Category: Health x Body

While you wouldn’t be able to tell from her clear complexion, Holly Cutler battled with severe cystic acne 20 years ago. She tried medical and topical treatments with no success. Amid the physical difficulties, cystic acne also affected her emotionally.
“The emotional impact of having cystic acne all over my face was devastating,” she says. “You wouldn’t believe the comments people actually made to my face to blame me for the breakouts.” People even called her ugly to her face.
Eventually an esthetician managed to resolve her cystic acne through multiple sessions that involved European-style facials and light-based therapy. But, as is the case for many people who have cystic acne, Holly’s skin was scarred afterward. She says this was a shocking surprise, especially since there were no scar-reversing treatments available at the time. This journey prompted her to look into ways of healing her skin’s scars—and eventually she did just that.

The emotional impact of having cystic acne motivated Holly to become a medical esthetician herself. Now a well-known figure in the field, she founded FACE Skincare~Medical~Wellness in Bingham Farms, Michigan, where she and her staff use approaches that she says are far more advanced than those that cured her cystic acne nearly 20 years ago as they incorporate lasers, injectables, and naturopathy.
Cystic acne affects many people and as with Holly, it can have a huge emotional impact. Fortunately, it can be treated. Here’s what you need to know about your cystic acne treatment options.

What is cystic acne?

“Acne occurs when a pore gets clogged. Typically, a clogged pore will have dirt, dead skin cells, and bacteria inside,” says Janet Prystowsky, MD, a Manhattan-based dermatologist. “When the clogged pore is deep in your skin, then it can develop into a cyst, i.e. a tender bump from inflammation.”
A cystic acne pimple is deeper than a regular whitehead. As a result, it doesn’t have a white bump that can be popped, says Prystowsky. The cyst can feel painful and might be felt under the skin before it shows. The area around the cyst might also appear inflamed and red.
Cystic acne can affect people of all ages, but it’s most likely to affect people in their teens and early twenties, says Toni Stockton, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Arizona. “The most common age to develop acne is between 12 and 24 years of age but we still see some patients continue to have to deal with this frustrating condition well into their forties and fifties,” she notes. The acne typically appears on one’s face, back, neck, chest, and upper arms.

“Genetics are probably playing a role in some patients but hormones are a more common cause for cystic acne,” says Stockton. Endocrine conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome, for example, can increase your chances of developing cystic acne.
“The type of sebum (oil) that we that we produce can play a role in whether we get small bumps, whiteheads and blackheads, or cystic lesions,” she adds. “In some patients, their sebum causes only a small reaction in the skin but in others, their bodies make a lot of inflammatory cells that cause a deeper inflammation.”

How can cystic acne be treated?

Unfortunately, cystic acne isn’t something that simply goes away over time—so don’t wait to get help, or the scarring will just get worse, warns Holly. Cystic acne can be painful and inconvenient, but fortunately, it’s treatable. Your best bet is to see a dermatologist as soon as possible so that they can treat your acne before it becomes more severe. According to Stockton and Prystowsky, there are a number of different treatments available for those who suffer from cystic acne.

• • Steroid Injections

    A cortisone shot, or direct injection of cortisone into a cystic pimple, can be a really effective way to reduce its size and impact. There are side effects, though: The area might look sunken in after some time, as the cortisone affects the fatty tissue in the area around the injection site. Additionally, if cortisone shots are administered too often, they can adversely impact the skin’s ability to heal itself.

  • Antibiotics

    Antibiotics like minocycline or tetracycline can help reduce cystic acne by preventing the spread of bacteria, a main cause of acne. “We do try to limit the length of time that we use antibiotics to three to six months if possible due to the development of drug resistance,” says Stockton. “If a patient is not getting better in this period of time then we would move to another treatment option.” Note that these medications aren’t advisable for pregnant women or those who might conceive while on a course of treatment for cystic acne.

• • Topical Treatments

    Your dermatologist might recommend retinoid creams and benzoyl peroxide washes to treat your cystic acne. Retinoid topicals, which include a derivative of vitamin A, work to unclog pores whereas benzoyl peroxide topicals reduce acne by killing the acne-causing bacteria on your skin. Some people might be sensitive to these topicals and have adverse reactions that could include painful, red, itching or peeling skin at the application site.

  • Oral Contraception

    Certain forms of oral contraception can improve skin conditions by balancing the hormones, which in turn will regulate sebum production. Of course, some people experience mental and physical side effects when they’re on birth control, which means this treatment isn’t advisable for everyone.

  • Cryosurgery

    A more invasive therapy used by Stockton and other dermatologists to treat cystic acne is cryosurgery. Cryo means cold and cryosurgery involves applying extremely cold substances, like liquid nitrogen or cold carbon dioxide, to the cysts. Cryosurgery causes ice crystals to form within the damaged skin cells, which eventually tears those cells apart. It also reduces blood flow to the cysts, and it can reduce acne scarring. Note that you may feel a tingling, uncomfortable sensation after treatment.

• Isotretinoin

  Isotretinoin, also known as Accutane or Roaccutane, is a strong and effective treatment for acne. It contains a strong form of vitamin A. While Stockton prescribes it to her patients, she notes that it’s only used as a last resort for cystic acne that resists other forms of treatment. This is because isotretinoin unfortunately has many side-effects, including dry mouth, chapped lips, and nosebleeds. As with antibiotics, isotretinoin is not advisable for pregnant women or those who may become pregnant, as it can be lethal to a fetus.

• Changes in Diet and Lifestyle

  One possible way to reduce cystic acne is to start with the food you consume. Stockton says that dairy and whey protein products can trigger or worsen cystic acne. Prystowsky recommends patients avoid whey, dairy, and sugary foods to see how their skin responds.
  Many people are interested in naturopathic, holistic approaches to treating cystic acne. Doug Cutler, ND, of Cutler Integrative Medicine notes that diet and food sensitivities can be linked to cystic acne. As a naturopathic physician, he treats patients by first running a full food sensitivity panel and a comprehensive stool analysis.
  “Food sensitivities originate in the gut and create chronic inflammation, which can impact every part of the body,” he explains. “80 percent of our immune system is found in the gut, so we want to make sure there is no chronic inflammation, which can imbalance the hormones and lead to cystic acne.”
  From there, he might place the patient on an elimination diet for a few months. This involves removing certain foods from your diet to see whether you have an intolerance for them. The elimination diet can help heal the gut and reduce inflammation.

Cutler also suggests supplements like probiotics and addressing emotional and lifestyle factors. “Internalizing stressors and negative emotions can lead to inflammation and skin issues,” he points out. “It is important to recognize our emotional habits and make lifestyle changes, as well as do mind–body medicine therapies throughout our life.” Cutler’s assertion that stress has been linked to skin conditions and aggravating hormonal imbalances is also supported by ample research and more mainstream MDs.
Of course, many people are drawn to alternative cystic acne treatments because of the side effects associated with mainstream treatments. That said, it’s important to remember that alternative treatments may have side effects, too. Stockton notes that many of the alternative treatments that are suggested for cystic acne haven’t been studied thoroughly. Because of this, certain alternative treatments can be risky unless done under the supervision of a health practitioner. For example, alternative treatments like including supplements and herbs in one’s diet require straightforward conversations with healthcare providers, and it’s imperative to tell your doctor which supplements you’re taking since they can interact with other medications.

“We have to be careful with these types of products because these are not regulated, so some of the products can obtain other materials in them and some of these contain very high levels of supplementation that can even be toxic in the younger population,” Stockton says. “There are a few products that have some support. The best help with navigating alternative treatments is to make a consultation with a medical provider who is knowledgeable with the current use of these products.”
In addition to supplementation and dietary changes, many people are after natural home remedies for cystic acne, but Stockton and Prystowsky both advise that there aren’t any effective home remedies. Seeing your dermatologist should be your first port-of-call, and from there, they can advise you on how to properly care for your skin.

Should you pop the pimples caused by cystic acne?

Definitely not, according to Stockton. “The more you manipulate it, the more likely you are to cause permanent scarring,” she says. “I would suggest leaving the surgical treatment of acne to skincare professionals to avoid unnecessary scarring of the skin.” As tempting as it may be, the depth of cystic acne means the follicle will just burst within the skin, causing further inflammation.

Speaking of scarring, one of the most difficult aspects of cystic acne is dealing with the scars it leaves behind. “The best way to reduce your chances of permanent scarring is to seek care early, before you develop the scars and to avoid picking and squeezing cystic lesions,” says Stockton. “Understand this can be a long process, but most of the time, we can successfully control the condition.”

The Psychological Impact of Cystic Acne

Unfortunately, we live in a society where clear skin is seen as essential to beauty. For many people with cystic acne, this can be heartbreaking as they can be made to feel unattractive and undervalued. As in Holly’s case, people might also be bullied or teased because of their skin condition. Cystic acne can have an effect on your mental wellbeing, too.
One study shows that adolescents with acne—especially teenage girls—are likely to experience negative psychological impacts including anxiety due to their skin conditions. Another study links acne to poorer mental health and lower self-worth. Of course, this stress isn’t good for your soul or your skin, and unfortunately stress is related to more agitated and blemished skin, as well as a range of physical and mental health issues.

