Have you ever had a health problem that you were too embarrassed to talk about? You are not alone. It is hard to bring up serious health concerns, especially the ones that make you blush just thinking about them. Some things are meant to be kept private, but that doesn't mean you can ignore your health issues. We are bringing these types of problems out in the open with our list of the top searched embarrassing health concerns.Though it can be intimidating to bring up your secret health problems to a relative stranger, your doctor should be the first person you turn to when facing an illness, no matter how embarrassed you are. Remember: they see tons of patients and probably have seen your same problem many times before. No matter how ashamed you are, it is important for the health of you and others to get symptoms of contagious illnesses, such as herpes symptoms, examined before it is spread to others. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, one out of five adults have been infected with genital herpes and there is no known herpes cure. It's not surprising then that it is number one on our list.
If you are still too embarrassed to see a doctor, look into over the counter medications. Some conditions can be treated with OTC medicine, but that doesn't always cure the problem and you might still have to see your doctor. Yeast Infections, number three on our list, has many different OTC treatments and cures.
You can treat other problems, such as hyperhidrosis, which is just a fancy word for excessive sweating, with more unconventional methods. If you have tried extra-strength antiperspirants, such as Drysol, and you are still having a problem, you may benefit from plastic surgery. Injections of Botox are used to disable the sweat glands in areas like your underarms.
Not all of the problems on the list are easily treated. If you are avoiding serious surgery for things such as incontinence, lifestyle changes may help make a difference. Try looking into adult incontinence supplies, such as adult diapers.
Do you have the courage to talk about your health problems? Leave us a comment. Search your health problem on AOL Search or AOL Health.
Top Searched Embarrassing Health Concerns on AOL Search:
1. Herpes
2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
3. Yeast Infection
4. Psoriasis
5. Urinary Tract Infection
6. Genital Warts
7. Hemorrhoids
8. Impotence
9. Hyperhidrosis
10. Incontinence
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posted by Brittney
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COMMENTS
Hey Bette, sounds like worms to me. As you relax at night they tend to come out. Pinworms usually. Do a "tape test" by using tape like a lint roller on your anus. Take it to your Dr and see if they find anything. Sometimes they aren't visible to the naked eye.
By Mike on Aug 19th 2008 at 11:18AM
to mary at post #31. go find a urogynecologist in your area. go to American Urogynecologic Society
(www.augs.org) then click on patient resources, then click on find a provider, put in the state you live in and hit search. Having to pee all the time and having pain is not normal and can be treated. it sounds like you have urge incontinence where you feel like you have the urge to pee all the time. this is different from stress incontinence where you put pressure on the bladder and it causes you to wet yout pants. you probably have interstitial cystitis which is causing your pain. also check out www.athenaft.com for a device which can help.
By jeg24018 on Aug 19th 2008 at 11:22AM
How I've lost 50Lbs. since April!
The first 30 days or so are the hardest! If you can make it through that you will be OK! I realized I did not want to die from being unhealthy! My average daily meals:
B- 1/2 glass O/J, 1 egg, every other day add toast, 1 banana, 1/2 yogurt and coffee!
L- Chicken/salad wrap, some kind of vegetable, water or tea
D- Normal dinner, meat portion the size of my fist.
Snacks - nuts or fruit - don't over-do it! only a small handful of nuts, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup strawberries.
Once a week I get to have whatever dessert I want.
MOST IMPORTANT - I exercise/cardio 20 minutes EVERY DAY!!!
That's it!
Good Luck and God Bless!!!
Russ/Philadelphia
By rhd0924 on Aug 19th 2008 at 11:31AM
If you have irritable bowel syndrome you have to try the product called regimint. It is an herbal product that contains peppermint and caraway oil in an enteric-coated capsule. This product gave me my way of life back again while all the mainstream drugs for ibs that I used did very little for me. From what I understand, this type of product is used for ibs in Germany. If you go to the website www.regimint.com and take the ibs challenge you can try the product for free. That's what I did.
