For too long, women have overlooked their own health. I cannot imagine why, considering the vital roles women play.
Most women tend to push aside personal health concerns because many of them are too busy caring for other people. Many women are in charge of the health of at least one parent, a spouse and children.
Women may feel symptoms, but will easily ignore these, in complete contrast to how they nag their loved ones to get a checkup over the smallest symptoms. By the time a woman may finally decide to see a doctor, it might be too late.
Lack of priority
What really hurts women’s health is not so much the disease, but a woman’s prioritizing everyone else over herself. By doing so, she is actually putting everyone at risk, as well. Who will take care of the people she loves if she is incapacitated, or, worse, passes away?
While there is no substitute for a real consultation with a doctor, here is a list of top health concerns of the Filipino woman, according to several doctors. As they say, prevention is the best cure.
1) Cardiac problem—This is something we always categorize as a man’s disease. But we are just as prone to heart diseases as men are.
The Mayo Clinic defines cardiovascular disease as “conditions that involve narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Other heart conditions, such as those that affect your heart’s muscle, valves or rhythm, also are considered forms of heart disease.”
While some people are born with congenital heart problems that need specialized care, most have perfectly good working hearts that need only common sense to take care of. A healthy diet and lifestyle and proper medical guidance are the best bets.
2) Stroke—This is caused by the lack of blood flow to the brain, due to a blocked or ruptured vein.
Strokes have caused numerous deaths among Filipino women. Some survive but may be left with movement and speech problems. While one cannot predict when a stroke will happen, regular checkups can give you an idea of how predisposed you may be to having one.
Stroke symptoms
You can also help someone who may be having a stroke by knowing the signs: Confusion, slurred and incoherent speech are major indicators.
Ask the person to lift an arm, smile, and say a sentence while taking him or her to the hospital immediately, because with a stroke, every second counts.
3) Cancer—In particular, ovarian, cervical and breast cancer have been prevalent in the country. Breast cancer is one of the easiest to detect, since all you really need are your hands and five minutes to carefully massage and feel for any abnormal lumps around your breast.
However, you can still miss something, and this is why doctors cannot stress enough the importance of the annual ultrasound and mammogram.
Cervical and ovarian cancer are a little trickier. There are no lumps to detect, but watch out for unusual pain, discharge and bleeding.
There is also the role that annual pap smears play, and upon reaching a certain age, transvaginal ultrasounds to check one’s ovaries.
4) Diabetes—Almost every family has a history of diabetes or high sugar, and sadly, high sugar levels are seen as almost normal—a “what can you do” situation. But the truth is, you can do so much.
As someone with a sweet tooth, I learned that you don’t have to cut sweets and carbohydrates out completely. I learned the proper serving sizes for my height and weight, and coupled this with exercise and fortunately, it has worked.
Heed the pain
5) Urinary tract infection (UTI)—This can be easily treated with a week’s worth of antibiotics. But if left untreated, it may result in chronic UTI, which, in turn, may damage the kidneys. Before you decide to self-medicate or ignore the pain, think twice. Even the smallest infections can lead to the biggest complications.
6) Migraine—This has been affecting more and more Filipino women over the last few years. It may be episodic, meaning it comes and goes every now and then; or chronic, which means one suffers from it on a regular basis. Unlike a simple headache, migraines are accompanied by debilitating pain and triggered by unknown sources, though some list stress, caffeine, hormones, medications, sensory over-stimulation and lack of sleep as possible triggers.
Chronic migraines lower productivity and rob women of joy in their lives. They may cause anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and psychological problems. More importantly, a migraine can also be a symptom for an underlying serious problem such as tumors, brain injury, meningitis or stroke.
7) Depression, chemical imbalance, anxiety disorder—While physically unseen, these can manifest themselves in physical cuts and worst of all, can lead to suicide. If you feel something is wrong with yourself or a loved one, seek professional help immediately.
Don’t brush off a woman’s (or anyone’s) concerns as simply “overacting,” as many in our society are wont to do. It is better to discover that nothing is wrong than to ignore a cry for help and find yourself too late to help a loved one.
8) Maternal health—We have heard countless stories of women wheeled into a clinic to bring life, but end up being wheeled out, lifeless. Sadly, this is a health issue borne out of poverty and misinformation, and the only way to help prevent this is for those who have the resources to do something.
Support fair trade products and livelihood projects, contribute to legitimate foundations that provide education and health care to marginalized families, and ensure that your employees receive fair and socially just wages in order to help uplift them.