There is hope for Cystic Acne Sufferers

Therapy can be a useful way to work through these feelings. Kelley Kitley, LCSW, says that she often has clients who struggle with self-image and body-image issues due to acne. She recommends therapy to anyone who struggles with self-esteem and confidence issues due to acne or any other cause.

“The treatment I often use is cognitive behavioral therapy, which is restructuring automatic negative thoughts and focusing on the positive,” she says. “If they are getting treatment for the acne, we work on recognizing that the acne is temporary.” While it’s important to sort out the physical effects of cystic acne as soon as possible, the same can be said for the emotional effects of acne. It’s best to see a therapist sooner rather than later.
Holly feels that she’s lucky because her cystic acne motivated her to find her true calling. “I will never forget my experience with cystic acne, and would never want to go through it again, but it did provide me with a life changing experience,” she says. “If we use our challenges instead of letting our challenges use us, we can change the world one person at a time. That is my purpose and destiny now, every day.”

We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping—or at least trying to: getting our rooms to the perfect temperature and lighting, nestling under just the right amount of covers, arranging our limbs into the best sleeping position. And yet sleeping—one thing that should be so easy—is a struggle for many.
Of course, sleep is complicated. Sleep quality is a major health issue for Americans. According to 2014 numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 35.2 percent of adults get less than seven hours of sleep per night.
If that sounds like you and you’re looking to make a change, take note: Your bedtime and your sleeping position aren’t the only factors that determine the quality of your sleep. According to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, improving your sleep hygiene—the habits that affect your sleep—can make a substantial difference. If you’re on prescription medication, living la vida loca, feeling especially stressed out at work, or are indulging in a few too many coffees a day (especially close to bedtime), look at tweaking those parts of your life where you can.
But if you’ve already zenned out around matters both professional and personal, you eat the healthiest foods at the healthiest of times, and your bedroom is perfectly designed for a peaceful slumber—and you still can’t sleep, it might be time to look at how you’re sleeping. Specifically, you need to figure out the best sleeping positions for you because the way you sleep impacts how good that sleep is—and your overall health.
“The biggest purpose for sleep is to help us recover from the activities of the day physically, mentally, and emotionally,” says Scott Bautch, chiropractor and president of the American Chiropractic Association’s Council on Occupational Health. “The physical part is that if I sleep in a good posture, meaning neutral, my spine is resting, and everything is in the right position…I’m trying to help the body recover by trying to be as neutral as possible, so those ligaments and muscles get a chance to recover from the activities of the day.”  
A poor sleeping position can contribute to all sorts of conditions, from insomnia to back pain. But you can make a few minor changes to the way you lay to figure out the best sleeping position. Don’t be surprised if you see—and feel—major results.

Best Sleeping Positions: The Basics

Sleep specialists typically break down positions into three categories: side, back, and stomach. Within those three categories, there are plenty of variations. For instance, sleeping in the fetal position will actually affect you differently than sleeping with your back straight in what some refer to as the log position.
Sleep specialists typically make a simple recommendation: Do what makes you comfortable. If you’re having issues falling asleep or staying asleep, however, the best sleeping position for you likely involves sleeping on your side. 
That’s especially true if you have trouble breathing in other sleep postures. Harvard’s Division of Sleep Medicine also suggests that side sleeping is the best sleeping position for you if you struggle with troubled breathing at night as it may reduce the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), an extreme and potentially dangerous type of snoring. The school notes that weight loss and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy are more effective methods of ensuring long-term healthy sleeping, but if you only experience breathing issues while sleeping on your back, you might consider being comfortably situated on your side as your new best sleeping position.

Best Sleeping Positions for Insomnia

Around 10 percent of American adults suffer from daytime impairment resulting from insomnia and around 30 percent of American adults deal with regular sleep disruption. It’s clear that sleep is a problem in America, and it seems to be getting worse: According to reporting from The New Yorker, insomnia diagnoses rose from fewer than one million to more than five million between 1993 and 2006. It’s a big deal, considering that sleep deprivation can seriously affect health.
To treat insomnia, you have to identify the cause of the condition. That’s not always easy, though, since everything from diet to television-watching habits can affect how you sleep (or don’t). One factor that researchers generally agree upon is that finding the best sleeping position for you can affect whether or not you’re getting healthy sleep.
Issues like back pain and indigestion can also contribute to insomnia, and if you’re constantly tossing and turning to try to get more comfortable, that won’t help you solve any of those issues. That’s why identifying any other physical issues—and attempting to remedy those through sleeping positions and other measures—is key.

Best Sleeping Positions for Back Pain

Back pain is incredibly prevalent. In 2012, the American Physical Therapy Association reported that nearly two-thirds of Americans experience low back pain. Put another (equally painful) way, on any given night, some 31 million people will suffer from low back pain in the States alone.
Even worse, low back pain and poor sleep work together to make sufferers miserable: One study from The Clinical Journal of Pain found that a bad night’s sleep indeed led to a day of increased back pain. Here’s the kicker: A day of worse pain was also associated with a bad night’s sleep! It’s easy to fall into a downward spiral of pain and fatigue.  
Finding the best sleeping position for back pain that works for you could be a game changer. Here’s what medical science says about finding the best sleeping positions for back pain:

Supine Sleeping (or Log Position)

The best sleeping positions for back pain involve keeping your posture neutral, meaning that the body doesn’t bend or twist out of line. Bautch explains, “If you’re standing up and your ears are over your shoulders, and your shoulders are over your hips, and your hips are over your knees, there’s a neutral posture from front to back and left to right. So we want to reproduce that [in sleep].”
Whatever you do, don’t sleep on your stomach, researchers say. The key to finding a healthy sleeping position that eases pain in your back is to keep the spinal column aligned according to its natural shape, which requires support. Sleeping on your stomach doesn’t offer much support for the spine and may even push it into an unnatural curve.
Sleeping face-down can lead to other health problems as well, Bautch warns. “That’s by far the worst,” he says, referring to stomach-sleeping. “People that sleep on their stomachs have more hand and arm problems than any other population…And because we’re not going to breathe into our pillows, we twist our neck all night long. Often we bring our knee and arm up. We’ll put our hand underneath our head, and that continued irritation, we don’t recover from. As life goes on, we start to have more numbness symptoms in our neck and arm.”
Your spine is a long cord of vertebrae, the smaller interlocking bones. Between each vertebra, there’s a squishy intervertebral disk—the skeleton’s shock absorbers. These disks are mostly made of water. Why is this important? When you’re upright, you put pressure on your intervertebral disks, slowly squeezing out some of the fluid. Sleep is when your disks rehydrate. Therefore, the best sleeping position for back pain is one that evenly distributes your body weight to keep pressure on the spine at a minimum.
If you’re most comfortable sleeping on your back, that’s great (unless you’re pregnant—in which case, read on!). “Sleeping on your back is definitely the best position for all body parts, because we’re less likely to twist or compress the nerves,” says Bautch. “Sleeping on your back is definitely the preferred way.”
Just be sure to get a few extra pillows. Place a small one behind your knees, bending them slightly. (If you want to get technical, bend your knees to 135 degrees—the angle prescribed by ergonomist Bart Haex in his book Back and Bed: Ergonomic Aspects of Sleeping.) Find a pillow that keeps your neck and shoulders in line with your ears and hips, which will keep your spine straight all the way to the base of your skull.

Lateral Sleeping

The lateral sleeping position—lying on your side—can also be a good sleeping position for back pain. Pull your knees a bit upward toward your torso to maintain stability. The right mattress also goes a long way here. You want your hip and shoulder to sink into the mattress just enough to keep your spine straight. Perfect the lateral sleeping position by placing a firm body pillow between your knees.
“If you sleep on your side, think about if you looked down and said, ‘Okay, here’s how wide my knees are when I’m standing normally,’” Bautch says. “I’m a big fan of body pillows. You put them between your knees, from your ankles to your knees, all the way to your arms. You hug them, and you have a tendency to keep your arms and legs in the right place.”
Try to align your hips, shoulders, and ears. If you can’t, adjust your pillows. “From your shoulders, you could draw a line on your spine and it would go all the way to your pelvis,” Bautch says. “And if I drew that line, it would continue right through between your knees and all the way to your ankle. That’s how I’d want to try to sleep.”
Long story short: The best sleeping positions for back pain are supine (on your back) and lateral (on your side). Use pillows to support parts of your body that aren’t sinking into the mattress, and to keep your body stable during sleep. Remember, you won’t be awake to purposely adjust.
And if that back pain gets worse, or doesn’t go away? Talk to your doctor.  

