Embarrassing women's health problems

From frequent urination to gas, experts pull the cover some of the most embarrassing women's health problems

You aren't the only one. Literally millions upon millions of women live with the perceived shame of frequent urination, excessive sweating, vaginal odor, gas, and other embarrassing conditions. They just don't want to talk about it.

"The most embarrassing conditions are the toilet talk topics, meaning anything having to do with anything that goes on in the bathroom -- including frequent urination, bladder problems, bowel problems, period problems, and vaginal discharge," says Donnica Moore, MD, a women's health expert based in Far Hills, N.J. "Toilet talk is followed by body odors, vaginal odors, and bad breath in terms of embarrassing women's health issues."

Frequent urination. "We know that over 17 million American women have problems with bladder control, and yet people are embarrassed to talk about it because they think that once you are toilet-trained you should be able to 'control yourself,'" says Moore

Gas. Everybody has it, but most people don’t want to own up to it. "Tell your doctor because gas is very usually dietary-related and can also be treated with dietary modification and over-the-counter products like Gas-X or Beano," Moore says.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) . This disorder is marked by abdominal pain or discomfort and a change in bowel patterns, such as loose or more frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, and/or constipation. It affects 10%-15% or more of the general population.

Excessive sweating. Many women feel ashamed about excessive sweating, whether it's their palms or their underarms. "This needs to be evaluated by a doctor," Moore says. "There are prescription antiperspirants and, in extreme cases, Botox injections can also be a solution to sweaty palms, soles of the feet, and underarms."

Vaginal odor. This can be a sign of infection, Thielen says, but not necessarily a yeast infection. "Some women overuse over-the-counter yeast creams and may be missing out on more accurate treatments," she says.

Lack of libido. "I think women are embarrassed to bring up decreased libido, but it could be a sign of a whole host of things," Thielen says. "Low libido could have psychological, biological, or social causes, so it really requires investigation of all those aspects to determine what the cause is," she says.