While it's easy to assume that the physical health of both men and women is similar, this isn't actually true. There are specific health concerns that only women go through depending on their age, so it's crucial to know what they are and their treatments.
Women's health is a global issue. Women tend to be exposed to illnesses more often than men, not to mention that most drug trials in medicine involve men and not women. In the following, we'll be discussing everything you need to know about the common health concerns in women.
4 Most Common Health Concerns for Women
1. Infertility
In the United States, approximately 10% of women aged 15 to 44 have difficulty getting pregnant even after a year of trying. In the same source, one of the most common causes of infertility is found to have been Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), which is a problem with hormonal imbalance that disrupts ovulation.
PCOS affects as many as 5 million women of reproductive age in the United States. Other than PCOS, several factors can also cause infertility, such as age, destructive lifestyle habits, weight, and sexual history.
2. Menstrual Problems
More than half of the women who are menstruating claim to experience unbearable dysmenorrhea or period cramps. Endometriosis also affects 1 in 10 women between ages 15 to 49, wherein 30 to 50% of people diagnosed may experience infertility.
Menorrhagia, typically described as heavy bleeding, is another menstrual issue experienced by more than 10 million American women. Painful and irregular periods are also a problem among 14% of women during childbearing years. Another study shows that 32 to 40% of women find this pain so unbearable that they have to miss school or work.
Amenorrhea, or missing period for at least three consecutive months or not having your period by 15 years old, happens to approximately 3 to 4% of women. These are only some of the many issues that women go through for several stages in their lives.
3. Breast Cancer
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims that breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women in the U.S., aside from skin cancer. There are 255,000 cases of breast cancer yearly, with 42,000 deaths. Breast cancer isn't something you can control not having, especially when the risk factors are also something out of your control, such as getting older and family history.
However, you can still reduce your chances of being diagnosed with breast cancer through a healthy lifestyle and diet changes. Studies show that women have a higher tendency to acquire breast cancer when they're overweight or drink excessive amounts of alcohol often.
4. Ovarian and Cervical Cancer
People are often confused about the significant differences between both ovarian and cervical cancer. While both are painful, cervical cancer specifically causes discharge and pain during sexual intercourse. Cervical cancer is most often diagnosed in women ages 35 to 44, with an average age of 50. When detected early, cervical cancer has a survival rate of up to 92%.
Similar to cervical cancer, ovarian cancer is also commonly diagnosed in older women aged 63 years and up. There's a risk of 1 in 78 of women being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, with a 1 in 108 chance of dying from the disease.
Healthy Tips to Reduce the Chances of Health Concerns
1. Remain Physically Active
The common denominator in reducing and preventing any disease, whether it's something as extreme as cancer or something as mundane as period cramps, is to keep moving your body. If you haven't gotten into the habit of doing physical activity between your daily activities, it's never too late to start.
Women of all ages can benefit from being physically active not just to prevent several bad diagnoses but also to feel healthier and stronger.
2. Maintain a Balanced Diet
Maintaining a balanced diet means getting an adequate amount of carbs, protein, healthy fats, fiber, fruits, and vegetables in your body. You have better chances of surviving and fighting off diseases when you're feeding your body with the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. This is crucial as women are more likely to have nutrition-related problems like iron-deficiency anemia than men.
3. Get Regular Physical Exams
You can better assess your physical health when you visit the doctor regularly and get annual physical exams to ensure that your physical health looks good. Annual consultations are also how you can assure yourself that you're not diagnosed with anything serious like cancer.
Takeaway
In conclusion, women's health is worth paying more attention to, especially as it is very different from what men experience. While there are factors beyond your control in achieving holistic health as a woman, doing things like breast exams, incorporating a balanced diet, exercising, and staying away from vices can help you far more than you think.