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The Most Burning Women's Health Questions of 2018, According to Google
For better or worse, when something looks or feels amiss with our body, most of us tend to hit up Google before consulting with a medical professional. Sure, we know that pretty much any set of symptoms you enter will result in a cancer diagnosis, but having access to medical information and resources online has completely changed how we approach health care. We’re no longer completely dependent on doctors to ask the right questions or notice if anything changes or goes wrong — we can be on the lookout for that ourselves.
This is especially true when it comes to women’s health issues. For so long, we were dismissed by medical professionals or told that any pain or discomfort or stress was a result of our “time of the month” and told to move on. Fortunately, we know better now and are advocating for ourselves, and part of doing that involves doing our own research.
Because it’s the end of the year and we’re feeling generous, we’ve reached out to Google, who provided us with the top 10 trending women’s health questions of 2018. And better yet, we’ve saved you the trouble of looking them up yourself and are giving you the answers. You’re welcome.
1. Endometriosis
Not only was “what is endometriosis” the top trending women’s health question on Google in 2018, it was also ranked third in overall health trends, according to the search engine.
So what is it? In short, endometriosis is when tissue that is similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. This can cause extreme pain and, potentially, infertility. And it’s pretty common; an estimated 1 in 10 women have endometriosis.
It’s not just the pain that has an impact on the lives of people with endometriosis — it also affects their finances, relationships and mental health. In addition, many celebrities — including Lena Dunham, Whoopi Goldberg and Susan Sarandon — have opened up about living with the condition.
2. Yellow discharge
We were very focused on our vaginas in 2018, including what comes out of them. In fact, the second top trending women’s health question on Google in 2018 was “what does yellow discharge mean.”
Basically, yellow discharge could mean you have some sort of infection or could be caused by your diet — or could be completely normal and mean nothing. It’s probably no reason to panic.
3. Yeast infection
The third ranking women’s health question of 2018 was “what causes yeast infection.” This is hardly surprising given that 75 percent of people with vaginas will have at least one yeast infection during their lifetimes.
As its name implies, a yeast infection is caused by an overgrowth of yeast in the vagina, and one can flare up for many different reasons, like pregnancy, using antibiotics or even sitting in a wet bathing suit or exercise clothes for too long.
4. PCOS diagnosis
Polycystic ovarian syndrome — or PCOS for short — was also top of mind in 2018. Even though it can be debilitatingly painful and is one of the leading causes of infertility among people with ovaries, little is known about why and how the condition develops. This is why it’s hardly surprising so many people were googling “what is pcos diagnosis.”
For those still wondering, a PCOS diagnosis usually means you have painful and possibly irregular periods, elevated levels of androgen (a male hormone) — which may result in excess facial and body hair and occasionally severe acne and male-pattern baldness — and an increased risk of infertility and type 2 diabetes.
5. White discharge
See, I told you we were all about vaginas and vaginal discharge in 2018! White vaginal discharge is usually a completely healthy and normal part of your menstrual cycle and nothing to worry about at all. Of course, if you notice any major changes to the color, smell or consistency of your discharge, it’s probably a good idea to mention it to your doctor.
6. Endometriosis diagnosis
In addition to looking up what endometriosis is, we also Googled “how is endometriosis diagnosed” a lot in 2018. Again, this isn’t surprising given how common yet misunderstood the condition is, making it difficult to diagnose.
Even though having endometriosis means you have uterine-like tissue growing in other parts of your body, it’s not always detectable through an ultrasound. It can also involve symptoms that have seemingly little to do with your menstrual or reproductive function (like gastrointestinal issues), which could throw medical professionals off course. This is definitely a case of patients needing to make sure doctors are taking their pain seriously in order to get a proper diagnosis.
7. Period cramp relief
Anyone who has ever had menstrual cramps has also wondered how to get rid of them. In fact, according to this list from Google, many a menstruator has clutched their abdomen with one hand and their phone with the other as they looked up “how to relieve period cramps fast.”
Unfortunately, there’s no universal magic cure for painful period cramps that works for everyone, but some people have luck with taking ibuprofen, applying heat, exercising or going on hormonal birth control to regulate their cycle. It’s all about trial and error and figuring out what works for you.
8. Adenomyosis
Sometimes referred to as “inside-out endometriosis,” adenomyosis is a condition that causes the endometrial tissue of the uterus cavity to grow into the uterus muscle, which damages the uterine wall. The difference is that with endometriosis, the endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus, while with adenomyosis, it grows inside the uterus.
In August 2018 at the #BlogHer18 Creators Summit in New York City, actor Gabrielle Union opened up about having adenomyosis and how it impacted her fertility, giving the condition a major awareness boost.
9. Implantation
Honestly, we’re surprised it has taken so long to get to a question specifically about pregnancy, but the ninth-highest-ranking women’s health question on Google in 2018 was “when does implantation occur.” Typically, implantation occurs 10 to 14 days after conception and may cause some light spotting or cramps. If you’re wondering whether implantation has in fact happened, you might want to be on the lookout for other early pregnancy signs, including fatigue, nausea and an aversion to certain foods and/or smells.
10. Partial hysterectomy
Most people probably know that a hysterectomy involves removing the uterus, but some were also curious about the difference between a partial and full hysterectomy. During a partial hysterectomy procedure, only the uterus is removed, while the cervix is left intact. A total hysterectomy means that both the uterus and cervix are removed.
So there you have it: Answers to the top trending women’s health questions of the year. Though we don’t know which conditions and queries will top the list in 2019, it’s probably a safe bet that vaginas will once again feature prominently.
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