By Silva on Aug 19th 2008 at 11:29AM
This is for Mary that has the urinary tract pain, etc.. I suggest that you get yourself to a knowledgeable urologist ASAP. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you don't have IC (interstitial cystitis). I have a mother-in-law and a favorite Aunt that both suffer with it! You can also do a search (such as Google) on it as there are at least 2 national organizations that support research, etc., onit. If it's not IC, then you may need to have your urethra and the opening into your bladder stretched (once again, see a good urologist) as this too can cause pain and urinary frequency. Good luck to you!!
By Kandee on Aug 19th 2008 at 12:09PM
For vaginal pain, talk to your doctor about vulvodynia-I suffered for a year with vaginal pain and after thirteen different antibiotics and about eight doctors I finally diagnosed myself. I had a systemic yeast infection that I read about in the book "The Yeast Connection" by William Crook. Needless to say the antibiotics only aggravated my problem. There is a vulvodynia foundation that helps women with chronic vaginal pain. I found relief with a sugar free diet, anti-fungals (oral) and eventually Pamelor the old prescription for depression (works great for pain-but does have side effects)
By Sherri on Aug 19th 2008 at 11:43AM
Ever since having my second baby girl, my right nipple is ALWAYS itchy. I have no idea why, and it gets really embarassing when I have to "take care of it" in public. To make things worse, I had a breast reduction years ago, so (and I know this sound wierd) but I can't scratch a breast itch, because I can't feel it - I have to pinch it a little to actually get the itch to go away. So there I'll be pinching my right nipple all the time because its just always itchy - anyone else got something like that?!?
By ItsJustMe on Aug 19th 2008 at 11:35AM
Russ/Philadelphia - I've been doing WW since mid Feb, and I've lost 60lbs now. I just love it - so easy! I used to do Atkin, and it was so horrible. I know WW is a way of life for me, and I can lose as much as I want on it. I exercise also - I do a 45 minute walk/jog on the treadmill in the morning, and then either play tennis, or walk/jog outside at nite - its great!
By ItsJustMe on Aug 19th 2008 at 11:39AM
i have a vaginal infection and i have no idea how to deal about it
By Nicole on Aug 19th 2008 at 11:40AM
In response to Post #8 by Kristy. There are different Strains of HPV. One strain causes warts on the hands and feet another strain causes genital warts. You cannot transfer warts from the hands and feet to the genital area and the other way around. If you have warts in both area's you have 2 different strains of the HPV Virus. There are also strains that cause cervical cancer in women. HPV Should Not be treated at home and no home remedy will work. If the warts did disappear as she had said, it would not be from using toothpaste it would have been from the virus going dormant. HPV warts should be treated by a doctor to avoid them from spreading to other areas on the genitals and rectum, and other people. There is a vaccine for HPV But cannot be used to treat HPV, There is no known cure for HPV at this time. The vaccine can be given to young girls before sexual activity to prevent them from being infected with the HPV virus but only protects against some strains NOT all.
By CJ on Aug 19th 2008 at 11:43AM
herpes, my wife has herpes , and I don't (at least I don't think I do. They advertise Valtrex ,its supposed to keep you from spreading it to a partner . I memtioned it to my wife ,since we don't have sex anymore partly because i don't want herpes . She won't do anything and has hurt feeling because she said i made her feel dirty by bringing this issue up. I asked my doctor about this , he said I could carry the virus but have no systoms . Is this true.?
By chris on Aug 26th 2008 at 9:24PM
I'd like to know a cure for very oily scalp & skin. I'ts disgusting. My poor dry hair has to be washed every day & my whole body gets oily just not even hour after shower. I hate it. I feel dirty all the time.
