There are health problems and there are heath problems of the embarrassing kind. Quite unlike the routine headache that can be wished away by popping a pill or a sore muscle that you can comfortably discuss with your friend, some health problems are bereft of any such outlet. Take bad breath for instance. Friends and colleagues are too polite to tell you they have a problem with yours ? their suggestions are rather indicative, they exchange glances, instinctively brush their nose as you talk? The problem is, you may take the hint but feel helpless. Most people like you continue to wage a silent battle. They either think that it is typical to them or believe that it is not a medical problem at all, at least, not the kind for which a doctor must be consulted. Seldom are people able to suspect the real cause ? believe it or not a lot, right from bad breath to incontinence, is caused by stress. The fact is that most such problems can be easily tackled with little professional guidance and some lifestyle change.

Breathtaking ?

The market must be God for people suffering from bad breath. You have mint tablets for any and every occasion to polish your teeth in a jiffy, mouthwashes to mesmerise people with perfumed breath? ?That?s the worst way to handle it. Instead of masking bad breath, eliminate it,? says Dr Ruchika Bajaj, assistant dental surgeon at Fortis Healthcare, Vasant Kunj, Delhi. Bad oral hygiene is the most common cause for bad breath, she says. You could blame the plaque or a wrong brushing technique. So, if you are brushing thrice a day and not doing it right, it hardly makes any difference. ?Most people don?t care to clean the back of their tongue. Moreover, flossing is a concept that has still not caught on in India. It is time we start doing that at least once a day because that?s the most effective way to clean the space in between the teeth,? she further adds.

However, in case you are maintaining high oral hygiene and are still plagued by the problem, then there may be a cause for worry. Bad breath can even result from stress, your medication, chronic sinusitis, lung infections, diabetes, tobacco consumption et al. ?It may even indicate a possible kidney problem,? says Bajaj. Clearly, the breath can give a lot away. The solution ? ?instead of being embarrassed about the problem, just walk in to a dentist?s clinic and discuss the problem to rule out any serious cause.? And, even if you don?t have a bad breath problem, it?s a good idea to visit the dentist at least twice a year on a routine basis.

The odourless sweat

This is one problem that we all indirectly are subject to. Remember the last comedy flick you went to enjoy at your neighbourhood theatre? just that you had to battle the smelly feet of someone you couldn?t even figure out in the dark. It is repulsive, nauseating for some and yes also a health problem. Marketing executive Ayush Ranjan suffered from excessive body perspiration. ?I became so conscious about myself. Despite sitting in an air-conditioned office the entire day, I used to sweat. My entire body language changed ? I kept my arms close to my body, afraid to lift them up. Even deodorants couldn?t help. In fact, they made matters worse. That is when I realised I needed help. The doctor suggested some antiperspirants. They worked? I am a much-relieved man today,? he recounts. Clearly, smelling bad is almost a present-day social ill.

?There are people who sweat profusely. For almost 15% of such cases, Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating happens to be hereditary and for the rest there has to be a different trigger factor,? says Dr Kousalya V Nathan, lifestyle management consultant at Malar Hospital in Chennai. Our feet alone have close to 3 lakh sweat glands ? capable of producing nearly 200 ml sweat each day. So think of how bad it can be for people who sweat profusely! Surprisingly however, sweat is odourless. It is only when it reacts with the bacteria on the skin that it produces the difficult-to-stand smell. Stress turns out to be the culprit here as well. ?In case you have developed the problem suddenly, then seek medical attention immediately. It can be indicative of hypertension, cardiovascular problems, low blood sugar, emotional stress and even an overactive thyroid. Breathing exercises and regular meditation will help you bring down your stress level,? says Nathan. ?A temporary solution is to get Botox shots after medical consultation.

As for the feet??Use pure cotton socks and keep a change with you,? says Nathan, adding: ?it?s the easiest way to circumvent the problem. If the problem is acute, then begin soaking your feet in cold water every night. Add eau de cologne to the water. This vasco-constricts the blood vessels and less sweat is produced as a result.? Using baby powder on the feet or absorbent consoles in the shoes is also helpful.

Zzz?snoring

You may not realise how big a problem it is unless you are in the place of the person sleeping next to you! Jokes apart, this too can have serious medical consequences.

Recent research indicates your regular snoring may be Obstruction Sleep Apnea, says Dr R K Mani, director, sleep medicine, Fortis Hospital. Mani, who opened a sleep lab at the hospital last year, says: ?OSA is as common as hypertension and diabetes. It usually strikes middle-aged people and even lean people can have OSA.? But what is OSA? Normally when we sleep, the throat muscles become lax. This gets accentuated in snoring. Simple snoring becomes OSA when the floppiness leads to the closure of the throat. The closure lasts 10 or more seconds and leads to the fall of oxygen in the body. It not only results in the disruption of normal sleep but also leads to increase in breathing rate, heart rate and even an adrenalin surge. Needless to add that oxygen depletion can even lead to stroke!

?Sleep apnea, when associated with other lung diseases like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) becomes a dangerous threat,? adds Mani. But there?s help at hand. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure can be of help ? the device generates a flow of air with gentle pressure that holds the throat open during sleep. There are other dental devices and surgical techniques too.

In the wind?

All right. You can curse yourself for passing wind at the worst possible moment, but if only cursing could help. And this possibly is the most embarrassing, if not serious, of the problems being talked about here. There are two broad reasons for the same. ?One, we swallow air whenever we eat or drink. Some of that air finds its way into your lower digestive tract. Secondly, the breakdown of undigested food in the gut leads to formation of gas,? says Dr Sudeep Khanna, consultant gastroenterologist, Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute, Delhi. Some people suffer it temporarily. Consumption of certain pulses, lactose intolerance, even cabbage and raddish can cause it. Change in the population of gas-forming bacteria may be another reason. While it is easy for people with such triggers to just keep off it, the real problem is for people who aren?t able to identify the cause at all ? they feel bloated, pass wind often and randomly also feel pain in the abdomen?. ?Often indigestion is triggered by stress. Eating right is not enough. You also need to exercise and meditate for a stress-free life. People usually miss this link,? says Khanna. He even points out the worst-case scenario ? ?Functional bowel disease might be another cause.? So, consult a doctor immediately, especially if you are experiencing anal bleeding,? he adds.

Clearly, the problems may be embarrassing ? but just a few simple measures can help you rectify them easily.