Osteoporosis is the term used to describe bones that are weak and susceptible to fracture. It is a very common condition that will affect one in three women in her lifetime as well as one in eight men. It is thought that women are more at risk because their bones tend to be lighter and less dense and because their bodies experience hormonal changes after menopause that appear to accelerate the loss of bone mass. In men, osteoporosis is uncommon until after the age of 70.
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Urinary incontinence means that you pass urine when you do not mean to. It can range from a small amount now and then to large floods of urine.
It is common. It can occur at any age but is more likely to develop as you get older. The estimate is that as many as 1 in 5 women over the age of 40 have some degree of incontinence. Some people wrongly think that it is a natural part of getting older or that it cannot be treated. This is not the case – many people can be successfully treated or their symptoms significantly improved.
There are three main types of urinary incontinence, Stress, Urge and Mixed.
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We know that there are multiple other issues that affect the lives of women that we haven’t covered here, that is why we want to provide links to useful resources on important health and social topics such as those below:
Heart disease is the single biggest killer of women in Ireland. The Irish Heart Foundation aims to reduce premature death and disability from cardiovascular disease and strokes through research, education and community service.
This is the site of the Oesophageal Cancer Fund, which works to promote public awareness of this disease (Irish women have one of the highest incidences of oesophageal cancer in Europe). The OCF also raises funds for ongoing research and treatment for people with oesophageal cancer.
Bodywhys is a national charity dealing with anorexia and bulimia nervosa. There’s an information helpline, and support groups for people with eating disorders and their families. Talks and seminars are also offered.
A good basic site giving information on endometriosis, which afflicts thousands of Irish women.
A clear information site on thrush sponsored by Bayer.
BreastCheck – The National Breast Screening Programme provides free mammograms (breast x-rays) to women aged 50 to 64 on an area by area basis every two years. BreastCheck encourages eligible women to check that they are on the BreastCheck register on www.breastcheck.ie or Freephone 1800 45 45 55.
One Family (formerly Cherish) aims to affect positive change and achieve equality and social inclusion for all one-parent families in Ireland.
Women’s Aid provides services and training on the issue of violence—physical, sexual and emotional—against women, and runs education programmes and public awareness campaigns.
