Many women experience the problem of having their medical concerns dismissed by their own doctors as being "all in your head". Physicians more often label women patients' complaints as emotionally based. Women's problems are not imaginary nor are their perceptions about the treatment of women as patients. This is thought to be due to several factors.

One is that women often express themselves with more emotion, especially when stressed. This expression gets confused with the source of the problem by some doctors and health providers, because of their own learned gender biases.


Women have higher rates of depression than men, so this also pulls the doctor towards this diagnosis. Lastly, people in chronic pain tend to become depressed as a result of their conditions and may communicate this depression to their doctors, which is in turn misread as the source rather than the result of a person's pain. Secondly, women have higher rates of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and auto-immune diseases. All of these conditions may

present with vague, generalized symptoms. There are either no concrete tests for many of these conditions or the tests are often negative in spite of the presence of disease. The symptoms presented are part of a huge number of conditions, and in lieu of tests the diagnosis becomes a judgment call on the part of the doctor. Quite frankly, many physician's diagnostic skills are not that great. They are unable to do the complex intellectual task of recognizing complex patterns of symptoms imperfect fit with the various diseases.

Physical health problems emerge or are exacerbated by psychological stress. These are called somatoform disorders. They are not primarily psychiatric in origin, but rather problems in which the physical and the psychological issues need to be addressed to get full recovery.

Secondly, women have higher rates of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and auto-immune diseases. All of these conditions may present with vague, generalized symptoms. There are either no concrete tests for many of these conditions or the tests are often negative in spite of the presence of disease. The symptoms presented are part of a huge number of conditions, and in lieu of tests the diagnosis becomes a judgment call on the part of the doctor. Quite frankly, many physician's diagnostic skills are not that great. They are unable to do the complex intellectual task of recognizing complex patterns of symptoms imperfect fit with the various diseases.

Physical health problems emerge or are exacerbated by psychological stress. These are called somatoform disorders. They are not primarily psychiatric in origin, but rather problems in which the physical and the psychological issues need to be addressed to get full recovery.

Healthy Living for Women

There are ways to get better, more attentive care from your doctor or provider; your first line of defense is in choosing your doctor.

Degrees, credentials and affiliations don't often tell you about a doctor's ability to listen and to avoid stereotyping women patients. Word of mouth is best. Ask other women, many other women, who they see. Ask specifically about interpersonal skills.

One credential that is very predictive of a good rapport and good attention to your complaints is specialized training in Women's Health. This is not to be confused with OB/Gyn. It is training in how women show symptoms of disease, have occurrences of particular diseases, and respond to treatments differently than men. It addresses all areas of health, not merely those of the reproductive system. Women's Health training can be gotten as Continuing Medical Education through the American Medical Women's Association.

Here are some other clues that will tell you on first visit as to whether or not your doctor is likely to take your complaints seriously.

The doctor's staff is courteous when you call.
Lets you dress and undress in private.
Explains what s/he is doing and is about to do as s/he examines you.
Basically, these are clues to finding a doctor who will listen and is respectful.

                       There are also methods for improving communication.

Keep a complete health diary. Try to determine your Chief Complaint. In plain English, what is the one single thing that bothers you the most? When did it start? How has it changed since it started? Does anything make it better or worse? Can you take one finger and point to one spot where it hurts the most? Work with Your Doctor  For difficult to diagnose problems:

Ask for a referral to a specialist, if you haven't been improving or diagnosed for some time. Be patient though, the diagnosis of a rare condition can take time. Also, it takes time to determine whether or not treatments are effective.
Try to limit the likely origins to one or two organ systems. Often difficult to define symptoms and general symptoms, in women, have diagnoses in the areas of immunology and allergy, rheumatology, or endocrinology. Occasionally the answer is found in infectious disease or cancer.
You may want to travel to a major medical center in your region of the country. A University-based program in a large metropolitan area nearest you with a population of about 1 million or a major medical center is what you want. Do not rely on magazines, such as US News and World Report or similar local versions for referrals. These are compiled by editors and journalists who do not have the scientific background necessary to do thisWhen all else fails try this and then move on to another physician.

DOCTOR: All the tests are negative. I can't figure out what's wrong with you. I think it's due to psychiatric problems.

PATIENT: Oh I'm sorry to hear that, Doctor. I'll come back after you've been to a psychiatrist.  

