It often happens at the worst possible moment. You’ve always thought that you have full control of your bodily functions, but sometimes, your body just has a mind of its own. At those times when you need to be at your best, that’s when your body decides to embarrass you.
From the simple ill-timed yawns or cotton mouth, to the mildly embarrassing hiccups or belch, and farther still, excessive sweating, an overactive bladder, or expelling gas; it happens to everyone. And it happens more common than you think.
Your body has the tendency to act on its own when you don’t want it to. It can be from an existing problem your body already has, such as incontinence. Most of the time, though, stress makes your body respond in ways you don’t want it to, like producing excess sweat or gas, when you feel pressured to be at your best.
Whatever the cause, it happens to everybody, and it may be easier said than done, but the best way to deal with it is to just ignore it.
You don’t always have to explain away or acknowledge every unexpected yawn or belch. Just keep on doing what you’re doing. The body does what it does. But, if it just can’t be ignored, simply say “Excuse me,” and move on.
However, there are ways to avoid these embarrassing problems, or even control them to some degree. They may be annoying sometimes, but if you know your body and these symptoms are new to you, are persistent, or are getting worse, you should consult your doctor right away.
The following are the five most embarrassing body problems we all share, why they happen, and how you can best manage them.
Problem 1: Leaking
It can happen when you laugh too hard, sneeze, or cough, even when you exercise. No matter what the situation, urinary incontinence can be extremely embarrassing. Almost all women who have given birth suffer from some problems with their bladder. There are two types. Stress incontinence is the most common problem in women. Urge incontinence happens when you badly need to urinate but can’t reach the toilet in time.
There are things you can do to avoid this embarrassing situation. The most important is to get checked by a doctor to make sure you don’t have a more serious health problem. He can also advise you on medications you can take and other treatments for your incontinence.
On your own, you can do exercises that are designed to tighten bladder muscles. Kegel exercises, for example, help strengthen the pelvic floor and bladder training. This exercise is done by stopping the flow of your urine mid-stream every time you urinate. Do this several times and it will help build the muscles that control urination.
Before engaging in activities that might cause leaking, always empty your bladder first. You should also avoid drinking diuretic liquids like cola, tea, coffee, and chocolate if you know that you’ll be out of the house or office and without an accessible bathroom. Diuretics increase urine output; this strains the bladder and makes leaks more likely to happen.
Another solution is disposable panty liners. Do not get the menstrual pads though. There are incontinence products available which wick the leak or dribble away the fluid from your body and deep into the pad so you won’t feel wet. Also, always carry an extra pair of underwear.
Problem 2: Oral Gas and Stomach Growls
Your stomach growls in the middle of your presentation at a business meeting. Or you open your mouth to say something to a colleague and instead, a belch erupts or you start to hiccup. Most of these symptoms usually result from a combination of gas and irritation to the diaphragm.
Gassy foods are usually the culprit. Anxiety, though, magnifies the problem.
When you get anxious, you may have the tendency to swallow a lot of air, especially if you have the bad habit of sighing a lot. This causes burping and hiccup.
The best defense against these problems is reducing your intake of gassy foods, especially before an important speech or meeting. Gassy foods include cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, beans, and for some people, dairy products and fried food.
You know which foods make you gassy. If you’re feeling hungry and your stomach is growling, grab a light meal before going out.
You should also drink plenty of water. When your gastrointestinal tract is dry, it is more likely to spasm. If you are well-hydrated, however, it will reduce the likelihood that you will get a case of the hiccups or will burp at the most inopportune moments.
Problem 3: The Sweats
Some people just have overactive sweat glands. For some though, stressful situations bring about excessive sweating.
Nervous sweating is a reflection of sympathetic nerve discharge. When you get anxious, stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, are released.
To prevent this, you have to condition yourself ahead of time when you know you’ll be in a stressful situation. You can retrain your brain by exposing yourself to the nervous situation gradually. After some time, your body will learn not to respond to that situation with sweats.
You can also try products that control excessive sweating like an antiperspirant deodorant. Liquids and food that causes your heart rate and respiration to speed up should also be avoided. These include coffee, tea, chocolate, and other caffeinated food or liquid. Hot and spicy foods also contribute to excessive sweating.
Another tip to keep cool is to have a glass of ice water nearby. If needed, hold it against your wrist to help control the sweats. Carrying a handkerchief also helps.
Problem 4: Dry Mouth and Yawning
You feel your mouth going dry when you find yourself face to face with the woman you’ve been fantasizing about. Your mouth gets so dry you find it difficult to speak. Or you’re in a lunch meeting with the boss and you can’t help it, you start yawning while he’s telling you about his weekend with the kids.
Yawning occurs when you breathe too shallowly, which in turn tends to happen when you feel tired or nervous or anxious. Also, breathing slowly through the mouth plus the release of stress hormones both reduce saliva production, which then causes cotton mouth.
A very easy solution to both problems is sucking on a piece of hard candy. If you’re a yawner when you get nervous, well you can’t swallow and yawn at the same time. The candy will also help keep your mouth producing saliva while you’re sucking on it, which will prevent your mouth from getting dry. A glass of icy cold water kept nearby also helps, especially if you are going to be speaking.
But don’t chew gum. Chewing the gum makes you swallow more air, which then may cause you to yawn, and worse, may also make you belch.
Problem 5: Sex Mishaps
All our common body problems can be easily ignored, no matter how embarrassing they may be, in most situations. But when they rear their ugly heads during an intimate moment, don’t you feel like you just want to die right then and there? But they do happen, and with good reason.
Sex, and more particularly orgasm, makes you give up control of your body; specifically your sphincter muscles which control urine and bowels. If you have a full bladder or have eaten gassy foods prior to sex, it will be very difficult not to let some of that go during the heat of the moment.
What can you do? Well don’t be afraid to lose control of your body and hold back from having an orgasm or enjoying your partner. But you can save yourself from disgrace by emptying your bladder before and after sex. Not only will you not ruin the moment by having leaks or getting gassy, you can also avoid getting sex-related UTI.
You should also stay away from heavy or gassy foods if you’re expecting to have sex; and don’t drink a lot just before jumping into bed. You should especially avoid carbonated drinks, which are both liquid and gas, and coffee and tea, which are diuretics.
Sadly, however, sometimes these things just happen anyway. Well what’s done is done, just smile, excuse yourself, and move on.
0 comments:
Post a Comment