Women's Health Blog

Unlike men, women often do not experience classic chest pain symptoms during a heart attack. Instead, they may feel less obvious sensations, such as pain in the jaw, neck, shoulders or back; stomach discomfort; sudden trouble breathing; and even flu-like symptoms, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

What's more, women (and men) who are obese, have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or a family history of heart disease, should be particularly concerned if they experience these symptoms.

The lesson here, said researchers, is that women need to be more aggressive in seeking care if they experience a sudden onset of any symptom that affects their daily life. Women also need to be assertive with their doctors if they feel they are having a heart attack.

That's a great piece of advice for men, too.

What every woman needs to know about heart disease.

After 14 years as your About.com Women's Health Guide, the time has come for me to say "goodbye." It's time for me to explore the many other options that have been available to me for a long time. However, it is with great sadness that I leave all of you who I have come to know over the years. Thank you all for the wonderful friendships, and kind words you've written to me over the years.

The good news is my content will remain here for your use when you need it.

Please feel free to contact me, as I continue my writing career. I will still love talking with you about your health issues, and help you in any way I can. So, it's so long for now, until we meet again somewhere down the road.

Take care,

Tracee

Do you have trouble getting to sleep at night? If so, you've probably tried many things including prescription and non-prescription drugs to help you sleep, often without relief.

A few weeks ago, I received a sample product that claims to put you to sleep in less than 7 minutes without drugs. OK, that sounded good so I decided to try the device. Wow, was I surprised each time I used the product, I did fall asleep in less than 7 minutes and I slept better throughout the night.

So, what is this "magic" sleep product? It's called NightWave. It's a small box that flashes a blue light from bright to dim over and over again for 7 minutes. All you have to do it watch the light as it brightens and dims and soon the flow of your breathing follows the light. It's magnificent!

Compare Prices: NightWave

Vaginosis or vaginitis is an inflammation which occurs in the vagina and includes several strains of germ that cause bacterial vaginosis yeast infections and trichomoniasis. Many women mistakenly believe that yeast infections are the most common type of vaginal infection but bacterial vaginosis is the most frequently occurring vaginal infection affecting from 10% to 64% of the population at any given time.

A simple list of symptoms of the most common vaginal infection--bacterial vaginosis. Includes articles that explore other vaginal infections, as well as diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of bacterial vaginosis.

Did you know that 20 million women worldwide are living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)? According to the World Health Organization (WHO) fully half of those living with HIV/AIDS are these 20 million women.

The Truth About AIDS In Women

As women, we are used to having our blood checked for iron deficiency anemia at our annual GYN exams. Anemia is common among menstruating women. Maybe you've even taken iron supplements, or added more iron to your diet, just to be sure you're getting enough iron.

But did you know that you can have too much iron in your blood? It's true, it's called having iron overload which, when left untreated can lead to a devastating disease called hemochromatosis.

Have you ever been told you have too much iron in your blood?

Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS can range from light cramps during your period to crying spells and irritability. Some women crave sweets just before menstruation, while other crave salty foods.  The fact is that at least 3 out of 4 women experience PMS during their monthly menstrual cycle. The symptoms of PMS are wide and varied. Find out if your symptoms could mean that you have PMS.

Period problems happen to most women at some point during their reproductive lives. Problem periods run the gamut from having no periods or amenorrhea, to heavy bleeding, PMS, PMDD, and menstrual cramps. Learn about the diagnosis and treatment of period problems.

Did you know that there are three types of skin cancer? The two most common forms are call squamous cell and basal cell, with treatment these types usually don't lead to death. However, the third most common type of skin cancer is melanoma. This is the most deadly form of skin cancer. The good news is that it's easy to prevent or reduce your risk of developing skin cancer by following these tips, including avoiding indoor tanning.