Tips to follow during Menstruation

Let’s talk about Menstruation

Penny: : Hello Lydia. My premenstrual symptoms are getting worse month after month. I haven’t felt bad like this before and how about you?

Lydia: : Oh, sorry to hear, Penny. But it is actually normal and sometimes it can be worse. One week before menstruation, I usually experience painful and inflamed breast, bloating and nausea, muscle cramps, muscle aches and headache as well as inability to balance the body well.

And during that period, mood is very unstable and mood swing is very easy to encounter. Depression, sorrow and crying without having any obvious reasons, difficulty to memorize things as in normal conditions and stress are also common. These symptoms usually become worse as the menstruation is drawing near.

But, mostly, they all disappear after the menstruation period.

Penny: : As I am 15 years old now, I actually know a little about the menstruation and by the way, does menstruation touch on every woman and go through the whole life of a woman?

Lydia: : Menstruation is simply a monthly process and occurs when the uppermost layer of your uterus is shed. The menstrual blood contains blood components and the dead tissues from your uterus and goes outside your body through the uterine canal and the cervix.

The inner layer of the uterus is slightly damaged during menstruation and returns or develops to its normalcy after menstruation.

Another important fact to notice is that ovulation occurs at the middle between two menstrual cycles.

The menstruation is mainly controlled by two hormones, namely estrogen and progesterone.

The menstrual cycle for a woman usually starts at the age of 12 and ends at about 50 years of age. But it may start at as early as 8 years of age and as lately as 16 years of age. After 50 years old, generally, monthly menstruation ceases and it is called menopause.

The menstruation normally comes once in every 28 to 35 days and each menstruation period can range from 2 to 7 days.

During early years after the start of menstruation, menstruation period can be as long as 5-7 days but then, it becomes as short as 2-3 days and it is quite normal.

It was quite difficult to manage my very first menstruation because I suffered a certain degree of discomfort, bodily and mentally. It became easy to go through when the time passes by although it never becomes as in the normal days.

How was your first experience of menstruation?

Penny: : Obviously, I felt insecure and was afraid of seeing my blood stained pants or skirts by others. Abdominal pain was very prominent. But it finally becomes a normal thing and I went through these periods by thinking that normal and timely menstruation is important for my health.

I use pH care and Pads during menstruation and what do you use?

Lydia: : I think menstrual hygiene is the most important thing during menstruation.

The first thing I do is washing menstrual bloods with clean water. Never forget to wash your hands thoroughly before doing that.

After that, use pad to prevent the bloods from staining your clothes.

Pads may be reusable or disposable. You need to clean and wash carefully when you use reusable pads. You can use them for at least one year if used properly.

Mostly, girls prefer using disposable pads rather than using reusable ones. Disposable pads need to be changed every eight hours.

Another commonly used product that the girls use during menstruation is Tampon. I sometimes use it and one important to note is that it can only be used for eight hours. Tampons are better than Pads in absorption power, so it can be a good choice for you.

Menstrual Cups are another commonly used product during monthly menstruation. They are ecofriendly and better than Pads and Tampons in my opinion. One thing to care about when you use cup is you need to clean cup with hot water after using it. One obvious benefit is you can use it for years without changing if used properly.

Penny: : Have you ever experienced menorrhagia(massive blood loss during menstruation), irregular menstruation and intense abdominal pain during menstruation?

Lydia: : I have never experienced menorrhagia in my life. But when I was 15 or 16 years old, my menstruation was once in every two or sometimes three months. Later, it became regular as a monthly process.

As a bad experience, I once suffered intense abdominal pain during menstruation and so, I went to the doctor. The doctor said that it is needed to see the doctor if your menstrual cycle has stopped without having any reason or your menstrual period is longer than normal or you suffer massive blood loss that can’t be controlled by your own or intense pain during menstruation.

Penny: : Thanks for your very informative explanation, Lydia. I got insight to the very nature of menstruation and how to handle it properly.

Tips to follow during menstruation

-Personal hygiene is important
-Regular bathing during menstruation can make you fresh and reduce the pain. -Gently clean your vagina with clean water.

-Be pads or tampons or cups always in your bag
-Drink plenty of water
-To reduce the pain, you can do light exercise or yoga, massage your back and belly gently and softly, use hot water bag on your belly.
-Reduce salty diet because salt can absorb water and so make your belly distended
-Avoid alcohol drinking because it can make your menstrual symptoms worse.

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