Menstrual health tips

90% of common discomforts during menstruation (mild abdominal pain, backache, fatigue) are normal physiological reactions and can be effectively alleviated through daily adjustments. Only less than 10% of severe pain and abnormal bleeding are disease signals and require timely medical treatment.

Last week, I bumped into my colleague squatting on the steps in a cold sweat at the entrance of the business district. He was still carrying a half-cup of iced Americano in his hand and said, "Every girl has to suffer this anyway, just bear with it and get over it." In fact, it is really unnecessary.

When it comes to whether to take painkillers for dysmenorrhea, there is still no agreement between the two sides: elders always say that "the medicine is three parts poisonous, and eating too much can cause dependence and hurt the stomach." Western medicine guidelines clearly state that taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (that is, the ibuprofen we often take) according to the doctor's instructions during menstruation, 1-2 days at a time, according to the dosage, will hardly produce dependence, but can avoid the stress reaction caused by pain. My own experience is that if it hurts so much that I can’t concentrate on work, I just take half a tablet and I’ll feel better in about half an hour. I’ve never had any stomach discomfort. ； If it's just a dull falling pain, just put a warm baby on it, drink a cup of warm longan tea, and rest on the sofa for half an hour. You don't have to force yourself to choose which side, just do whatever is comfortable for you.

Oh, by the way, the most frequently asked question is whether we can wash our hair and take a shower during menstruation. In the past, my grandma always said, "Contacting water during menstruation will cause headaches, which will become more severe when you get older." I used to believe that, in the summer, my aunt stayed up for 3 days without washing her hair, which was so oily that she could even cook, but it made me more irritable. Later, after asking a gynecologist, I learned that as long as you wash your hair with hot water and dry your hair with hot air immediately after washing, and don't face the cold air from the air conditioner, it's totally fine. Last winter, I went downstairs to get the express delivery after washing my hair without drying it. The cold wind blowing for ten minutes really hurt me all afternoon. Afterwards, I paid attention to keeping warm, and there was no problem at all when I washed my hair during my period.

There are also many people who drink brown sugar water and eat a lot of red dates when they get their period, saying they want to replenish blood. In fact, this really depends on your constitution: if you have less menstrual flow and cold hands and feet, it’s okay to eat something during menstruation. It’s really warm and comfortable. ； But if you have heavy menstrual flow or even large blood clots during menstruation, eating too much will prolong your menstrual period and increase bleeding, which is not worth the gain. If you really want to replenish blood, eating some red meat or animal liver after menstruation is much more reliable than brown sugar water. After all, 90% of brown sugar is sucrose, with very little iron content, so you will be happy at most.

I have come across two very extreme statements before. One is that "you need to lie down for 7 days during menstruation, otherwise you will suffer from uterine ptosis" and the other is that "exercise during menstruation burns twice as much fat as usual, so you must exercise." They are all nonsense. I have a friend who doesn’t feel anything during menstruation and still runs 3 kilometers every day without feeling any discomfort. ； My backache was sore on the first day of my period. I didn’t even bother to walk the dog. I just stayed in bed and watched TV shows, and I didn’t see any problems. If your body is not abnormal, taking a walk or doing 10 minutes of stretching yoga can relieve the soreness and swelling of pelvic congestion. ； If the pain is so severe that you can't straighten your back, don't force yourself to exercise self-discipline. There is no shame in lying down.

Of course, not all discomforts can be endured. I used to accompany a friend for a checkup in the hospital, and I met a little girl who had been in pain for three years. She had to take painkillers every time to cope with it. This time, the pain was so painful that I fainted before I came to check and found that it was a chocolate cyst. Fortunately, it was discovered early and she was fine after treatment. If you experience any of the following conditions, don’t delay and go to the hospital: the pain is so painful that painkillers don’t work, the menstrual flow is so heavy that a nighttime sanitary napkin is soaked through in 2 hours, the menstrual period lasts for more than 7 days, and irregular bleeding occurs during non-menstrual periods. These may be signs of endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. Don’t frighten yourself by blindly searching Baidu. Do a B-ultrasound and take a blood test to find out.

In fact, after all, there are really not that many "clear rules and commandments" that must be followed during menstruation. Some people are fine drinking iced milk tea, while some people gasp in pain when they touch something cold. Some people can run marathons, while some people are tired after walking even two steps. Individual differences are huge. The experiences of others can only be used as a reference, and your own feelings are the first priority. Don't believe those alarmist rumors on the Internet that "not paying attention to menstruation will lead to infertility". If you are really unsure, go to a regular hospital and get a gynecology number. It costs more than ten yuan to buy peace of mind, which is better than anything else.