Best Sleeping Positions for Neck Pain

Neck pain and your sleeping position are strongly associated with one another. In fact, poor sleeping positions can not only lead to unhealthy sleep, but to musculoskeletal disorders in the neck and shoulders as well. You want the neck to remain straight, lying in the neutral posture. Unfortunately, that’s not something most contemporary pillows are built for.
“Most pillows are biggest in the middle and smallest at the edge,” says Bautch. “But they really need to be bigger on the edge and smaller in the middle because our head needs to sink down so we stay neutral all the time.”
If you have a conventional pillow, you probably need more neck support to get truly healthy sleep, especially if you sleep on your side. Your pillow alone is unlikely to keep your neck and spine aligned, which means it can exacerbate neck pain rather than providing relief.
Bautch suggests you modify your pillow. “Roll up a towel or something. You need to get an edge. The edge needs to be more supportive than the middle.”
Again, sleeping on your back is the best sleeping position to keep your body in a neutral position. If you can drift off on your back (and don’t snore, especially if you’re sleeping with your boo), you won’t go wrong with that sleeping position. Your neck will thank you.

Best Sleeping Positions for Digestion

Everyone knows they’re not supposed to eat just before bed, but many people do it anyway. Maybe you worked late and got home starving. Maybe dinner was just so satisfying that it put you into a food coma and bedtime became inevitable. No matter what happened, your sleeping position can determine how well your body is able to digest that late-night meal. 
Figuring out your best sleeping position is particularly important if you’re prone to heartburn or acid reflux. The gold standard that doctors recommend for people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is to raise the head of the bed with six- to eight-inch tall blocks. Extra pillows just won’t cut it according to “Effect of Bed Head Elevation During Sleep in Symptomatic Patients of Nocturnal Gastroesophageal Reflux”—a study published in the Journal of  Gastroenterology and Hepatology in 2012—because they may only lift the head and shoulders. Besides, you might just roll off the pillows in your sleep.
If you’re just looking for relief from an overfull stomach, though, and you don’t want to break out the wood blocks, try sleeping on your left side, which is considered the best sleeping position for digestion. Just be sure not to lie on your right side. A major study found that reflux was significantly worse in healthy subjects when they lay on their right sides rather than their left.
Researchers fed 10 subjects sausage-and-egg biscuits and coffee, then had half of them lie on their left sides and half on their right. The latter group suffered more acid exposure and more episodes of reflux. The takeaway? Next time you overindulge just before bed, try lying on your left side. Just don’t forget that pillow between your knees.

Best Sleeping Positions for Pregnancy

Expecting mothers develop sleep disorders frequently, which isn’t completely surprising, considering the vast range of hormonal, physical, and emotional changes that accompany pregnancy. Sleeping in the best position is, again, one factor among many. If poor sleep is routinely affecting your quality of life during pregnancy, you’re best off speaking with your OB-GYN.
That said, the American Pregnancy Association says sleeping on your back is one sleeping position you should definitely avoid during pregnancy since it can cause a decrease in both maternal and and fetal circulation. They also advise against sleeping on your stomach, because, well, you’re a little too big for that.
Citing the work of OB-GYN Glade Curtis, the Association says that the best sleeping position for pregnant women is on their left sides, keeping their legs and knees bent. Placing a pillow under the abdomen can improve comfort in the last trimester. If you have hip pain, again, try placing a pillow between your knees. Try to get as much sleep as you can now, mama!

It’s happening again. You finished lunch a little while ago and that painful burning sensation in your stomach is back. You pop a Tums and wait for relief, but you know that it won’t last and your heartburn will probably start up again soon. You start to feel queasy and hope you don’t need to run to the bathroom. Why does this keep happening after every meal?
You might have a stomach ulcer. There are more than half a million new cases of stomach ulcers every year, and around 25 million Americans will get an ulcer at some point during their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This health issue is relatively common, but the good news is that ulcers have a high likelihood of being permanently cured.
So how do you know if your stomach pain is caused by an ulcer? HealthyWay asked Will Bulsiewicz, MD, MSCI, the board-certified practicing gastroenterologist behind the popular gut health Instagram account @theguthealthmd, to bust the common misconceptions about stomach ulcers. (Hint: Spicy food doesn’t cause them!) He also shared expert advice on diagnosing, treating, and preventing the disease. Here’s what you should know about stomach ulcers.

Understanding the Condition

There are many myths and misconceptions that swirl around when people talk about stomach ulcers. So let’s set the record straight, starting with the name.
“The term ‘stomach ulcer’ is something that people use liberally to refer to a peptic ulcer, which occurs in the stomach or in the first part of the small intestine, known as the duodenum,” says Bulsiewicz. “A peptic ulcer is basically a breakdown of the lining in the small intestine or stomach due to a disruption in the natural balance between inflammation and the barrier to inflammation that exists in the body.”
In other words, it’s a sore or hole in the lining of the stomach or the first part of the small intestine. Ouch!
So what causes stomach ulcers? You’ve probably heard that spicy food can burn holes in your stomach lining or that a stressful lifestyle contributes stomach ulcers, but that’s not entirely true.
“It does make for an interesting story, though,” explains Bulsiewicz. “After the Germans bombed England in World War II, they found that the rate of stomach ulcers rose substantially, so that’s where the myth that stress causes stomach ulcers comes from. While there’s some truth to the concept of a stress ulcer (they’re common in patients who are critically ill with organ failure), it’s generally caused by a bacterial infection.”
That’s right—rather than a few months of heightened stress causing stomach issues, the Helicobacter pylori bacterium (commonly known as H. pylori) is actually responsible for around 90 percent of ulcers.
“Many people will carry H. pylori without showing any symptoms. There are theories that exist that we have evolved to have this bacteria and it’s protective, but it also disrupts defense mechanisms in the stomach and therefore causes ulcers in stomach or the first part of the small intestine,” says Bulsiewicz.
As for other causes of stomach ulcers, the main culprit can be found right in your own medicine cabinet: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. (Note: Acetaminophen, or Tylenol, is not an NSAID.)
“Long-term use of NSAIDs can break down the natural defense mechanisms in the stomach and small intestine and cause direct harm, wearing away the lining,” says Bulsiewicz. “I don’t love these medicines, because when someone’s having severe gastrointestinal bleeding, it’s often because they’ve been using too much of these medicines to treat arthritis and things like that.”
Stomach ulcers can also be caused by Zollinger–Ellison syndrome, a rare condition that causes the body to produce too much acid. Zollinger–Ellison syndrome occurs in only about 1 in every 1 million people and is more common among men between the ages of 30 and 50, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Your doctor can run tests to determine if you have Zollinger–Ellison syndrome.

Signs You Might Have a Stomach Ulcer

Everyone suffers from the occasional stomachache—it’s no fun, but it usually passes after a couple hours without cause for alarm. But what if the pain is recurring? Could it be an ulcer? What do stomach ulcers feel like?
“The classic indicator is pain in the upper part of the stomach in your midline, but not quite in the chest. It’s the epigastric area,” says Bulsiewicz.
The doctor goes on to explain that mealtime can influence when you feel the worst.
“If it’s a stomach ulcer, the pain happens right after eating. If the ulcer is in the small intestine, it will hurt two or three hours after a meal,” he added.
However, pain isn’t the only sign of a problem. Other stomach ulcer symptoms include nausea, getting full too quickly (a condition known as “early satiety”), and anemia. Abnormal vomit and stools, such as if they’re bloody or look like coffee grounds, can also be big warning signs.
“If you have severe abdominal pain or any of the other symptoms, you should go see your doctor,” warns Bulsiewicz. “Don’t wait until it worsens to ask what’s going on.”
Delaying treatment for a stomach ulcer could lead to potentially serious complications.
“It might erode all the way through the lining of your stomach or intestine and create a perforation. You’ll develop peritonitis and there’s be a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain. It’s also possible to develop an obstruction, where the ulcer causes a deformation of the tube, or lumen, of the intestine and food can’t get through,” says Bulsiewicz.
If you suspect you might have a stomach ulcer or another gastrointestinal issue, get in touch with your physician as soon as possible. Early treatment can help you avoid painful complications down the road. 

How to Get a Diagnosis

When it comes to any health issue, reading about symptoms on the internet should be used strictly for gathering background information. Only a medical professional can say for sure whether you have a stomach ulcer.
Generally, your doctor will start by checking for an H. pylori infection, which might indicate a stomach ulcer. They can look for the bacteria through a stool, blood, or breath test.
You may also need to undergo an upper endoscopy, one of the best ways to diagnose a stomach ulcer, says Bulsiewicz. You’ll receive anesthesia, then the gastroenterologist will slip an endoscope (a thin, flexible tube with a light, camera, and tools to collect tissue for a biopsy) down your throat to look for sores.
“Once I’ve diagnosed it as an ulcer, I can administer a treatment during the procedure if medically appropriate. The endoscopy is the most direct test. It presents the least likelihood of missing an ulcer and it offers opportunity for treatment,” he says.
While used less frequently, a barium swallow can also help determine whether you have a stomach ulcer. This test involves swallowing a liquid with barium sulfate, which will coat the upper part of your gastrointestinal tract. Then the doctor will take a series of X-rays to watch the contrast and potentially spot an ulcer.
Your doctor will provide a recommendation on the best way to diagnose a stomach ulcer in your body.