                                                 Tips for Healthy Living

• Practice safe sex by always using a condom, unless you are in a long-term monogamous relationship to prevent HPV (the most common cause of cervical cancer) and other sexually transmitted diseases.
• Calcium is important for women of all ages--recent studies suggest that calcium supplementation may prevent up to 50 percent of all PMS symptoms including cramps, and daily calcium supplementation is a critical factor in the prevention of osteoporosis after menopause.
• Folic acid supplementation significantly reduces the risk of birth defects and should be used by all women considering pregnancy.
• Vitamin E 400-800 mg per day is recommended to help menopausal women reduce hot flashes and night sweats, and helps protect the cardiovascular and immune systems.
• If you smoke--quit!
• Stress plays a key role in many illnesses and finding ways to reduce stress may add years to your life.
• The importance of hormonal balance increases for women after the age of thirty and may require the use of over-the-counter or prescription hormone replacement therapy.
  • Visit your dentist regularly to maintain a beautiful smile and a healthy mouth.
  • Find ways to incorporate exercise into your daily schedule. If you don't have time for a gym--take a walk or take stairs instead of elevators, garden or do yard work, park your car far from the door, ect.
  • Drink at least eight, eight ounce glasses of water everyday to help flush impurities from your body and maintain proper hydration.
  • Always use sunscreen and/ or wear a hat when you are in the sun to protect your skin from possible future skin cancer.

  Follow your doctor's recommendations for diet, exercise, and nutrition, as well as his recommendations for routine preventative health care. 

Things you should know about effectiveness..

The following article lists some simple,  informative tips that will help you have a better experience with Effectiveness of Birth Control.

Natural birth control is one of the most widely used methods of fertility regulation. Some religions and cultural beliefs do not permit artificial birth control devices or drugs. The natural birth control method is more acceptable to these people.

This method includes a periodic abstinence, with couples avoiding sexual intercourse during the woman’s fertile period. The rhythm method or calendar method, standard days method, sympto-thermal method, and withdrawal method are some of the natural birth control methods.
In the rhythm method, sexual intercourse takes place based on three assumptions. The first is that ovulation occurs fourteen days before the beginning of menstruation. This method also relies upon the fact that the sperm will remain viable for three days and that the ovum survives for twenty-four hours. With these theories in mind, women can decide on the days of abstinence. The standard day method replaced the rhythm method over a period of time.

In the standard day method, the first day of a period is considered as day one.

Women can have unprotected sex from day one to day seven. From days eight to nineteen, they should avoid sex. From day twenty to the next period, they can again have unprotected intercourse.

Withdrawal is a method of natural birth control in which the man withdraws his penis from the woman’s vagina before ejaculation. This method does not always work because the man must have enough control to withdraw in time.

The Sympto-thermal method is also an effective natural birth control method. Women using this method should keep track of their cervical mucus signs, their waking or basal body temperatures, and their menstrual cycle histories. In this method, the mucus detected date is noted first.  

Tips to deal with the cause of female infertility

The cause of female infertility can be attributed to a number of problems and given the complex nature of the female anatomy, things will not always be one hundred percent.

Is this supposed to be some sort of comfort to you if you suspect infertility may be at play in your situation?
Well, the good news is, in most cases women will put themselves through needless stress convinced they will never be able to conceive when all it takes to avoid this is making an appointment with your physician and getting expert medical opinion.

You see, whatever the problem may be, with proper surgical treatment or medication it can be rectified and conception will take place sometime down the track.

When To Worry About Infertility
So when should you consider your initial visit to the doctor? Most experts agree after at least six months of unprotected sex and even longer, sometimes up to a year. By then, it’s obvious there may be a problem but the point to remember is, don’t put yourself under mental stress worrying that you have an infertility problem.

Panic attack! Truth about the panic attack.

The cause of female infertility is wide and varied and there are several issues which could be discovered as a cause.

Also, don’t forget that infertility is a two-way street and it could very well be you don’t have any but your partner does. So let’s take a brief look at what could be determined as a cause of female infertility:

1. Pelvic issues which can affect the reproductive system.

2. Anatomy deficiencies which include passage blockage and uterine issues such fibroids and tumors.

3. Ovulation issues caused by anything from physical stress to thyroid glad problems

4. Functioning issues associated with the reproductive system which means one or more organs malfunctioning which will upset the fertility process.

Given the complex nature of the conception process it’s no surprise that infertility issues can arise. Without the production of healthy eggs combined with a healthy male sperm count, then conception is unlikely.

10 Tips for healthy Manicure.

Their nails professionally manicured every year. Unfortunately, occasionally the result of having manicures is developing nail fungus or bacterial infections which can not only look bad, but may also feel even worse. Although HIV or AIDS can be transmitted through broken skin that occurs during a visit to a nail salon, this is extremely rare.


What can you do to lower your risk of developing an infection or fungus, or HIV/AIDS, caused by a manicure? A few simple steps before your next manicure can significantly lower your risk of developing a painful nail infection or fungus, or disease.

1. Buy your own manicure or pedicure kit and take it with you when you visit your manicurist. Make sure you clean and disinfect your manicure kit after each use, even if you are the only one using your kit.

