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Open communication is an important part of good health. In order to look after yourself, you need to be able to speak to your doctor or even a friend or family member about health concerns. In most cases, we can do that and most people will book an appointment with the doctor if they notice symptoms.

However, there are certain areas of health that we feel embarrassed about, so we don’t talk about them as much. We worry that we will be judged and we think that nobody will understand, so we just stay quiet. The problem is, you could be ignoring the symptoms of a very serious health condition and you may be putting yourself in a lot of danger as a result. That’s why it’s important that we are able to break the taboo around certain health problems and have open conversations about them, whether that is with each other or with our doctors. These are the health issues that we need to stop being embarrassed about. 

Mental Health 

This is top of the list because, even though attitudes towards mental health are better than ever,  a lot of people still feel uncomfortable talking about it. The thing is, if you speak to a friend or family member and let them know that you are feeling a bit down, they can support you and the problem can be managed quite easily. It’s only when we keep these problems to ourselves that we develop long term conditions like depression. 

There are a few things you can do on your own to improve your mental health, like exercising more or taking a social media detox. But the most effective way to manage your mental health is to talk about it. Don’t be embarrassed to admit that you are struggling because the people around you will always be supportive.

Sexual Health 

Conversations around sex can be very awkward, but they shouldn’t be. That doesn’t mean that everybody should go around broadcasting their personal business, but it does mean that we should be able to have open conversations about sexual health. People need to be able to ask about the contraceptive pill or condoms, and they need to feel comfortable seeking the advice of a doctor if they think that they have a sexually transmitted disease. If people are not educated about their sexual health, especially young people, it only leads to serious problems in the future, so we need to stop being embarrassed about something so natural. 

Menstrual Health 

Almost every woman experiences periods, so why are we still so embarrassed about talking about them? Often, it comes down to the negative reaction from men, who get very awkward about it. This means that women don’t always feel comfortable going to the doctor about issues with their menstrual cycle, but it’s important that you do. Severe cramps, for example, can have a big impact on your quality of life and you should talk to your doctor about potential treatments that may help you to manage the pain. It’s also important to seek advice if you have issues getting a tampon out because it can cause a serious infection. Menstrual health issues like these are far more common than you think and your doctor has most probably seen it all before, so don’t be embarrassed to go to them. 

Incontinence

If you sneeze and a little urine leaks out, you might be horrified. You can’t possibly tell anybody because they won’t understand and they’ll think that it’s gross, right? Actually, it’s probably happened to a lot of the women you know, especially the older ones, because this is a far more common issue than people realize. The only reason that people feel embarrassed about it is that we don’t talk about it enough, so people think that they are the only one that experiences this issue. The reality is, most women will experience it at some point in their life and it’s easily managed. 

There are so many women’s health problems that don’t get talked about enough, and this leads women to feel ashamed about these issues. The problem is, that means there are so many people out there with potentially serious health conditions and they don’t get the treatment they need because they are embarrassed. 

It’s vital that you don’t let that stop you from seeing a doctor if you notice any symptoms. Doctors have seen it all before and they won’t judge you, so book an appointment as soon as you notice any changes in your body.