Teen Health Questions

When you are a teenager, you are just beginning to understand your personality, your body and how the decisions you make affect your future. Because every teen is different, the questions you have about your health can range from sexuality to understanding the risks of drug use. Knowledge is available for whatever question you may have; the more you know, the wiser you can be at making healthy decisions.

What is Hyperventilating?

• When a person hyperventilates they breath faster and deeper than they would normally. This type of breathing causes his blood to have a decrease in carbon dioxide. He will start to feel light-headed and numb in his bodily extremities. Teenagers who are susceptible to hyperventilating are those who struggle with anxiety. When the everyday stresses of home and school cause you to excessively worry, fear or feel threatened, your body will send an internal signal that is designed to prepare you for a perceived danger. For an anxious teen, this signal can trigger an unhealthy anxiety that can lead him to hyperventilate. One of the first things you should do as a teenager who hyperventilates is to talk to someone about how you feel. Share with a parent, mentor or loved one the issues that are bothering you.

Acne and Breakouts

• All teenagers will experience acne at one point and time, and when they do they want to know how they can stop acne breakouts and prevent future ones. Acne is caused by various things: oil glands stimulated by hormones; a reaction to clothing material; a reaction to skin care products; and even genetics. Therefore, you will not be able to stop acne breakouts or prevent future ones. You can, however, control the breakouts when they occur by knowing what type of acne you have. A dermatologist can diagnose a medical treatment based on the type of acne you experience.

What Are Some of The Side Effects of Taking Birth Control Pills?

• Birth control pills cannot protect you from a sexually transmitted disease.

  According to TeenGrowth.com, an online medical resource for teens, birth control pills can make a teenager feel nauseated and bloated. Some prescriptions may even cause headaches and weight gain or loss. These side effects occur because your body is adjusting to the hormonal change that these pills cause. If the symptoms are intolerable or continue past two months, talk with your doctor about changing your prescription.

Tobacco Use

• Teenagers who decide to start smoking may wonder what risks tobacco carries. Teenagers who smoke have more trouble sleeping than those who do not. Smoking increases a teen's chance of catching a cold and keeping it. Teen smokers not only increase their risk of developing cancer, they also have a one in three chance of dying from a smoking related disease.