9 Embarrassing Health Issues You Should Never Ignore

Some health complications are outright mortifying. Sometimes you feel humiliated sharing some of your embarrassing weaknesses. Whether minor or dire, you should not ignore them. Staying healthy is your job, not someone else’s. No matter how disturbing or embarrassing your situation is, taking yourself to the doctor for checkups should be your goal.

Painful Sex

Sometimes sex can be painful. You might also find it embarrassing to share your painful sex life with your partner or friends. Sex should be fun and wild, but yours is a painful ordeal. Painful sex could be caused by endometriosis. That is a disorder in which the tissue that lines the uterus, also known as endometrium, grows on the pelvis, fallopian tube, and ovaries. These misplaced tissues break during your menses, causing local inflammation. They can also scar the pelvis, making sex painful. Untreated endometriosis may cause infertility. Sometimes tumors that could develop into some types of ovarian cancer emerge. Visit an obstetrician or gynecologist. Take medications prescribed. Also, opt for tampons rather than skin pads. Tampons can help remove tissue debris lodging in the pelvic region.

Erectile Dysfunction

Every guy experiences erectile dysfunction at one time in their lives. So a one-time occurrence should not freak you out. However, when it gets exceedingly common, it indicates an underlying medical condition. While you may not be feeling all philanthropic about sharing your manhood failures, there is no need of hiding it to a doctor. Some of the primary causes of erectile dysfunction are heart diseases, diabetes, and prostate problems. These issues interfere with your ability to secrete sex hormones such as testosterone. Also, they may constrict blood vessels, thereby reducing blood circulation to the sex organs. If blood is not flowing into the soft tissues of your penis, then you cannot get aroused. There are some measures you can undertake to improve your condition. Start by cutting your alcohol consumption. Also, cut back on caffeine. Always remember that your sex life and health go hand in hand.

Bathroom Problems

We start off with reduced bowel movement. A reduced bowel movement usually reflects in people with chronic constipation. Constipation indicates that something is wrong with your colon. It is easy to dismiss reduced bowel movement by blaming some foods or eating too much. Know that colorectal cancer is a leading cause of death in men. While the thought of having a colonoscopy is scary and embarrassing, it could save your life.

Another bathroom problem is the frequent trips to the washroom. Research indicates that frequent visits to the washroom could mean diabetes. Fewer trips can result from an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer. While these problems usually affect men over 50 years, they can affect young people too. Enlarged prostate increases bladder pressure and constricts your urethra. That makes you rush to the bathroom every now and then. At home, a change of diet can do wonders. Eat foods high on antioxidants, magnesium, and calcium. You can also see a doctor to have your prostate checked.

Nipple Changes

Nipples are very crucial to a woman’s sex life. You may find it difficult sharing your nipple changes. Inverted nipples, a leaky breast or skin changes in the nipple area should ring some an alarm bell. If you are not breastfeeding, a leaking breast needs a doctor’s intervention. The changes could be a result of hormonal changes. When your body produces excess prolactin, you could start producing breast-milk. Prolactin is a pituitary hormone that plays a vital role in lactation. A benign growth in the brain that affects the pituitary gland could lead to prolactin overproduction. Other causes include kidney and thyroid complications, stress and medications. If left untreated, you risk affecting your periods. It could also contribute to infertility, osteoporosis, and pressure effects. Visit a health professional. A physician examines you and might arrange for blood tests. Depending on what they find, you may need to take a mammogram, biopsy or ultrasound to check for breast cancer.

Abnormal Vaginal Smells

It is funny, but nothing is more embarrassing than giving off a “fishy” stench. A stinking vagina is awkward. Bacterial vaginosis is a common form of discharge among women in the childbearing age. That happens when the vaginal environment is upset leading to an abnormal growth of local flora. Sometimes you may feel itchy. Do not mistake a foul smelling and itchy vagina for a yeast infection. Candida infections cause an itchy but odorless discharge. Fungal infections can be treated with over the counter medications such as Canesten cream. But a stinky vagina needs a doctor’s investigation. While things like menstruation, semen, and douches trigger the fishy smell, it is critical to have other causes ruled out. Depending on the symptoms and sex history, the doctor might take samples after examining you. He or she may prescribe a vaginal gel or antibiotics. At normal times, bacterial vaginosis causes no further problem. However, if you are pregnant, it may increase your chances of premature delivery. Bacterial vaginosis predisposes you to sexually transmitted infections and pelvic inflammation.

Incontinence

Incontinence affects 1 in 3 women. Still, it is something women do not talk about because of the stigma associated with it. Urine incontinence is also common. Some women leak urine when they exercise, lift heavy things, laugh, cough, or sneeze. That is stress urinary incontinence. Usually, abdominal pressure causes stress urinary incontinence. Urge incontinence results from overactive bladder. Other causes of incontinence include medications that weaken the pelvic muscles and some urine infections. While it is very embarrassing to tell a doctor that you leak urine, it is important that you seek treatment. Visiting a physician also eliminates structural abnormalities. Have a doctor check you up, for your own good.

Low Libido

As humiliating and loathing a low sex drive is, sorting it out is apparently very crucial. Reduced libido could be due to physical, psychological, or social factors. In women, a low sex drive could be hormonal. Even so, things like depression and sex can mess up your sex drive. In men, a reduced libido could also be hormonal; where the level of testosterone is small. Mental problems like depression and anxiety also affect your sex drive and hence performance. Mental conditions change the brain chemistry in both genders. Your brain triggers smaller than regular doses of testosterone and serotonin. You would be feeling aggravated and rather not have sex. You always find reasons to avoid sex. That affects your mood and your body health. They say sex is a medicine. Like all medications, a romp in the hay could be your gateway to a healthier life. So talking it out with your gynecologist or therapist could be your breakthrough. If you have an underlying problem, do not contain emotions. It is not healthy. Reduced sex drive also affects your sleep and can lead to depression. Seek professional help for your sake.

Bloating

I do not know about you, but what is more embarrassing than breaking wind in public? Bloating is usually caused by foods and drinks that cause excess gas. Other problems associated with bloating include abdominal pain, and urine and bowel frequency. While taking a trip to your general physician may not feel like a good idea, you should do so nevertheless. The doctor might check for Coeliac disease, which is gluten intolerance that affects one in every 100 people. Other times he might test for fibroids, a condition that affects 40% of women. Fibroids are not harmful but may require surgery.

Excessive Sweating

Especially in men, usually an ignored issue, excessive sweating could be an underlying medical condition. As such, you might need to see a doctor. Deodorants should lock odor in and in some case prevent sweating. Research shows that some people can sweat as much as 1 liter in a day. Others produce ten times that amount. Overactive sweat glands result from a condition called hyperhidrosis. The cause can be infections, hormonal problems or idiopathic. That means finding treatment is crucial. Sometimes, a dermatologist is necessary. Other treatments include iontophoresis (using water currents to halt sweating) or oral medications. Some topical preparations (prescriptions) can do wonders, in case antiperspirants refuse to work.

Conclusion

Do you have any of these health issues? You should not feel embarrassed to seek help with a doctor or talk to your close ones about your problems. You may find that you are actually not alone. 

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References: 

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