3 Embarrassing Health Q’s (Smells, Strange Happenings) Answered

By Rigel Celeste on October 19th, 2009

• Share
• Link to StumbleUpon
• 2 Comments

Eew, what does THAT mean?

Whether we like it or not we’ve all had those moments when our body does something we don’t understand and we find ourselves wondering both what it means and if it’s normal. But it can be embarrassing to ask and so most people don’t, but thanks to Womans Day we’ve got answers for a few of the most embarrassing health issues.

1. “I have really bad breath that really never goes away even though I brush and floss, what’s causing it and what can I do?” Chronic bad breath, called halitosis, is caused by bacteria that collects around the teeth, on the tongue, and in all the nooks and crannies of your mouth. Brush and floss after every meal, and be sure to clean your tongue by brushing it with your toothbrush or using a tongue scraper before finishing up with an anti-bacterial mouthwash rinse. If that doesn’t solve the problem you’ll need to go see your dentist and get some more personalized treatment options.
2. “I’ve been so gassy for the last few months it’s embarrassing! How can I make it stop?” Passing gas is a normal body process, in fact most people pass  small amounts of gas as much as 10-20 times per day. Excessive flatulence, however, can be caused by many things, some normal and some more serious. The food you eat could be to blame as dietary issues like lactose intolerance or eating too many gas-inducing foods (like beans, cabbage, and anything that doesn’t agree with you) can cause excessive gas, or it could be a symptom of something more serious like a digestive problem and/or bowel irritation. Try changing the way you eat first, and if your gassiness doesn’t improve it’s time to go see your doctor.
3. “When I go to the bathroom my #2’s are sometimes a weird color, should I be worried?” Experts tell us that stool is not always the same color, which makes sense because it’s directly linked to the food we eat. If you see something unexpected in the toilet bowl first think about what you’ve eaten over the last few days to see if it makes sense. As a general rule an odd color here or there is not something to worry about, as long as it goes away in a day or two. But if your stool is black, tarry, or bloody you could be bleeding internally, or if there’s a strange color (yellow, gray) that persists for more than a few days it could be a sign of a medical/digestive disorder and you should see your doctor right away.

(Photo courtesy of saavem on stock.xchng)