By jognmiles on Aug 19th 2008 at 11:57AM
To Brenda F. who has a daughter with genital psoriasis. I too suffered with this as a child and can remember my old European schooled female dermatologist putting me on a coal tar salve. I now have psoriasis over the majority of my body and my ivy league dermatologist wanted me to go on either an oral or an injectable (prefered!) medication, both of which have severe side effects. I asked for an ointment to try first (which he assured me would not work) and have used it with actually quite a bit of success. The generic name is Desoximetasone 0.25% (Taro is the manuf.,I believe.). It is somewhat systemic in large doses and I do have some bad 'prickily' sweats, etc., due to it's use, but that's much better than the alternative. I also increased my water in-take plus I have tried to cut back on my stress level(s!). I had also been taking quite a bit of Benadryl for the itchy skin, but I've almost completely cut this out too which has helped(It was too drying!). One more thing that seems to really help is the use of an OTC ointment like Neosporin (not the cream). It's been great for the psoriasis patches on my face where I'm not comfortable using the prescribed medication near my eyes, etc.. I wish your daughter the best of luck as I definitely have a lot of empathy for her!
By Kandee on Aug 19th 2008 at 12:09PM
To Mary and the comments about the dryer sheets.. I had the exact same thing years ago... almost went nuts over it! I also found the same cure... only I also only use unscented "free" laundry products. The cure was almost instant. In fact all my laundry products are the "free" kind... also plain white unscented TP or fragrance free baby wipes. Hope it helps someone else.
By Lauren on Aug 19th 2008 at 12:13PM
Incontinence testing is very embarrasing. Unlike a pap which is over in a minute and you arent facing the dr at the moment, incontinence testing is alot longer alot of touching of the genital area while standing face to face with the male dr assistant doing the test. Will never go thru that again unless a female is doing the test.
By Barbara on Aug 19th 2008 at 12:16PM
13. How many people know about the disease (skin condition) Lichen Sclerosis? I had never heard of it before I was diagnosised a year ago June and would like to talk to others with the same condition.
This is an awful condition and very embarassing to go to the dr with. Even wiping yourself after using the restroom created an urgent need to itch the area. I take showers and use my hand held to clean the area and get the water as hot as I can stand, it relieves the itch for a while. My 84 year old mother and my 63 year old sister have this condition also. I thought that it was a complication from incontenance and using pads to capture the leaks but finding that other members of my family have this changed my view. I have read all I can on this subject on the internet and it seems like there is no real help. My mother gets some ointmtnt sold in Mexico called Qudraderm and does get some relif, though tempoary, from it. There are support groups out there for this condition. It just makes you feel like you are rotting, it is so embarassing that my husband doesn't even know. Is does occur with younger people but seems to affect women as they get older. I have read that it has something to do with an overactive immume system. What ever it is I sure would like to get some permanet relief and be rid of this awful itch....
By Lin on Aug 19th 2008 at 12:18PM
As I got older I started getting skin tags and flat itchy moles between my brests and under where my bra sits. I aslo have them growing on my neck area. They are irritating. Does anyone else have these and what do you do to get rid of them. I have gone to the Dr and had them removed but it is expensive and not covered by insurance.
By Lindy on Aug 19th 2008 at 12:29PM
Bite the bullet, face the music, whatever cliche' you prefer...the bottom line is consult a doctor! Even if it is embarrassing, it will give piece of mind. I have been there and back.
By sylph on Aug 19th 2008 at 12:39PM
When I was in Navy i worked around Atomic weapons almost constanly. After all these yrs. my feet & legs are going numb on outside but nerves dying on inside cause almost unbearable pain, I take several kinds of pain meds and they work some. The numbness keeps going up my legs and my penis has shrunk untill i an embarassed to go to bathroom in a public restroom unless i can get a stall and it is also numb. Anybody else have this problem? Is it something i will just have to live with
By Bill on Aug 19th 2008 at 12:53PM
I have anal warts. Very painful bleeding anal warts.Ooozing pus and the smell is horrible. My girl friend is anable to perform fellatio without a gas mask on.
By guitarman263 on Aug 19th 2008 at 1:04PM