Especially those related to infections by pathogens, as they can infect the male and female population alike.
However, there are a number of disorders that, due to biological differences between the sexes, have a higher incidence in women. These are not exclusive diseases of the female gender, since all – or almost all – can also be suffered by men, but the majority of cases that are diagnosed are in women.
In today’s article we will explain why some diseases are more common in women and we will present which are the most frequent, detailing both their causes and symptoms, as well as the available treatments.
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Why do some diseases understand gender?
As we have said, there are a series of diseases that, although they are not only suffered by women, are more common among them. These disorders have a higher incidence among the female population since they develop due to some differential characteristics of women with respect to men.
The hormonal and metabolic differences between women and men are evident. For example, women synthesize more estrogen, the female sex hormones, which are linked to increased fat storage.
We must also take into account all those disorders that appear due to hormonal imbalances that are suffered during menstrual cycles, which make them more vulnerable to certain disorders.
Also, from an anatomical point of view, there are many differences . For example, the biological characteristics of their sexual organs make them more susceptible to infections in those regions.
Therefore, due to these physiological and anatomical differences, there are diseases that are more likely to develop in a woman’s body.
What are the most common diseases in women?
Below we present the disorders that have a higher incidence among the female sex due to the biological characteristics of women.
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Cystitis
Cystitis is one of the most frequent urological diseases and is much more common among women . It consists of an inflammation of the bladder due to a bacterial infection, which is why it is often known as a “urine infection”.
It is more common in women since, due to the nature of the organs, their urethra is shorter, it is easier for pathogens to reach the bladder. In men, the duct is longer and it is difficult for them to colonize it.
The most common symptoms include: pain when urinating, constant need to urinate, pelvic discomfort, low-grade fever, pressure in the lower abdomen, cloudy urine, foul-smelling urine, hematuria (blood in the urine), urination with little amount of urine…
The most common treatment is antibiotics, although the infection usually clears up on its own after a few days.
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Breast cancer
99% of breast cancers occur in women and, in fact, it is the most diagnosed type of cancer among them . About 2 million new cases appear each year in the world.
The causes that lead to its development are not entirely clear, although it is known that it occurs due to a complex interaction between genetics and the environment, with female sexual hormones playing a very important role, which explains its greater frequency among women.
The most common symptoms of breast cancer are the following: lump in the breast, morphological changes in the breasts, dimpling of the breasts, sinking of the nipple, peeling and crusting of the skin around the nipple and redness of the mother.
An early diagnosis is of vital importance to increase the chances that cancer treatment will be successful.
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Migraine
Migraine is a neurological disease that causes intense, throbbing pain in the head . These episodes or attacks can last for days, greatly interfering with the lives of those affected. 2 out of 3 affected are women.
The causes of this disorder are not very clear, although it is believed that hormonal factors could play a very important role, which would explain why the disease is more common among females.
Migraine attacks appear more or less frequently depending on the person, although when they do, in addition to being very painful, they are usually accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to both light and noise.
There is no cure, although there are medications that help both reduce the likelihood of episodes and make them less painful.
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Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition more common among women in which there is an impairment in the way the brain processes pain signals, leading to pain in the muscles and joints.
Although it often appears after trauma or episodes of very strong emotional stress, the cause remains unclear. Musculoskeletal pain is often accompanied by subsequent fatigue and weakness, as well as sleep problems, headaches, and mood disturbances.
Although there is no cure, treatment consists of administering medications that help relieve symptoms so that episodes of pain are not so incapacitating. It is also recommended that people with fibromyalgia do sports and relaxation exercises.
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Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that affects women to a greater extent , especially those of postmenopausal age. It is a disorder in which bone mass is lost faster than it is regenerated, which causes the bones to gradually weaken.
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Arthritis
Arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which cells of the immune system attack the joints , damaging them and causing excess synovial fluid, which causes bones and cartilage to constantly rub against each other.
Although the reason is not very clear, statistics show that the incidence is higher among women. The main symptom of arthritis is joint pain, especially in the hands, feet, knees, wrists, and elbows. There may be other symptoms: tiredness, fever, dry mouth, tingling in the extremities…
Although there is no cure, treatment consists of the administration of anti-inflammatories, which are useful for reducing excess synovial fluid and, consequently, reducing pain.
