5 Medical Lessons Every Woman Should Know

There’s no subject more sensitive than your health, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. A slight misconception about a problem or illness can lead to more serious outcomes. We’ve become accustomed to googling our symptoms rather than taking out the time to head to a professional. When it comes to your health, the only trustworthy individuals are those who are thoroughly well versed in the practice of medicine. From the facts to the red flags, it’s their job to take care of you. This week at the Mashion HQ we got Sana Abbas Jaffri, an internal medicine doctor (hospitalist) to answer all your queries related to health and medicine. If you couldn’t follow the session, then read on to see what you missed!

1. Miscarriages Cannot Be Prevented

A miscarriage can be an incredibly traumatic, devastating event, and usually causes a number of subsequent mental health issues in many women. There are several factors that lead to miscarriages, but unfortunately, most of them are out of our control. In the majority of cases, especially with early miscarriages, it can be hard to determine the cause. According to Sana, most miscarriages which occur in early pregnancies are due to chromosomal disorders — a foetus with the incorrect number of chromosomes, or chromosomes that are structurally flawed. She says, “a lot of women feel there are things you can do to prevent this, but in reality there isn’t. It’s very common and miscarriages that occur in early pregnancy are usually related to chromosomal disorders.” In some cases health conditions such as diabetes and thyroid disorders can also contribute to miscarriages.

2. Don’t Ignore The Red Flags Of Chronic Backache 

A lot of people complain of lower back soreness after doing core exercises. That’s usually a result of the bodies natural inflammatory reaction to exercise. Working out causes microtrauma to the muscles and surrounding connective tissue. However, normal back soreness shouldn’t be mistaken with chronic back pain. Acute back pain that lasts for more than 72 to 96 hours after exercising could also indicate back injury.  According to our expert, chronic back ache raises a few red flags. She recommends people with back pain complaints review their workout routine with a professional and make sure their posture is correct.

3. Consume Your Vitamins With A Balanced Diet

Most people don’t get all the necessary nutrients they need on a daily basis. This leads to deficiencies, fatigue, joint pain, and a number of other health concerns. Taking multivitamins regularly is a good way to make up for not getting these nutrients naturally in your diet. It gives you everything you need in one fell swoop. In fact, the right multivitamin can give you more energy and a healthier mind. But, before you decide on a multivitamin, especially when consuming more than one simultaneously, make sure you already have a balanced diet. “If you’re eating a well balanced diet, then you can consume most of your daily needed vitamins. For most vitamins (except fat soluble vitamins — A, D, E, and K), your body keeps what it needs and excretes the rest in urine.” is what Sana had to say.

4. Dealing With Families Of Patients

A hospitalists primary job is to take general medical care of hospitalized patients. One common aspect of their job is encountering the family members of the patient. The families are usually vulnerable given their circumstances, and can come across as angry, confrontational or become very difficult to deal with. But what should a hospitalists response be in such a situation? Sana thinks they should manage the situation sensitively. “Dealing with sick patients and their families in difficult times is one of the most challenging parts of my career. But what helps me manage it is keeping in mind how I would want myself and my family members to be managed during that time.”

5. Must-Follow Health Advice

The one piece of advice Sana wants everyone to follow is to not take their health easy and go for regular health check ups. She suggests establishing a relationship with one doctor and going for annual exams. “Make sure you are up-to-date with your routine healthcare maintenance. I cannot stress this enough.” Regular health exams and tests can help detect problems before they start, or detect early on, when the chances of complete recovery are higher. They also serve as good pauses, letting you know where your health stands at given points of the year. Are you nutrient deficient? Is your life too sedentary? These tests allow you to reevaluate your lifestyle, and make the right changes.