Treating the Problem

Once your doctor confirms you have a stomach ulcer, he or she can begin making recommendations for treatment. The good news is that most stomach ulcer treatments are short and will help you feel better fast. Stomach ulcers are relatively common and easily cured with the right medical interventions.
“If you have H. pylori, the classic treatment is called a triple therapy. It’s a combination of two antibiotics—usually amoxicillin and clarithromycin—and a proton-pump inhibitor (or PPI), such as Prevacid, Nexium, and Prilosec, to reduce stomach acid,” says Bulsiewicz. “You’ll start to feel better in a few days unless you have a severe ulcer.”
Some doctors may treat a stomach ulcer with a histamine-2 (H2) receptor antagonist, rather than a PPI, to help your body cut down on acid production. The exact combination of drugs, dosage, and duration of treatment will depend on your medical history and the severity of your stomach ulcer.
As with almost every drug, stomach ulcer treatments such as PPIs do come with the risk of side effects. However, Bulsiewicz says that PPIs are safe and effective for the treatment of stomach ulcers.
“Many of the studies people have seen reported in the news about PPIs and their risks are overblown. In general, we believe these medicines are very safe. While there are risks, taking the medicine for 4 to 8 weeks is going to be completely safe for most people,” he says.
Your doctor may also provide recommendations for treating stomach ulcers with natural remedies in addition to medical preventions. For example, Bulsiewicz says that in addition to a PPI, he’s used fiber and probiotics to treat ulcers. This approach fosters gut health and may help prevent future stomach ulcers.
“Fiber, probiotics, and possibly fermented foods: These are things I believe in. What’s cool is that most things that contain fiber also have prebiotics, the food found in plants that feeds our gut microbiome and helps our body work the way it’s supposed to,” Bulsiewicz says.
Garlic and licorice root may potentially help heal stomach ulcers, but more research is required before they can be relied on as a natural treatment, adds Bulsiewicz.

Soothe with food.

What you put in your body can have a big influence on how you feel when you have a stomach ulcer. Bulsiewicz recommends eating a high-fiber diet (as long as you don’t have an obstruction) and limiting consumption of spicy and acidic foods.
“They can aggravate an ulcer. You should also avoid processed foods, which may impair healing of the ulcer,” he says.
It’s a good idea to lay off alcohol and smoking when you’re treating a stomach ulcer, Bulsiewicz cautions.
So what are the best foods to eat when you have a stomach ulcer? Stick with fresh, low-acid fruits and vegetables and lean meats. They’ll give your body the essential nutrients it needs during a time of healing. You may also consider eating homemade sauerkraut, which contains beneficial bacteria for your gut.

Stomach Ulcers and Pregnancy

During pregnancy, there are always heightened concerns about the impact health woes will have on the mother and the baby.
“Pregnancy may actually be protective when it comes to peptic ulcers, because increased progesterone levels from pregnancy lower stomach acid output and create more protective mucus. Nonetheless, ulcers can still happen and are more likely in those who smoke or who have a prior history of ulcer disease,” says Bulsiewicz, adding that if you think you might have a stomach ulcer while you’re pregnant, your doctor can perform an endoscopy—ideally during the second trimester—to make a diagnosis.
“There are safe medication options that could be used to treat the ulcer, such as the H2 receptor antagonists,” says Bulsiewicz.
Your doctor is the best source of information for diagnosis and treatment of a stomach ulcer during pregnancy.

Preventing Stomach Ulcers

Perhaps you’ve figured out that something else was the cause of your stomach pain (ate one slice too many at a pizza party? We don’t judge!), but now that you’ve read about stomach ulcers, you’re worried about getting one. How can you prevent it from happening to you?
“Be cautious with your use of NSAIDs. That’s what I see as the dominant controllable factor,” says Bulsiewicz.
He also recommends moderating the amount of alcohol you drink, quitting smoking, and eating a clean, healthy diet.
“Maximizing your consumption of fruits and vegetables and really doing your best to not consume processed foods is to everyone’s benefit,” says Bulsiewicz.
If you’re worried about getting a stomach ulcer, talk to your doctor so you can work together to decide the best way to check for an H. pylori infection and prevent gastrointestinal issues.

If you’ve been feeling pain in your lower back or numbness in your legs, your friends might be throwing the words “sciatic nerve pain” or “sciatica” at you and telling you it’s time to hit the doctor’s office.
Any time the nerves come up, we get, well, nervous! But is a little pain in your rear end actually sciatic nerve pain? And even if it is, do you really need to visit a doctor?
Maybe. Then again, maybe not.
The truth is, most of us suffer from low back pain at some point—we’re a nation of people who spend long days sitting in uncomfortable office chairs that offer little lumbar support and plenty of problems for the back. A 2015 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine estimates that more than half of the average person’s waking hours are spent sitting between computer work, commuting, and TV watching. In turn, all that time on our collective tuchases is linked to everything from an increased risk of heart disease to an increased incidence of lower back pain.
But for an estimated 10 percent of us, low back pain isn’t just low back pain. It’s a problem with the sciatic nerve, the biggest nerve in the whole body, which travels directly through our middles, down the spine into our rear ends and then down our legs.
So how do you know when it’s just regular old aches and pains or when it’s something more? Let’s go nerve deep, shall we?

Sciatic Nerve Pain or Sciatica?

The terms sciatic nerve pain and sciatica don’t just sound similar, they’re the exact same thing. The former tends to be used by physicians, while the latter is the word we tend to throw around when we’re sounding off with our friends, but at the end of the day, you can use them interchangeably.
No matter what you call it, sciatica is rooted in the sciatic nerve, one of 43 pairs of nerves in the human body, and the body’s biggest. It’s formed when the L4-S3 nerve roots merge together after exiting the spine, says Neel Anand, professor of orthopaedic surgery and director of spine trauma at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles, California.
“Once [the sciatic nerve] exits the spine, it travels through the buttock and along the back side of the leg where it then divides into three branches,” Anand explains. “These nerve branches provide our lower extremities with their strength and sensation.”
If you’re scratching an itch on your thigh, the nerves will tell your brain you’re getting relief, for example, or it can help the body respond to some sweet, sweet deep tissue massage. But in instances of sciatica, the sensation in the lower extremities is uncomfortable or downright painful.
The sciatic nerve typically causes pain when there’s nerve compression, meaning something is pressing on the sciatic nerve itself, irritating it and causing it to signal to the brain that you’re in pain.
The leading cause of nerve compression is a herniated disc in the low back. That means that one of the spinal discs (or intervertebral fibrocartilage) located between the spinal vertebrae has pushed out, bulging between the vertebrae and putting pressure on the spinal nerves.
In other cases, sciatica can be ascribed to arthritis, pregnancy, or other mechanical irritants. “Sometimes the nerve itself can be irritated more distally in the pelvis,” says Daniel Resnick, MD, a neurosurgeon at the University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine & Public Health and the president of the North American Spine Society (NASS).
Sciatica isn’t a disease so much as a side effect of whatever condition causes it, be it a bulging disc or arthritis, which can result in sciatic nerve pain symptoms.
Speaking of symptoms, sciatic nerve pain typically involves sharp, searing, electric-like or shooting pains that lead from the buttocks down the leg. The pain can occur when sitting or standing, and especially when spending a prolonged time in either position. Sciatic nerve pain sufferers may also feel numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness, and the symptoms can occur anywhere along the pathway of the sciatic nerve. Typically the pain will radiate from the spine, through the butt, down one leg or the other, and all the way down below the knee. Sometimes the pain can be felt into the foot, although just how extensive the reach is varies from person to person.
Speaking of…

Who’s going to get sciatic nerve pain?

Sciatica can crop up in the elderly, and the vision of a grandpa or grandma standing up only to yelp, “My sciatica!” is fairly common. It’s also a bit of a misunderstanding. Sciatic nerve pain isn’t unique to the geriatric population.
“Though it is frequently believed that sciatica is a side-effect of aging, it can actually occur in people of all ages,” Anand says. “People in their twenties can experience it and in fact, the peak age at which sciatica as a result of disc herniation usually occurs is in the forties to fifties.”
Although men are three times more likely than women to suffer from sciatica, pregnancy is a common cause of low back pain in women, and at least 1 percent of those who  have low back pain during pregnancy will encounter sciatic nerve pain during the nine months they spend carrying a baby.
That said, sciatica is not technically a pregnancy-related condition, either, according to Anita Somani, MD, an OB-GYN with OhioHealth in Columbus, Ohio, so while it can happen, it’s not a given for moms-to-be. The weight of the uterus and the fetus pressing on the nerve can be to blame, but often pregnant women who suffer from sciatic nerve pain have other issues that are causing the problem.
“It can happen with a weak back, herniated disc, bone spurs, or spinal stenosis,” Somani says. “Anything that pinches the sciatic nerve can cause this condition.”
If the problem is the uterus and fetus bearing down on that nerve, the good news is that the pain can go away temporarily or permanently when the baby changes position and should be gone for good after delivery.
Not pregnant, but still feeling the pain? Other risk factors for sciatica are a mix of genetics and lifestyle.
In fact, Resnick shares that “bad luck” is actually on his list of reasons someone might be struggling with shooting pains down their rear end, but he also tacks on lack of exercise, aging, and even smoking.
Yes, smoking. Although researchers haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact reasons why smoking and sciatica might be linked, a number of studies have determined that smoking is a “modest risk factor for lumbar radicular pain and clinically verified sciatica.” According to a 2016 study published in the American Journal of Medicine, however, quitting smoking will reduce your risk, although it won’t eliminate it entirely.
As for lack of exercise, it stands to reason that excess weight puts stress on the discs of the lower back, which in turn can cause disc herniation, which—you guessed it—paves the way for sciatic nerve pain. While keeping your core tight and weight in line with medical guidelines isn’t a guaranteed fix, it will reduce your risk.

