5 Most Common Health Problems Associated With Women

There was a time when women were just the kitchen keepers and the house keepers in the society. But now woman has come out of those four walls of the house to rub shoulder with the men. Today’s woman is maintaining a right balance in between work and home. Apart from rearing children, cooking meals and doing household chores, she is pursuing her career as well. Women are socialized to be the caretakers of others. In this fast paced life, they try to juggle every responsibility and pay least attention to their own health. They often spend less time nurturing their own emotional and physical needs. In this scenario, we need to encourage every women to take charge of their health. Here, I am writing on 5 most common health problems of women which are of great concern to them.

# OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporosis which means “porous bone” is a progressive disease that thins and weakens your bones, making them fragile and more likely to break. It develops gradually over many years without causing any symptoms. Being female, puts you at greater risk of developing osteoporosis. Women generally have lower bone density as compare to their male peers and they lose bone mass quickly as they age. The International Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that osteoporosis affects about 200 million women worldwide. One of every two women over age 50 will likely have an osteoporosis related fracture in their lifetime. The good news is that this disease is highly preventable if bone health is maintained appropriately. And it is never too late to keep bones strong and avoid fracture.

# BREAST CANCER

Breast Cancer is the most common invasive cancer in females worldwide.

It is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. The damaged cells can invade surrounding tissue, but with early detection and treatment, most people continue a normal life. It can occur at any age but most commonly seen after the age of 40. Nobody knows the exact cause behind it. As per studies, it is caused by the damage to a cell’s DNA, but why and how that DNA gets damaged is still unknown.

# POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME (PCOS)

This condition leads to the growth of small cysts in the ovaries which are not harmful but causes imbalance in woman’s levels of the sex hormones ( estrogen and progesterone ).

It can cause problems with menstrual cycle and is one of the most common cause of infertility in woman. PCOS also leads to unwanted changes in the way you look ( acne, excess body and facial hair ). Early diagnosis and treatment can help control the symptoms and prevent long term problems.

# ANAEMIA

Decrease in the amount of healthy RBC or haemoglobin (Hb) in the blood leads to a condition called Anaemia. Hb is a main part of RBCs and are responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body. In its shortage, cells in your body will not get enough oxygen. All this leads to a variety of symptoms like fatigue, pallor (pale skin colour), weakness, breathlessness, heart palpitation, hair loss etc.

There are different types of anaemia, IRON DEFICIENCY ANAEMIA is the most common type of anaemia. It occurs when you do not have enough iron in your body. For that you need to take proper diet rich in iron.

# URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI)

UTI is the 2nd most common type of infection in the body. 40-50% of women have atleast one UTI during their lifetime with 20-30% experience recurrent UTI. Common symptoms include strong, frequent urge to urinate, painful and burning sensation when urinating, strong smelling urine with blood or pus in it. Some people experience abdominal pains and irritating pain during sexual intercourse.

A UTI is basically an infection of any part of urinary system. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract (comprised of the bladder, kidneys, ureters and urethra). These infections typically occur when bacteria enter the urinary tract through the urethra and begin to multiply in the bladder. UTI is 10 times more common among women than men.