Women are the pillars of strength of any family. In the different roles they play of being a mother, wife, sister or daughter they nurture their family members. As they are busy managing their professional and personal lives they often ignore their own health. It’s time that women prioritise their health too and do not procrastinate doctor visits. As families we must encourage and treat women equally so that their health is not ignored.
Today women are juggling their work, family and social life; with most of them feeling constantly worn out and stressed. While playing multiple roles, they ignore their own health and well being.
Here are some common health mistakes which women make and how they can be corrected:
- Never ignore severe leg pain – Working women and housewives must never ignore severe leg pain since it can be an indication of peripheral artery diseases (PAD), caused due to blockages in the blood vessels.
- Monitor your BP – Signs could be misleading. There is a common misconception that an easy to recognize indication of low and high blood pressure is feeling dizzy or fatigued. The truth is that both hypotension and hypertension are silent diseases and often go undiagnosed.
- Not exercising or walking during pregnancy – It is very important that you do some activity during this time. Exercise during pregnancy does wonders for you. It helps prepare you for childbirth and gets your body back in shape once the baby is born.
- Improper use of contraceptives and hygiene products – Taking good care of your vagina is an important part of staying healthy. When it comes to vaginal care, women can misconstrue serious symptoms such as abnormal bleeding or pain, two things that should never be ignored.
- Use hygiene products carefully – Contraceptives and hygiene products such as diaphragms, cervical caps, tampons, condoms and- spermicides, may cause vaginal irritation and infections, more so, if used improperly. These products should be used according to the ections given with each of them to avoid vaginal irritation and infection.
- Learn to live with menopausal symptoms – One of the biggest mistakes women make during this time is thinking they have to learn to live with menopausal symptoms like hot flushes, sleeping difficulties, vaginal dryness and urinary problems. Seek medical help and counselling of required.
- Pay attention – Don’t ignore even common symptoms such as sweat spells, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, dizziness, neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort, right arm pain, tiredness – these all could indicate an underlying heart disease
- Get your numbers checked – Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease significantly more in women than in men. Get your numbers checked – cholesterol level, blood pressure, sugar level, ejection fraction (echo test); knowing your heart health goes a long way to ward off heart disease.
- Exercise to avoid osteoporosis – Women tend to take exercising lightly which makes them prone to developing osteoporosis. No weight control, especially after pregnancy, leads to joint and back pain. Women must engage in regular exercising and jogging.
- Take vitamin D supplements – Do not ignore the ill-effects of imbalanced Vitamin D in the body. So keep your Vitamin D levels checked at all times.
Being a women does not mean ignoring your health or sacrificing for others. Treat yourself equally important as other family members and take good care of your health. For any concerns about your reproductive health please consult our Gynaecology and Obstetrics department on the below link:
https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/gynaecologyobstetrics.html
