MENSTRUATION: What you need to know.

It is not good enough to know that most people (including ladies) don’t like to hear the word menstruation, while it remains a somewhat uneasy event for ladies,it is also a phase in the woman’s growth that cannot be taken away or ignored.

Going a little in depth; Menstruation is the discharge of blood and tissues from the uterus through the vagina, it occurs due to changes in some hormones in the female body. The menstrual cycle prepares the body for pregnancy each month, while the cycle lasts from 25–30 days, the average day is 28days and the menstrual period lasts for 3–5 days or more depending on the body system of every individual (woman). A cycle is counted from the last day of your period to the first day of the other month of your next period.

Below are the stressors and discomforts that women face during this period and that should be paid attention to:

Premenstrual syndrome(PMS):

These are the signs and symptoms most ladies experience before menstruation, this comes a week or two before menstruation;

- Bloating

- Abdominal pain

- Constipation

- Diarrhea

- Mood swings

- Food cravings( especially for sweet food)

- Social withdrawal

- Fatigue

- Insomnia

- Poor concentration

- Headache

- Pains in the muscle and joint.

It is important to know that some of these symptoms can be managed and overcome by seeking medical advice.

Dysmenorrhea:

Known as menstrual cramps; Dysmenorrhea occurs due to contractions in the uterus or womb, the muscles there contract during the menstrual cycle, when contracted strongly, it presses against the blood flow which cuts off the supply of oxygen to the uterus resulting in cramp or pain. When this pain is felt, it comes with other feelings like; pain in the thigh, lower back and hip regions, stooling and irritation which leads to vomiting.

Although, there are measures that could be taken to reduce the pain, below are few of them;

- Taking pills prescribed by the doctor( over the counter drugs)

- Absolute Rest

- Not taking anything sugary, too salty or too spicy.

- Drinking of warm water.

- Exercise too can be helpful.

The “Don’t” during menstrual pain:

Here are some unhealthy things some ladies indulge in while trying to find every possible ease out of the pain:

- Sitting inside water (hot or cold).

- Taking alcohol.

- putting ice cubes on the stomach.

- Taking too sweet things.

These kind of acts should be desist from.

Menorrhagia:

This is a heavy menstrual bleeding which is longer than the usual days of one’s period and it requires the lady to change her pad or tampons every hour or more, this usually comes with severe cramps and disruption in the person’s normal day to day activities.

Common causes of menorrhagia include:

- Hormonal imbalance

- Uterine fibroids

- Ovarian dysfunction

- Adenomyosis

- Polyps

- Pregnancy complications

- Intrauterine device(IUD)

- Bleeding disorder

- Cancer

- And some medications.

However, it is best to seek medical care when you notice that;

- You need to use double sanitary pads to control the flow.

- The flow continues after seven days.

- The flow includes a large blood clot.

- There are signs and symptoms of anemia including shortness of breath and fatigue.

- Irregular vaginal bleeding.

- Bleeding after menopause

It is also important to know that the kind of food you eat some days before and during your period could influence how severe the menstrual pain would be. Here’s a little tip on the kind of food to take in when on your period;

- Drink a lot of water: it helps to ease water retention and bloating.

- Take Fruits; take a lot of fruits especially fruits that contain a lot of water like cucumber and watermelon.

- Eat fishes rich in protein and Omega 3 fatty acid

- Eat vegetables

- Take ginger and turmeric, they are anti-inflammatory food which helps to reduce menstrual pains.

- Take food high in iron like oysters, beans, sardine, beef, and dark chocolate.

Menstruation is a process that could go a long way in a woman’s reproductive life and should not be handled with levity. While observing your monthly flow, ensure that you are always clean as this would prevent you from diseases that could affect the reproductive organ.

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