2. Bring your own nail polish, base coat, and top coats.

Remove your old nail polish at home, or bring nail polish remover with you.

3. Check out the salon where you have your nails done. Does it look clean and sanitary? Is the trash container properly bagged and covered? Is the floor clean? Are the manicure tables kept neat and tidy? Is there plenty of good light? Look at the disinfectant containers and make sure that they are clear, clean, and free of debris.

4. If you are not using your own manicure kit: Are all instruments cleaned and disinfected after each use? Does the manicurist use fresh, clean instruments on each client? Does the manicurist remove the clean, disinfected, instruments from the disinfectant in front of you? Make sure all files, buffers, and anything else that touches you is freshly clean before you allow the manicurist to begin.

5. Make sure the pedicure tub is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each client. The steps where clients typically step with bare feet at spa pedicures should be cleaned and disinfected before each client, as well.

6. Make sure that the manicurists wash their hands before and after each client, and that clients wash before their nails are done.

7. Never use a towel that is not fresh and clean.

8. Make sure that plenty of clean, disinfected, nail brushes are available for each client.

9. Make sure that a new, unused, Emory board is used for each client.

10. Consider using cuticle softener, rather than cuticle scissors to reduce the risk of broken skin occurring.

If these sanitary precautions are not being taken at your nail salon, don’t be afraid to tell the shop owner what needs to change and what you expect from a manicurist and nail salon. Contact your state cosmetology board if you develop a nail infection, fungus, or other condition as a result of visiting a nail salon, or if you see unsanitary practices.

6 way of coping with infertility.

How Can You Cope With infertility

Infertility affects people in different ways and coping with infertility means dealing with it with a strong mental resolve.

A scenario which is all too familiar is within a group of friends and family members. One woman may be having difficulty conceiving yet she finds it hard to cope with the fact her friends are having children.

This can lead to resentment and ultimately withdrawal. Depression can set in and so begins a cycle which can be very hard to break free from.

This is an issue which if left unchecked, can be devastating to not only the person involved, but her relationship with her husband and of course her circle of friends.

The combination of resentment and self-blame is a natural one but before it gets to this stage, convince yourself that it’s not your fault.

Coping With Infertility

1. Avoid blaming yourself, your spouse or your friends. Look to the future and tackle the issue in a positive way.

2. Get support either from professionals or through infertility support groups. By joining a support group you’ll see you’re not alone in the fight against infertility.

3. Work through the issue with your partner. Remember, they will be feeling the same guilt as you and if both of you are feeling negative and remorseful, it will only exacerbate the situation.

4. Consider advanced fertility techniques. Work out a budget and whether some of the cost can be soaked up with insurance.

5. If you have friends who have had babies in the past year then you’re going to get invitations to attend either baby showers or functions. If this is going to cause you pain then don’t attend but show good faith by having a gift delivered.

6. Taking up new interests can certainly be a positive way in coping with infertility. It can also alleviate some of the pressure you could be facing during fertility session treatments.

Recognizing Depression Side Effects.

Someone living with depression has many different feelings to try and deal with on a daily basis. Sometimes these can become so overwhelming that it is almost impossible to get through each day. There are a lot of mental depression side effects that these people have to deal with.

For instance, depression interferes with both your personal and professional life by making it harder for you to deal with normal events. If you are dealing with depression, then you may find it hard to get out of bed for fear of what the day may bring. You may experience insomnia or you may find yourself wanting to sleep all the time.
 Either way you will feel jaded and worn out all the time.
People who are depressed feel jaded and worn out all the time. You may feel sad and have an empty feeling that you just can’t seem to get rid of no matter what you do.

 Nothing that you use to do appeals to you or seems exciting anymore. You probably also noticed that you would rather stay home alone than to go out with friends. Many people find it very difficult to even hold a simple conversation with someone else.

These symptoms make you even more depressed and you it gets even harder to function properly or make a simple decision.

Depression causes your body to ache and hurt all over. Nothing seems to ease this pain because it is not caused by a physical problem. Headaches are a common sign of depression as well. Many people stop eating when they are depressed because it is such a burden while uses overeat and suffer with excessive weight gain which contributes to their depression. Crying for no real reason is a big side effect especially among women. People with depression are restless, irritable and many have a feeling of complete hopelessness. Eventually, depression can lead to a person believing they should no longer be alive and suicide seems to be the only way out.

Once depression gets really bad many people give up and start thinking about suicide as a way out. This is certainly not the answer. If you or a loved one is depressed then it is crucial that you see your health care provider. You don’t have to live this way and you can get your old life back as long as you take that first step. Don’t let anyone make you feel that you have to do this on your own because it is not just something you can overcome easily. There is help available for those who seek it. Don’t hesitate to ask for help talk to your doctor today and start getting your life back in order.