Treatment Talk

No matter the cause, if you’re suffering from any of the symptoms of sciatica, there’s typically good news on the horizon. Most cases of sciatic nerve pain will go away within three months, if not sooner. Ninety percent of the time, Resnick says, it will actually go away without any treatment at all.
If you’re aching and want to stick to at-home treatments, over-the-counter anti-inflammatories are typically recommended, along with heat and ice therapy, which can soothe your aching back, butt, and legs.
Resting can help too, so if you want to curl up in bed for a day with Netflix, feel free to pamper yourself…for awhile. Just but be careful not to overdo your rest and relaxation period.
“Research now shows that prolonged inactivity or bedrest can actually end up making your symptoms worse, so keep moving,” Anand warns.
That said, if there are certain activities you’ve been pursuing, like a specific workout, make the pain worse, it’s wise to lay off and modify your lifestyle for awhile. Try to reduce the need to carry heavy objects, even if that means something as simple as cleaning out a bulky purse and downsizing for a while.
When it comes to working out, it’s important to keep on moving, but Anand suggests sticking to gentle stretching exercises that avoid twisting, jerking, and bouncing, as you’ll want to move without exacerbating your symptoms.
If you’re a yoga fan or interested in giving it a go, child’s pose and downward dog are both recommended to help stretch out the low back and ease sciatic nerve pain. Provided you’re open about your symptoms, a yoga teacher can help with developing a workout that can stretch your muscles and provide relief without worsening the sciatica.
If sitting makes your nerve pain flare up, but work requires you spend a lot of time seated, practice good posture. Sit up straight rather than leaning over toward your work. Don’t cross your legs. Position your feet flat on the floor, and keep your hips and knees bent at 45 degree angles.
If you can, grab an office chair that provides lumbar support, and look for one that has wheels. When you’ve got to move around your desk, taking advantage of the wheels to move your body as a single unit can help you avoid twisting and turning. Also, be careful about how you move from sitting to standing.
As often as possible, take standing breaks to avoid remaining in one static position for too long. Do not bend at the waist to stand up, as this can make the pain worse. Instead, slide forward on your seat, then use your legs to push yourself into a standing position.
And don’t underestimate the power of positive thinking.
“Though it is impossible to completely eliminate your sciatica risk, understanding that a painful episode is likely short lived can go a long way to putting your mind at ease when one decides to strike,” Anand notes.
If you’re still hurting after a few months, a trip to the doctor can help you get to the root of the problem. Your healthcare provider may call for x-rays or an MRI to see what’s going on internally.
“Doctors often require some type of imaging examination to get to the bottom of sciatica symptoms that haven’t resolved on their own by the three-month mark,” Anand explains. “The purpose for these exams is to connect the symptoms the patient is experiencing with something on the imaging exam that helps us identify why.”
Unfortunately, even with imaging, it isn’t always possible for doctors to identify what’s causing sciatica symptoms. Idiopathic sciatica—or sciatica with no known cause—can be frustrating for sufferers who just want an answer about the origins of their pain. But even idiopathic sciatica tends to go away with conservative treatments, Anand says.
If doctors do decide a patient needs something beyond over-the-counter anti-inflammatories for pain management, most wind up prescribing steroid treatments, injecting the medicine right into the area of pain, or prescribing steroid pills.
In rare cases, surgery may be required, but the surgeons will be working to fix the cause of the sciatica rather than looking to simply cure the sciatic nerve pain. If surgery is required, the solution to the sciatica winds up being a secondary benefit, while the primary focus is addressing the overarching issue that’s causing the sciatica and any other symptoms.

Preventing Sciatic Nerve Pain

Maybe you’ve been through a bout of sciatic nerve pain and never want to experience it again. Or maybe you’ve read all about it and are thinking, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
While the cases of “bad luck” that cause sciatica can’t be avoided, there is increasing evidence that a focus on overall better health can prevent you from experiencing a flare up.
Case in point: Undoing the bad habits that come with sitting all day or standing for long periods of time.
“Exercise regularly to help keep your spine strong, maintain good posture while you’re in a seated position, and use good body mechanics if you stand for long periods or do a lot of heavy lifting for work,” Anand says.
Looking to lengthen and strengthen? Try these yoga poses for core strength and consider incorporating resistance bands or kettlebells into your current fitness routine.
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Whether you’re running around constantly for yourself and your family, expecting a new baby, or just beginning to explore means of better caring for yourself, you may be painstakingly aware of how often you find yourself tired out, short of breath, or looking pale. Are you just having an off day, or could your fatigue be the sign of something more sinister?
For many women, these signs are just part of the strain of modern life and hint at a need to slow down and prioritize self-care. That said, they can also indicate iron deficiency, a condition that tends to impact women and young children and can lead to a variety of health issues. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH),“infants, young children, teenaged girls, pregnant women, and premenopausal women are at risk of obtaining insufficient amounts” of iron, which means whether you’re a mother or kid free and loving it, knowing the signs of iron deficiency is critical.

It can be hard to keep track of all the nutrients and vitamins that we’re supposed to eat daily to keep our bodies running at optimum health, but being aware of whether or not you’re getting enough iron in your diet is especially important because the nutrient is critical for producing blood—which is literally your life force. Being iron deficient will leave you feeling zapped, tired, and sometimes even sick.
Luckily, once you know what to look for, it’s easy to tell whether you might be iron deficient and to take steps to ensure that you—and your children, if you have any littles—are getting enough iron to stay healthy. Here’s everything you need to know about iron’s role in your body, where the nutrient comes from, and how to make sure you are getting enough.

What is iron (and what does it do for the body)?

According to the NIH, iron is a mineral that is critical for bodily functions including making blood, maintaining a healthy metabolism, and supporting healthy growth. Iron’s most important function in the body is supporting the production of hemoglobin, a protein found in your blood that helps transfer oxygen from the lungs to your tissues.
Because your body cannot make iron itself, it is critical to get your recommended daily intake of iron from the foods you eat.
“Iron helps produce hemoglobin, which is the part of the red blood cell that transports oxygen to our brain, heart, muscle, and all tissues within the body,” explains Ehsan Ali, MD, a primary care physician in Beverly Hills. “With a low iron level, the body won’t have enough hemoglobin, which means oxygen is not being delivered to our cells properly. Having iron levels that are too low can be very dangerous.”
If you don’t have enough iron, your body can have a hard time producing hemoglobin. This means that oxygen will not circulate throughout your body as it should, which can leave you feeling tired and run-down.

“Low levels of oxygen can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, heavy periods, pale complexion, shortness of breath, problems regulating body temperature, headaches, pica, anxiety, brain fog, hair loss, and hypothyroidism,” says Rebecca Lee, a registered nurse from New York City.
Iron is important for more than just blood flow, however.
“Iron also helps convert blood sugar into energy, protects the immune system, and maintains normal cognitive function in children,” Lee explains.

How does iron function in the body (and what does being a woman have to do with it)?

For your body to stay healthy, you need to have adequate iron stores. Most of the iron in your body (about 70 percent of it) is stored in your blood and muscles according to a resource hosted by the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. Iron in your blood is concentrated in hemoglobin, the protein that helps deliver oxygen throughout the body, whereas iron in your muscles is found in myoglobin, the substance that stores and releases oxygen in your muscles during intense muscular activity.

In addition to the iron found in your blood and muscles, which is easily accessible to your body and helps keep everything functioning smoothly on a regular basis, you also have iron stores in your liver, spleen, and bone marrow. It is the amount in these stores that makes women particularly susceptible to iron deficiency. Whereas men have—on average—1,000 milligrams of iron stored in their bodies (which is enough to last up to three years!) women’s bodies store an average of just 300 milligrams of iron, which is only enough to last us about six months.
Because women have limited iron stores—and because we menstruate, gestate, and lactate, all of which put increased demands on our iron reserves—we’re at a significantly greater risk of developing iron deficiency.

What causes iron deficiency (and what does iron deficiency look like)?

Iron deficiency occurs when your body’s iron stores become depleted.
“Iron deficiency means a patient has low levels of iron,” explains Ali. “Common symptoms and signs are fatigue, tired feeling, and low energy. You may also notice your skin and nails starting to look very pale.”
Irony deficiency can happen in two ways, Lee explains. Either your body suddenly needs more iron, or your body is taking too little iron in because the foods you’re eating don’t contain adequate amounts of iron, or because you’re experiencing an issue with absorption.
Certain groups of individuals are at an increased risk for iron deficiency according to the NIH, including pregnant women and young children.

