2024-03-02 18:58:30
More than half of women have been living with unexplained health complaints for more than five years, according to research by the Voices for Women Foundation. This research was conducted in the run-up to International Women’s Day on March 8. Ambassador of that foundation, columnist Roos Schlikker, can discuss these inexplicable complaints
“Two years ago I got an incredible headache that was accompanied by dizziness. About twenty times a month I had a migraine attack and I could do nothing for hours,” says Schlikker in WNL In de Kantine on NPO Radio 1. “I went to the doctor. and there I was told that I was probably heading towards a burnout and so I went to a burnout coach.” Still, things didn’t sit well with Schlikker. “I’m also a journalist so I did some research and then I found out that the seizures had something to do with my brain and so I had to see a neurologist.”
‘Not unique’
Cardiologist in training Chahinda Ghossein-Doha recognizes Schlikker’s story. “Unfortunately, this is not a unique story.” Ghossein-Doha conducts research into the pattern of complaints in women from her field. “In recent years, more attention has been paid to the subject. But before it is researched and included in the textbooks, it will take years.” She continues: “It does not help that we as medical students and also as women are not taught what the pattern of complaints exactly looks like. Recognizing complaints is therefore difficult.”
According to the cardiologist in training, for a real breakthrough in this area, the female body should not be compared to the male body. “The female body is very different and much more complex.” Ghossein-Doha mentions pregnancy and menopause as an example. “The male body is very boring in that sense.”
Women’s Health Day
To once again draw extra attention to the subject, Voices of Women is organizing Women’s Health Day on May 25. “We are going to raise awareness together that day,” said Schlikker.
#women #living #unexplained #health #complaints #years