Thousands of people have unexplained health problems like stomach aches, headaches, extreme tiredness, concentration problems, sore muscles, dizziness, etc. The pain and tiredness that these people feel is very real, but no physical disease can be found to cause it.
You can’t just say that these complaints are psychological only. All people are different. Some people are more sensitive than others and everyone has a different threshold of pain. If you notice pain quickly and you focus on it more, you will maintain the pain or even aggravate it. Besides that the problems depend on how well you know your body. If you do not know when to take a rest, you body will start to give signals. If you are constantly straining yourself, you will just go down and down the vicious circle.
Almost three times as many women as men suffer from unexplained health problems. This could be because women are biologically less resistant than men, but it could also be that the pressure on women is growing and growing. Women have to be great wives and mums, but also need to have a exciting social life and a serious career.
Ignoring the problems is often not a solution. If you do not listen to your body when it is giving signals that you are constantly overburdening yourself, problems might just get worse. However, to keep on visiting different specialists might not solve anything either. If a few tests cannot find a medical reason for your complaints, it is time to look at underlying causes, perhaps a divorce, death of a loved one, overworked, etc. Often a change of lifestyle can do miracles.
Henri Frederic Amiel
It is very important that unexplained health problems are taken seriously. If no medical reason is found for the problem, doctors often feel less worried about it. They are focused on treating the body and ignoring the mind. And psychiatrists are treating the mind, while ignoring the body. It can help when different specialists look at the problem together, for example a psychiatrist and a physiotherapist. But I have found that a holistic approach to your health can be most effective.
If you learn how to live a balanced life, emotionally as well as physically, you might just find that your unexplained health problems will inexplicably disappear. It does mean that you need to be more proactive about your health and start participating actively in your own health care, rather than getting stuck in the vicious circle of being tired and getting less active and being more tired, etc. It is time to start caring for ourselves in a more active way.
Comments 5
I don’t like to blame things on sexism, but I think sometimes doctors are more likely to dismiss women’s complaints as frivolous and they will just list them as unclassified and not dig deeper.
I am never sick, but the two times that I was sick over the last 25 years I was misdiagnosed both times. Once I had a sinus infection, and the doctor told me he didn’t need to even look at my sinuses because I was obviously just tired. The second time I was told I looked too healthy for my soar throat to be anything but it was actually strep. I wonder how many other women’s complaints are dismissed in the early stages because the doctors don’t seem to trust how well a woman knows her own body.
Posted 02 Nov 2009 at 9:00 am ¶I agree that usually our bodies will send us signals first when we are over straining ourselves. Often time these signals are for us to slow down our paces and take a break. But people will usually continue to push themselves to the limit; again and again they push themselves to meet new limit. Like a rubber band, once it is overstretched, it snaps. That reminds me, I should be in bed now.
Posted 02 Nov 2009 at 11:02 pm ¶To respond to your post and to Tina’s comments.
Doctors in general are full of sh…! Yes, there are some great doctors, but generally they think they are the all knowing GOD, and they are there to explain to you what you know better than them. Which is your own body!
We all know our bodies better than any doctor. The key is listening to our bodies and being aware of what is going on. And yes, finding the source, which as you say, often is stress or some other problem.
Most people and doctors will dismiss anyone with symptoms they can’t explain or have never experienced themselves. Like back pain. Until you’ve had it yourself, you think everyone is just faking it. That’s how most people are in general when they hear about other people’s problems.
A holistic approach is best for sure.
Posted 03 Nov 2009 at 5:38 am ¶Back pain is good example. Just like with headaches, you do not know what it is until you have it. This counts for yourself too. When I’m alright I quickly forget to appreciate living without pain. But if that splitting migraine comes up or I can’t get up from back pain, I swear I will take care of myself better next time. Until the next time comes again….
Posted 03 Nov 2009 at 12:10 pm ¶Women do really need to pay attention to their bodies. Our systems are amazing and will tell us when something is wrong. Though we may not be able to pinpoint the culprit right away, rest, introspection, stress relief, and some stretching alone will help clear your system of unwanted toxins and negative energy.
I have recently overcome some lower back pain by simply working on my core muscles…belly dancing of all things is the exercise I’ve been doing.
Posted 06 Nov 2009 at 10:10 pm ¶Post a Comment