Pregnant Women

During a healthy pregnancy, a woman’s blood volume will increase by 50 percent to support the needs of the fetus and to prepare for blood loss during childbirth. Creating all that new blood means that the body needs more iron than ever before.
“During pregnancy, plasma volume and red cell mass expand due to dramatic increases in maternal red blood cell production,” explains Elizabeth Trattner, an acupuncture physician. “The amount of iron that women need increases during that time.”

Having insufficient iron levels during pregnancy can lead to health complications for mom and baby including low birth weight and central nervous system issues, which is why many healthcare providers carefully monitor iron levels in pregnant women. The NIH recommends that all pregnant women take a low-dose iron supplement, and iron is often included in prenatal vitamins.
If you’re pregnant or thinking about trying for a baby, it’s important to note that women who have low iron stores before pregnancy should work with their doctors to develop a more aggressive plan for increasing their iron levels during gestation. In addition to the toll iron deficiency can take on an expectant mother, pre-conception and early-pregnancy iron deficiency can actually result in brain abnormalities associated with slow language learning and behavioral issues that last long after a baby’s gestation period.

Infants and Toddlers

Like pregnant women, infants and toddlers are also at risk for iron deficiency, in part because they are growing so quickly.
“An increased iron need can be caused by a growth spurt, especially in growing infants and toddlers,” says Lee, noting that their picky eating habits don’t help. “It may be more difficult for them to obtain iron from their diet than older children and adults.”

Research cited by the NIH shows that 12 percent of infants and 8 percent of toddlers are iron deficient. Iron deficiency in the early stages of life can lead to cognitive delays and psychological effects including social withdrawal. Because the impacts of iron deficiency in infancy and early childhood can be irreversible, it’s essential for young children to get enough iron.
Breastmilk is a great source of iron, especially for children under 12 months old. That said, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that starting at four months of age, parents of breastfed infants begin giving them a 1 milligram per kilogram iron supplement every day until they are eating iron-supplemented foods like infant cereals. If your baby is breastfeeding, your pediatrician can help you determine the right supplement dosage based on their age and weight.
Most infant formulas sold in the U.S. already contain iron, so there is no need to supplement formula-fed infants.
A resource posted by MedlinePlus also points out that infants who drink cow’s milk instead of breast milk or iron-fortified formula are more likely to be iron deficient because cow’s milk contains less iron, can cause intestinal issues, and is much harder for the body to absorb than breast milk. Likewise, children who are over a year old whose diets contain too much cow’s milk and not enough nutrient-dense, iron-rich food are at an increased risk of iron deficiency.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the following symptoms can be signs of iron deficiency in children and may warrant a talk with their pediatrician:

• Pale skin
• Lethargy
• Slowed growth and development
• Poor appetite
• Abnormally rapid breathing
• Behavioral problems
• Frequent infections
• Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, like ice, dirt, or paint

So how much iron do I need to prevent iron deficiency (and where should it come from)?

Given all the factors that impact how women and children’s bodies rely on and store iron, it’s especially important that they ingest enough iron to prevent iron deficiency. That can be complicated, though, because iron isn’t the easiest mineral to absorb.
According to Lee, “Only about 10 percent of consumed iron is absorbed into the body.”
In order to get enough iron, the NIH recommends that women consume 18 milligrams of iron each day (although if you’re pregnant you’ll need to increase that to 27 milligrams). Women who have stopped menstruating only need about 8 milligrams of iron each day, while toddlers ages 1 to 3 need 7 milligrams and children ages 4 to 8 need 10 milligrams daily to prevent iron deficiency.

The most well-known way to get iron is by eating red meat, which can contain up to 5 milligrams of iron per serving. However, if you or your kiddo isn’t a fan of red meat, or you choose to steer clear of meat altogether, there’s no need to worry. There are many non-meat sources of iron that you can incorporate into your diet to ward off iron deficiency. Oysters and white beans both contain 8 milligrams of iron per serving, while a 3-ounce serving of dark chocolate can give you 7 milligrams.
In the United States, many cereals are also fortified with iron and can contain up to 100 percent of the recommended daily value in just one serving, making them an easy way to help kids (or yourself!) get the iron needed to prevent deficiency. This nutrition data resource ranks hundreds of ready-to-eat cereals based on their iron content. Note that cereals more aggressively marketed toward children—like Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs—are lower in the ranking, whereas quick oats and and bran flakes top the list.

Lee also suggests that eating foods that are rich in vitamin C can help increase iron absorption, which highlights the importance of a balanced, nutrient-rich diet.

Other Risk Factors for Iron Deficiency

While Lee’s assertion that iron deficiency typically occurs when someone suddenly needs more iron or isn’t getting enough, other conditions including cancer and gastrointestinal bleeding can increase a person’s risk for iron deficiency. However, the fact remains that iron deficiency is most common in women of childbearing age, for both biological and social reasons.
“Women in this age group seem to be low in body stores of iron for several reasons,” says Arielle Levitan, MD. “Firstly, they often do not consume large quantities of red meat. They also continually lose significant amounts of iron from having periods, pregnancies, and breastfeeding.”
It is especially important for women who are breastfeeding or who have heavy periods to be sure they are getting enough iron, and Levitan suggests supplementation as a valid means of addressing and preventing iron deficiency.
“Many women make the mistake of stopping a prenatal after giving birth,” she says. “This is a time when they may need it the most given bleeding during the birth, nursing, and months of giving up your own iron for the baby. Many women remain deficient into their menopausal years starting with pregnancy.”

Are anemia and iron deficiency the same thing?

You’ve probably heard of anemia, but even if you know someone who has it, you might not understand exactly what the condition is. According to Ali, anemia occurs when there are not enough red blood cells (which are made from hemoglobin) in the blood to transport oxygen throughout the body. Because iron helps with the production of hemoglobin, he notes that iron deficiency and anemia often go hand-in-hand, although that isn’t always the case.
Symptoms of anemia are similar to those of iron deficiency, including fatigue and pale coloring, according to another Mayo Clinic resource. Over time, if anemia is not treated, these conditions can get worse and grow to include chest pain, dizziness, and yellowing of the skin. If you think that you are suffering from anemia, it is important to speak with your doctor to identify the cause and develop a treatment plan.

I think I’m struggling with iron deficiency: What’s next?

Iron deficiency can be diagnosed by a blood test, and some medical researchers actually suggest that all young women should be tested for iron deficiency and anemia given their heightened risk for developing the conditions. That said, if you think you might not be getting enough iron, the first step is to try to increase your iron intake. Levitan says this can be done by eating more iron-rich foods like red meat, legumes, and spinach. For young kids, fortified cereals are a great way to boost iron intake.
If you’re still experiencing symptoms associated with iron deficiency, talk to your doctor about incorporating an iron supplement. Iron supplements are usually the first line of treatment for iron deficiency and even anemia, but it’s important to work with a healthcare provider to find the right one for you since iron supplements can have unpleasant side effects.

“Iron from supplements is generally used by your body very readily,” Levitan says. “The challenge tends to be finding a supplement without side effects. Many people find that vitamins containing iron are hard on the stomach and can cause stomach aches, constipation, and other side effects. Finding a supplement that you can tolerate is essential.”
Your doctor may also advise taking the supplement with vitamin C to increase your absorption.
In some extreme cases, doctors recommend iron deficient patients receive iron supplements via IV, but this is uncommon and typically limited to cases in which oral supplementation isn’t an option, for example when a patient has a serious gastrointestinal condition, is on dialysis, or has celiac disease.

I don’t think I have an iron deficiency, but could I be consuming too much iron?

Women under 50 are much more likely to be iron deficient than to have too much iron in their bodies, but it is important to note that according to the NIH, there are negative health consequences and serious risks associated with consuming too much iron.
Nausea, vomiting, and faintness are associated with over-supplementation, and iron overdoses can result in multi-system organ failure, coma, and death. The upper healthy limit of iron is 40 milligrams per day for children under 13 and 45 milligrams per day for adults. If you or a child accidentally ingests more than that, it is important to seek medical attention immediately.
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iWhen Dawn Hauschild’s period showed up shortly after the birth of her second child, she expected it to be a normal adjustment to her pre-pregnancy state. Instead, the third-grade teacher’s period refused to go away, and with it came debilitating pain. The problem? Endometriosis, a chronic and painful disorder that allows uterine tissue to flourish in areas of the body other than the uterus.
It’s a lonely disease, Hauschild says.
“Your hormones are messed up, which messes with your entire body. You are in pain like the first-day period cramps every day, and people look at you like you are crazy,” she tells HealthyWay. “I talked to my best friend, who really didn’t understand what I was going through. My husband was my biggest support. But really and honestly, I felt ALONE.”
Hauschild is far from alone. An estimated 1 in 10 women in the world suffer from endometriosis, but it’s a condition that’s often misunderstood—in part because women don’t all show the same symptoms. For every woman like Hauschild, who was wracked with pain after her son’s arrival, there are women who show few or no symptoms at all.
Wondering whether you’re one of them? Here’s what the experts say.

What’s endometriosis, anyway?

