In the age of Google, bad medical advice is just a couple of clicks away. But common misconceptions and myths about womenās health sometimes persist even in doctorsā offices.
CTVās medical consultant, Dr. Marla Shapiro, debunked some of those myths Tuesday. She listed four common misconceptions women face:
1. Heart disease is a manās disease. āThereās a myth and perception that (heart disease) is really male-dominated,ā Dr. Shapiro told Ā鶹“«Ć½ Channel. āIn and around the time of menopause, we begin to see those numbers reversing with women catching up.ā
According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death for Canadian women. The foundation urges all women to be
2. Women who are done having children donāt need regular checkups.āThe advice that we donāt need an annual health exam is probably right, but women still need targeted exams based on where they are in age-related events,ā Dr. Shapiro said. āYouāre finished having your children? We still worry about gynecological health.ā
Dr. Shapiro said women should always stay on top of their breast health, Pap smears and other potential gynecological issues. Heart health, of course, also needs to be monitored, she said.
3. Low sexual libido is just āin your head.āThatās not sound advice because āone in 10 women have a desire deficit, if you will, called hypoactive sexual desire disorder,ā Dr. Shapiro said. āUp until now, we havenāt had any focus on women on their libido and sexual health ā the focus has been all on men. Donāt be afraid to bring this topic up with your physician, who may not initiate it.ā
4. If a cold-related cough is keeping you up, take over-the-counter medicine to fall asleep. āThe reason youāre coughing is to help clear a lot of the fluid and the mucus thatās there and often, cough suppressant will sedate you, decrease the drive to breathe and that isnāt necessarily a good thing,ā Dr. Shapiro said. She advises the use humidifier and a raised pillow for better sleep when dealing with a bad cold or the flu.
