The more we talk about mental health, the better it is for us and those around us. So make sure you join the conversation.
Don’t be ashamed or afraid of your mental health. If you find yourself unable to do your usual activities, or you experience suicidal thoughts, make sure you get medical help.
2. Excessive Sweating
If you experience excessive sweating, then you need to go to your doctor. Excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, can occur when you’re resting or when the temperature is cold.
Overactive sweat glands are often to blame for excessive sweating. There could be a variety of underlying medical conditions that are causing you to sweat more, including:
- Anxiety
- Menopause
- Heart disease
- Cancer
Your doctor will examine your symptoms and decide the best course of treatment. To prevent excessive sweating, you might be given medication that can help stop the sweat gland from being stimulated.
3. Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is something that affects more women than men. As women get older, they may find that they lose control over their bladders. But this is nothing to be ashamed of.
Luckily, there are a variety of ways you can take back control. For example, doing regular pelvic floor exercises can help prevent urinary incontinence. Have a look at these urinary incontinence tips for more ways to prevent incontinence.
Speaking to your friends, family, and doctor about your incontinence is also a great way to find out what else you can do to prevent it. Your doctor might be able to suggest specific exercises or give you medicine. There are also great male urinary incontinence products on the market that can help you to manage urinary incontinence.
4. Hemorrhoids
Most people are embarrassed to talk about or get help for things that involve their private areas. However, we all have a bum and it’s important to look after it.
Hemorrhoids are quite a common condition, especially as we get older. They can be uncomfortable to talk about and uncomfortable (and painful) to deal with.
Common symptoms include itching of the anus, pain during a bowel movement, pain in the anus, or bright red blood in your stool, in the toilet, or on the toilet roll.
The sooner you get hemorrhoids sorted, the better. So don’t be afraid to expose your bum to your doctor. If it helps, tell yourself that your doctor has probably seen hundreds of behinds during their career.
Your doctor will prescribe medication or cream for mild hemorrhoids to help relieve the symptoms. More severe or persistent hemorrhoids may need an outpatient procedure to be performed.
5. Stress
Similar to mental health conditions, many people for uncomfortable talking about stress. However, untreated stress can cause a variety of other problems. For example, chronic stress can lead to:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Sleep problems
- Digestive problems
- Headaches
If you are experiencing stress and are struggling to do your daily activities, then make sure you talk to someone. You might decide to talk to a friend or family member about what is bothering you. And this might be able to relieve your stress.
However, if speaking to someone doesn’t help, make sure you get an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor will be able to determine the cause of stress. Your doctor will also be able to help you come up with ways to manage it.
6. Excessive Hair Growth
There’s plenty of embarrassing women’s health topics, but hairiness is definitely high up on the list. If you experience excessive hair growth on your face or body, you might have a hormonal imbalance. Yes, that means that excessive hair growth isn’t your fault.
The hormonal imbalances that cause excessive hair growth might be due to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Excessive hair growth may cause you to feel discomfort about your appearance and decrease your self-esteem. It can also cause a number of physical symptoms such as irregular periods, weight gain, or acne.
However, you don’t need to be embarrassed by PCOS; you should seek medical help. Your doctor will be able to give you advice and treatment based on your symptoms.
Improve Your Health by Starting the Uncomfortable Conversations Today
Improving your health starts with having the necessary and uncomfortable conversations.
Speaking to family and friends can help you feel less embarrassed and can help spread awareness, while talking to your doctor about your conditions can help you receive the treatment you need. That’s why you should never feel ashamed, scared, or embarrassed by your body or health.
No matter what your health problem is, we’ve got you covered. Have a read of our other health articles to find out what your condition is, how you can treat it, and whether you need to see a doctor.
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