Having a communicative relationship with your doctor is extremely important to your overall health and well-being. By keeping the dialogue open with your doctor and addressing health issues as they arise can help to prevent a lot of serious medical issues. However, let’s face it, sometimes heading to the doctor can be embarrassing. Sharing some of your most intimate health concerns can put you in the spotlight a little bit especially when it’s in a particularly “private” area of the body.
While it is important to be comfortable with your doctor and share even some of the most intimate and embarrassing medical issues, sometimes you can treat the problem all on your own and save yourself the trouble. Below are three of the most embarrassing health conditions and what you can do to resolve the matter on your own.
Yeast Infections
While mainly a health concern for women, yeast infections can also affect men as well. There is this common misconception that a yeast infection means that you’re dirty or do not care for yourself down there well enough, but that is not always the case. Yeast is already present in the vagina; however, there are varying factors that can cause the yeast to accumulate rapidly. It can be pretty understandable that talking about discharge and itching near your genitals is embarrassing to discuss, however, it is more common than you might expect. In fact 3 out of 4 women can develop a yeast infection in her lifetime. The good news, they are highly treatable.
The Treatment: There are several remedies you can try yourself to treat your yeast infection. This includes using over the counter treatment options found at your local drug store. Other remedies include eating yogurt, tea tree oil, boric acid, switching your underwear to cotton (or wearing none while at home), and not wearing tight fitting clothing.
When to See a Doctor: There are instances in which your only resolve is to see a doctor. It is ideal to reach out to your doctor if you’ve tried home remedies but don’t experience relief in the next few days (that could mean it is not a yeast infection but something more serious). You should also reach out to your doctor if you’re pregnant as some medications and home remedies should be avoided. Lastly, if the yeast infections continue to occur, you may want to reach out to the doctor to find out what else can be done.
Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are another common medical issue that can be embarrassing to discuss with your doctor. The very thought of having to pull down your pants to allow your doctor to examine you is enough to make anyone a bit uneasy. Hemorrhoids also can be developed for varying reasons including: poor diet, straining while using the restroom, sitting on the toilet for long periods of time, and pregnancy. Again, this is a treatable condition that in many cases can be dealt with on your own.
The Treatment: Some of the treatment options you have for dealing with hemorrhoids include: using natural hemorrhoids products for relief, eating a diet high in fiber, applying witch-hazel to the affected area, and refraining from over-strain while using the restroom.
When to See a Doctor: Like yeast infections, there are instances in which you need to see a doctor about your hemorrhoid issues. If you’ve tried home remedies with no signs of relief, experience rectal pain, or notice bleeding when you wipe, it is time to call the doctor.
Bowel Movement Issues
Anything having to do with the bowels is likely something you don’t want to discuss with your doctor. Some of the most common bowel movement issues include constipation and diarrhea. Again, there are several reasons that you could be experiencing these changes in your bowels. Common causes for diarrhea include bacterial issues, a viral infection, certain foods, changes in during your menstrual cycle, and even side effects of taking certain medications. Constipation causes might include poor diet, consuming too much dairy, not being hydrated enough, lack of physical activity, stress, pregnancy, and even effects from taking medications.
The Treatment: Both diarrhea and constipation can often be treated on their own. Some solutions would include: changing your eating habits by including more fiber and staying hydrated, or to use over the counter treatment options.
When to See the Doctor: If your bowel issues aren’t going away with home remedy solutions, you should probably reach out to a doctor. Both constipation and diarrhea can be underlying signs of other adverse medical conditions. After a few days of changing your eating habits and staying hydrated with lots of water, if you don’t feel any relief, get to the doctor right away. Prolonged diarrhea could lead to severe dehydration, while constipation could essentially stop your ability to use the bathroom altogether.
There’s no denying that there are certain health issues we wish we could keep to ourselves. When you’re dealing with medical issues such as those listed above, trying a few home remedies may clear up the issue. However, in any instance, if you’re still experiencing the matter days later, have started to develop other symptoms, or start to feel worse, contacting your doctor right away is your best option. While it may be embarrassing at first, speaking up saves your life, staying silent could make matters worse.