Endometriosis can be (and often is) confused with endometrium, a term that refers to the mucous membrane lining the uterus. It’s an easy enough mistake to make when you look at the two words, but having one doesn’t mean you have the other.
Most cisgender women have endometrium. It’s the lining that will thicken during the menstrual cycle in anticipation of embryo implantation then shed during your period if you aren’t pregnant.
But for the millions of women with endometriosis, the endometrium doesn’t just show up in the uterus, says Sherry Ross, MD, an OB-GYN at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Endometrial implants, as they’re called, will show up in other parts of the body—from the ovaries to the fallopian tubes and beyond the reproductive system in the bowels, bladder, and other parts of the pelvis.
These implants become problematic because—just like the endometrium in the uterus—endometrial implants in other parts of the body respond to hormonal shifts and they slowly wreak havoc.
“With each period, the endometrial implants will bleed no matter where they are located in your body,” Ross explains. “As a result of the bleeding implant(s), scar tissue or ‘spiderwebs’ as I like to refer to them, develop in your pelvis, causing pain and all the other symptoms related to endometriosis.”
Those symptoms include everything from heavy menstrual bleeding and pelvic discomfort to painful intercourse and irregular periods.
It was both pain and bleeding that prompted Hauschild’s diagnosis. But although she had already gotten pregnant with one son, doctors said she might deal with yet another common sign of the disease: infertility. In fact this is how many women discover they have endometriosis.
Doctors still don’t know why a quarter of patients never show any of the more obvious side effects, but there’s a correlation that can’t be ignored. Anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of infertile women have endometriosis, and 30 to 50 percent of women with endometriosis are infertile. Although it is one of the most treatable causes of infertility, it also remains the least treated.
In the end, Hauschild was able to get pregnant a second time, albeit after several years of trying. But the second pregnancy and the hormones that flooded through her body seemed to make her condition worse. Still, she considers herself blessed.
“I was lucky,” Hauschild says. “I was able to have my boys. Some people are not able to have kids if they have it.”
Even those who do get pregnant, like Hauschild, often find that endometriosis worsens with each pregnancy. And the diagnosis process can be all the more frustrating, Ross says, because of the wide range of different symptoms each patient might experience.
“Since symptoms vary between women, so does the time it takes to make the diagnosis,” Ross explains. “Diagnosis can be tricky even for the specialists.”

What endometriosis is not

Whether you have endometriosis or you’re facing a possible diagnosis, there’s one thing that’s certain: It’s not your fault.
Although researchers have yet to pinpoint any one particular cause of the condition, it’s been verified that endometriosis is not something women can control. It’s not sexually transmitted, nor is it something that you can “bring on” by any one behavior or action.
Studies have ruled out a link between using the IUD for birth control and developing endometriosis, as well as the chance that previous sexually transmitted diseases might increase your chances of encountering the disease. What’s more, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may both be reproductive in nature and occur in about the same percentage of the population, but the two conditions are not linked. Having one won’t increase your chances of having the other.
Most of the risk factors are things you’re born with, says Gerardo Bustillo, MD, an OB-GYN at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. They include:

• Never having been pregnant, early onset of menses, late menopause
• Being taller and/or thinner than most women
• Having a family history of endometriosis—having a mother, sister, or daughter with endometriosis raises your risk about six-fold
• Being Caucasian or Asian
• Having red hair, freckles, sensitivity to the sun, and pre-cancerous skin moles

On the other hand, a period that doesn’t begin until late adolescence correlates to a lower risk, as does being black or Hispanic.
None of those things are changeable. But Ross says there are some things that may help to lower your risk if you’re already in a higher-risk group.
“Many believe that keeping your estrogen levels low can help reduce your risk,” she notes. “The birth control pill, regular exercise, [and] avoiding excessive alcohol and caffeine all help keep estrogen levels low in your body and help reduce your risk.”

Getting diagnosed with endometriosis

If you’ve been hammered by painful periods or struggled with infertility, an endometriosis diagnosis won’t be automatic…and you may have to fight for it, even at your physician’s office. Some studies have found that women can wait for as long as 11 years for a proper diagnosis.
It’s not just that the disease presents differently from woman to woman. Many practitioners are ill equipped to handle an endometriosis diagnosis. According to statistics from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG):

63% of general practitioners [GPs] indicated they felt ill at ease in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with endometriosis. One-half could not cite three main symptoms of the disease out of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility.

In the ACOG survey, just 38 percent of GPs indicated that they perform a gynecological examination for suspected endometriosis; 28 percent recommended magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to confirm the diagnosis.
Your best bet if you think you may have endometriosis is to work with an OB-GYN. If endometriosis is suspected, your doctor will likely call for diagnostic laparoscopy first. This minimally invasive outpatient surgery makes use of a tiny incision to give doctors a look inside the pelvis, where they’ll keep an eye out for endometriosis implants and/or scar tissue (some of which can be treated during the procedure).
Diagnosis can come at any time. While many women are in their 20s or even 30s at diagnosis, Jordan Davidson recalls being diagnosed at just 12 years old. Davidson, who is the founder of Endo Warriors, an online support group for endometriosis patients, is on the younger end of the spectrum, but she’s far from alone. Girls as young as 11 have been diagnosed with endometriosis, and estimates put the number of endometriosis patients at 1 in 10 women between the ages of 15 and 49.

So what does endometriosis mean for your overall health?

The results are a mixed bag. While endometriosis is exceedingly painful for some, others never notice symptoms and can live a pretty normal life. Even the number of endometriosis implants in the body does not necessarily mean you will have pain. Some women have very few implants with significant pain. Others have a lot…with little pain.
And while it may be correlation rather than causation, Ross says it bears noting that endometriosis is often associated with other health problems such as asthma, allergies, multiple sclerosis, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and ovarian and breast cancer. A diagnosis with one won’t necessarily mean you’ll be diagnosed with the others, but your risks may be higher.

There’s help.

The goal with any treatment is to reduce pelvic pain with as little intervention as possible, says Rachel Cannon, MD, an OB-GYN and instructor of obstetrics and gynecology at Boston University. Typically that means starting with medication such as birth control pills. Because the implants respond to hormones, similarly to the way the uterine lining does, the pill’s regulation of the body’s hormones can help reduce the reaction and the pain.
Of course, if you’re trying to become pregnant, birth control pills are not helpful, as they will prevent conception. The laproscopic procedure used in diagnosis may help clear up enough of the endometriosis to allow your body to become pregnant.
If a patient is in pain but isn’t interested in conception and has no pelvic masses, Bustillo says that medical therapy will likely include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, and/or oral contraceptives.  
If pain is not well controlled with anti-inflammatory medication and/or oral contraceptives, the next step is usually gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist drugs (such as Lupron).  
“These drugs cause a temporary menopause-like state by sharply lowering estrogen levels in the body,” Bustillo says. “As a result, the endometriosis implants shrink and cause less pain.”
So why not start with GnRH agonists? There are drawbacks; they produce menopausal side effects and can result in bone loss.
Unfortunately, endometriosis has a high rate of recurrence. In patients treated surgically, it’s as high as 40 percent at 10-year follow-up, and about 20 percent of patients will need to undergo additional surgery within two years. Because of this, some may opt for a hysterectomy down the road, including removal of both ovaries.
Hysterectomy is a complicated decision, Cannon says, because it both eliminates a woman’s ability to become pregnant and has menopausal side effects. Nor is it always a simple cure. There may still be endometriosis in the body that can cause issues.
Making sense of all of your options will require your doctor’s advice, but Jordan Davidson likes to think it’s other sufferers who can help you with the emotional component. It’s why she started Endo Warriors along with fellow endometriosis sufferer Jill Fuersich.
“Growing up, I knew very few people with the condition. When I moved to New York City for college, I thought ‘Great, if there are millions of women with endometriosis in the U.S., surely there must be thousands living with the condition in the nation’s biggest city.’ Except I couldn’t find a support group,” she recalls.
Like Hauschild, she felt alone, until she met Fuersich and began to put together the pieces that now make up Endo Warriors, which offers in-person and online support. There is a private Facebook group for those living with the condition and a public page with general resources for people with endometriosis. They also provide resources for the loved ones of people with the condition. The group has regular meetings in New York City and is in the process of adding more services…and it’s open to anyone with endometriosis questions.
Others with endometriosis can find support from groups like Nancy’s Nook or Endometropolis. Resolve, a national non-profit organization for folks dealing with infertility, also has resources for those whose infertility is linked to endometriosis.
In the end, the most important thing is to speak up, Ross says.
“Women are becoming more aware of their bodies and have more access to medical information. Many women already suspect the diagnosis of endometriosis after doing their own research online before going to see their healthcare provider,” she notes.
“This is a positive step in women becoming their own patient advocate. It is incredibly important to find a healthcare provider who is comfortable and competent in treating endometriosis and who can guide your treatment based on your personal needs.”
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You notice a little tickle in your throat and think nothing of it. But soon, the back of your mouth feels swollen and fiery. You grimace from the burning pain every time you cough, swallow, or speak. That dry, tender, scratchy feeling becomes unbearable. You’ve got a sore throat, and it’s not showing signs of going away on its own any time soon.

