Biologically women are different from men. And because of this reason the health concerns of women are different from that of men although the ailment or the set of treatments may be the same in some cases. Here are the most common health issues that women around the world face today:
Cardiac Diseases
Though cardiac diseases are common for both men and women, they are claimed to be one of the major health threats to women followed by cancer. The symptoms of cardiac diseases that women undergo are completely different from men. For instance, during a heart attack, while men undergo chest pain, women feel discomfort in the neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back and in the abdomen. The other symptoms include vomiting, dizziness and unusual fatigue.
Heart blockade, arrhythmia and heart valve problems are the predominant heart issues that women face around the world. Preventive initiatives taken to change the lifestyle as well as health check-ups help to curtail the chances.
Cancer
Women can get inflicted with cancer at any age. According to American Cancer Society and Lancet medical journal, death of women by cancer will be around 5.5million a year by 2030. There are five common cancers that women are susceptible to, which are, breast cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and colon cancer. Out of these, breast cancer is the most rampant worldwide. The reason behind this lies in family history, genetic tendency or unhealthy lifestyle. As women age, they get more susceptible to ovarian, uterine and colon cancer.
Autoimmune diseases:
When the body’s immune system attacks the healthy cells and organs of our body thinking it to be foreign then the condition is known as autoimmune diseases. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases. The most common ones are rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, Hashimoto’s disease, Grave’s disease, Addison’s disease and type-1 diabetes.
According to some theories, women are much at risk of having autoimmune diseases because they have an immune system that is much developed than men and have much improved inflammatory response. This advantage turns out to be a major disadvantage as inflammation is the main trigger in many autoimmune diseases. The other reasons include sex hormones, defect in the x chromosome and remnants of fetal cells in the body.
Infertility:
Infertility in women is caused by problems with ovulation, damaged fallopian tubes or uterus or with the cervix. Medical conditions like endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, uterine fibroids, thyroid or gland problems, hormonal imbalance, excess weight, stress, pelvic inflammatory disease, polyps in the uterus are some of the common causes of female infertility.
An annual check up with a gynecologist, maintaining proper hygiene, prevention of STDs and avoiding intake of illicit drugs and alcohol are measures through which one can dodge infertility.
Osteoporosis:
According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, 200 million women suffer from osteoporosis. This happens because the bone density of women is much lower than that of men, although there are other environmental and genetic causes as well. To curb osteoporosis one has to have a proper diet and maintain a healthy lifestyle so that the bones do not wear away.
Mental Health:
The mental health of women are also affected as they age. Disorders like dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and depression. From puberty till the age of 50 women are more prone to anxiety disorder than men, same goes for post traumatic stress disorders, phobias and eating disorders.
Back Pain:
Back pain is another problem that most women experience a lot earlier than they reach old age. Women at pregnancy suffer from back pain as well. Back pain is triggered by excess weight that puts pressure on the spine, bad posture and sitting for long hours and smoking that wear away the discs in the spine and weaken bones leading to other major spine problems. Exercise, yoga, acupuncture, medication and leading a healthy lifestyle can prevent back pain.
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