You’re not alone. Every year, between 10 and 30 percent of people visit their doctors with sore throats. And while a sore throat can strike during any season, this painful condition seems to be most prevalent during the winter when colds and flus are rampant.

“It’s hard to say exactly why sore throats seem to be more frequent during the colder months of the year,” says Christopher Calapai, DO, who’s board certified in family medicine. “It might be because people aren’t exercising as frequently as they do in the summer. Exercise enhances the body’s ability to circulate blood, vitamins, minerals, and hormones, which help the immune system. In the winter, people sometimes don’t cover up enough, as well, so that might contribute to sore throats.”

No matter what time of year you get a sore throat, you want relief—fast! The good news is that you don’t have to look far and wide to find sore throat remedies. In fact, your pantry might already have some powerful ingredients that offer natural pain relief and the pharmacy is chock full of safe medications that will soothe your burning throat. You can even combine pharmaceuticals with home remedies to give your throat pain a one-two punch.

Here’s what you need to know about what causes this sore throats, where to find the best sore throat remedies, when you should consider seeing a doctor for your throat pain, and how to prevent it from happening again.

What’s to blame for the pain?

When your mouth starts to feel icky and slimy, your throat gets dry and scratchy, and swallowing gets more difficult by the gulp, you have to wonder: What exactly is causing this unpleasant reaction in my body?

Chances are high that you’ve got a cold coming on. On average, adults suffer from two or three colds every year. Colds are typically caused by rhinoviruses, which can give you a slew of other nasty symptoms including a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, headaches, and body aches as well. Considering how lousy colds make people feel, it’s no surprise that they’re the main reason adults and children call out sick from work and school.

But a common cold isn’t the only reason you might have throat pain. The are dozens of other reasons why your throat might feel like it’s swollen or on fire.

“The most common is a viral infection that you picked up from someone else, maybe by a cough, a sneeze, a kiss. And bacterial causes are second most common,” says Calapai.

Strep throat, which is caused by bacteria, can cause swift-onset throat pain. It usually includes other symptoms, like a fever, red tonsils with streaks of pus, painful swallowing, and swollen lymph nodes. If you think you have strep throat, make an appointment with your doctor. They can test you for strep and prescribe antibiotics if necessary.

When you’re looking for sore throat remedies, it’s important to consider other causes of throat pain as well.

“Some people have problems with their necks where the discs press against the nerves, and that can cause a sore throat,” says Calapai.

Your habits, environment, and other health conditions might also be responsible for your sore throat. For example, the dry winter air can irritate your throat. Smoking and allergies can also cause throat pain.

With so many different potential causes—only some of which will go away on their own—it’s important to get expert advice on exactly what’s responsible for your sore throat and how to cure it.

“As soon as you have a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, or swollen glands, call your doctor and tell him or her what you’re experiencing so they can tell you what to do,” says Calapai. He says the idea is to figure out exactly what’s responsible for your sore throat so the doctor can advise and—if needed—treat you accordingly.

Your Pantry To The Rescue: Natural Sore Throat Remedies

So you’ve booked your doctor’s next available appointment and you’re waiting for a diagnosis. But in the meantime, you’re still in a lot of discomfort. Where should you start looking for sore throat remedies?

The pantry is a good first stop for people seeking to soothe their throat pain. And the good news is that unlike other types of home remedies, many natural treatments for sore throats actually work. You may start to experience relief the moment you try some of these natural options. And even if they aren’t as effective as you’d hoped, you’re unlikely to suffer from any side effects.

“Most of the natural sore throat remedies are without risk; they’re generally safe,” says Calapai.

Keep in mind, though, that whether you try natural or medical sore throat remedies, they will typically only mask the pain—not cure it. For long-term relief, you may need to make changes to your environment or habits or obtain a prescription from a doctor.

Here are some natural sore throat remedies that might reduce your throat pain:

Gargle with salt water.

Add half a teaspoon of table salt to an 8-ounce glass of very warm water and stir to dissolve. Then, gargle it for 15 to 20 seconds. Repeat every hour, taking care to swish it around your mouth thoroughly. As a chemically basic solution, this sore throat remedy will help calm inflammation in the back of your throat by creating a less acidic environment. It doesn’t taste great, but it works.

Sip hot soup.

If there’s ever a time to slurp chicken noodle soup, it’s when you’ve got throat pain. The hot broth will numb the back of your throat, creating a soothing sensation. A good nutrient-packed soup will help boost your immune system, giving it an extra edge in the fight against whatever’s causing your sore throat.

Drink turmeric tea.

When it comes to sore throat remedies, turmeric tea might just be the tastiest option. Heat a cup of water to almost boiling, then mix in ¼ teaspoon each of ground turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger, along with half a teaspoon of honey and a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Allow it to steep for 10 minutes, then sip once it’s dropped to a drinkable temperature.

Researchers have discovered that turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties that help fight infections. The honey also plays a role in throat pain relief—one study found that it effectively reduced nighttime coughs.

Suck on ice chips.

Temperatures both high and low can reduce the pain in your throat. Just like hot beverages can provide relief, so can cold things like ice chips. The sucking motion stimulates the production of saliva, which can moisten your throat if it’s feeling dry and scratchy. The coolness of the ice chips will also provide immediate relief from the burning sensation associated with sore throats. And if you decide to swap out your ice chips for some popsicles, we won’t judge.

Use a humidifier.

Do you have a humidifier sitting around in your basement? Time to dust it off and put it back to work. The winter air is known to dry out the mucus in your nose and throat, which may be causing your throat pain. A humidifier will help replenish the moisture in the air and make it a little less painful to breathe. Running a humidifier can be especially helpful at night when you’re sleeping and can’t reach for a soothing beverage.

Address your sore throat with modern medicine.

When natural sore throat remedies don’t do the trick, the pharmacy has plenty of options to help provide pain relief. It’s always best to consult your doctor about any medication before you start taking it, but here are some sore throat remedies you can pick up without a prescription.

Spray the pain away.

“Using Chloraseptic spray on the back of your throat can take the pain levels down,” says Calapai. The active ingredient, phenol, acts as an oral anesthetic. Adults can apply it to back of the throat, let it sit for 15 seconds, then spit it out, and repeat every two hours (or as frequently as your doctor recommends). Choose from flavors like cherry, citrus, and menthol.

Try antacids.

Acid reflux can cause a nasty feeling in the back of your throat. If you think that’s the cause of your sore throat, take an antacid. While generally not considered appropriate for long-term use, antacids (like Tums) can reduce the throat pain associated with acid reflux while you work with your doctor to implement a more permanent solution.

Take acetaminophen.

Better known by its brand name, Tylenol, acetaminophen is actually more effective than ibuprofen (a.k.a. Advil) at relieving the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. Acetaminophen can also help relieve other symptoms you might have, like muscle aches, headaches, and fever. Adults can take two 325-milligram tablets every four to six hours (and up to 10 tablets in 24 hours) for up to 10 days.

Suck on throat lozenges.

Head to the cold and flu aisle of your local pharmacy and you’ll be spoiled with an impressive array of of throat lozenges. A poll by U.S. New & World Report found that Cepacol was the throat lozenge brand most recommended by pharmacists. Cepacol lozenges rely on benzocaine and menthol to provide oral pain relief. Lozenges from Chloraseptic, Halls, and Ricola also ranked highly by pharmacists.

Should you see a doctor?

Sore throats can sometimes run their course on their own over a couple of days, meaning you might get to cancel your doctor’s appointment. That said, they can also be a sign of something more serious that will only get worse if left ignored.

“It always makes sense to see a doctor to get a better handle on what you’re dealing with,” says Calapai. “You might have something more significant that you don’t know about, but a doctor can find out.”

Even on its own, a sore throat can be a legitimate reason to make an appointment with your physician. But Calapai says that if you also have discolored phlegm or mucus, a fever, chills, aches, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or swollen glands, that’s all the more reason to call your doctor right away. Infections don’t always get better on their own and it’s wise to play it safe and seek early intervention rather than waiting it out and potentially ending up with a more serious medical issue.

“A sore throat has to be evaluated. Get ready to call the doctor and ask what they think,” says Calapai.

Try to prevent it.

What’s the best way to treat throat pain? Avoiding a sore throat to begin with! There are many ways you can help reduce your risk of getting an infection that causes a sore throat.

“It’s a really good idea to wash your hands relatively frequently, especially when you’ve been in contact with other people who might be sick,” says Calapai.

A quick swish under running water isn’t good enough. Make sure you’re following proper washing procedures, which means using soap and hot water and scrubbing for 20 seconds. In a pinch? Use an alcohol-based instant hand sanitizer to kill germs on the go. And try not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth if your hands aren’t clean.

“Take your vitamins to keep your immune system strong,” says Calapai.

During cold and flu season, your body might be fighting off tons of infections. Take a multivitamin and eat nutrient-dense foods to give your immune system the fuel it needs to win the battle against viruses and bacteria.

Finally, avoid contact with other people who might be sick. The infections that cause sore throats are often spread through close contact with others. And if you’re the one who’s sick, stay home! It’s better to miss a couple days of work and a few social events than to give everyone around you a nasty sore throat—or something worse.

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