Period Stigma: Understanding the PERIODic Table?😊

Many of us are not well enlightened on the topic "Menstruation". It is as important as personal hygiene and is a natural biological process as eating and sleeping.

In this article by The Apothecaries, we have seen to it that explicit and simplified details on what menstruation is, how to calculate it for the females, and how to handle it are well outlined and explained. We also hope to remove the stigma surrounding this normal monthly occurrence as something "gross" or something to be ashamed about.

THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE

Periods are a vital part of any woman’s life, so it’s important to know when they’re happening. Not only will tracking your period help you detect any irregularities, but it’ll also help you anticipate any symptoms–from headaches to mood swings.

Many people have the wrong notion that the menstrual cycle and a period are referring to the same thing. But they are not aren't actually.

Period is the bleeding that happens during the cycle.

While the menstrual cycle is the 28 day time frame between the 1st noticed bleeding and the second noticed bleeding.

Menstrual cycle can however vary from 24-32 days depending on the woman's hormonal state or stress factors.

CALCULATING THE CYCLE

The first day of your period (bleeding) is the 1st day of the menstrual cycle. The bleeding can last from 4-7 days. Counting then is done from the last day of bleeding to get the day at which the next period will begin which is at day 28 or day 30 (bleeding).

Example

Bola notices her period on day 1.

The bleeding lasts for 7 days after which it stops.

She then counts the next 21 days.

At the end of the 21 days, bleeding occurs and another menstrual cycle starts.

7 days + 21 days = 28 days

Although, they can vary between different women and from one cycle to the next depending on factors we will discuss later in this article.

Menstruation is a normal function of a woman's body, you should not be ashamed about your period and your period shouldn't interfere with your lifestyle. If you are having problems such as excessive bleeding or intense pain (cramps) with menstruation see a Doctor or a Pharmacist or send a message to The Apothecaries (https://theapothecaries.wixsite.com/theapothecaries-1/team)

Most people stop getting their period when they’re between 45 and 55 years old — this is called menopause. Menopause can take a few years, and periods usually change gradually during this time.

AMENORRHEA

Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual period in a woman of reproductive age.

Primary Amenorrhea : is the absence of menstrual bleeding and secondary sexual characteristics in a girl by age 14 or the absence of menstrual bleeding with normal development of secondary sexual characteristics in a girl by age 16 years.

Secondary Amenorrhea : Is the absence of menstrual bleeding in a woman who had been menstruating but later stops menstruating for three or more months.

DYSMENORRHEA

Primary dysmenorrhea : This is the name for common menstrual cramps that come back over and over again (recurrent) and aren’t due to other diseases. Pain usually begins one or two days before you get your period or when bleeding actual starts. You may feel mild to severe pains in the lower abdomen, back or thighs.

Secondary dysmenorrhea : This pain usually begins earlier in the menstrual cycle and lasts longer than common menstrual cramps.

Menstrual cramps happen when a chemical called prostaglandin makes the uterus contract. If the uterus contracts too strongly, it can press against nearby blood vessels, cutting off the supply of oxygen to muscles. The pain results when part of the muscle briefly loses its supply of oxygen.

Secondary Dysmenorrhea can be as a result of underlying conditions such as

•Endometriosis

•Adenomyosis

•Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

•Fibroids (benign tumors)

CAUSES OF ABSENT MENSTRUATION

Primary and secondary amenorrhea can occur for numerous reasons, some causes are natural, while others are medical conditions that need to be treated.

•Natural causes of amenorrhea include pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause

•Some birth control pills may cause missed periods or the absence of menstruation

•Hormonal imbalance may cause amenorrhea. They are usually triggered by tumors on the pituitary or thyroid gland, low estrogen level or high testosterone level can also cause it.

•Lifestyle factors may include excessive exercise and stress, Also having too little body fat or too much body fat may also delay or stop menstruation.

HOW TO HANDLE MENSTRUAL PAINS

• For the best relief, take Ibuprofen or Piroxicam as soon as bleeding or cramping starts. If you can’t take Ibuprofen, you can take another pain reliever like Aspirin or Paracetamol.

It must be noted however that people suffering from Ulcer should not take Ibuprofen or Piroxicam. Diclofenac, aceclofenac, ibuprofen are all NSAIDs and are not recommended for ulcer patients as they worsen the ulcer condition and can lead to futher pain symptomatic with stomach ulcer which can be mistaken for menstrual pain or other abdominal pains.

• Place a heating pad or hot water bottle on your lower back or abdomen.

• Avoid foods that contain caffeine and sugar.

• Women who exercise regularly often have less menstrual pain.

Do not take Oral contraceptives to relieve pain unless advised by your Pharmacist or Doctor as even this is very rare.

Questions That Women Ask

Q: Can you prevent menstrual cramps?

A: The answer is “probably not.” However, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise may help stop cramps from being as intense.

Q: When should you contact your healthcare provider about menstrual cramps?

A: Bad cramps keep some women from working and going to school. You don’t have to suffer and you don’t have to put your life on hold. Contact your Pharmacist if you have painful periods.

We also conducted a survey to gather some myths about menstruation people have or hold on to and here's what some of our respondents had to say:

Q: is it normal to crave for things like dust smell, dirt, ice etc when on your period because I heard its a normal thing and nothing to worry about?

A: well this is not true and as a matter of fact, could be related to iron deficiency especially in people with heavy flow.

Q: let me not even lie and I'm sure many other girls go through this too...during periods, I have craving for chocolate a lot but I heard its Bad to take chocolate during periods .is this true?

A: Taking dark chocolates during your menstrual period actually is very beneficial. First, it satisfies your sweet tooth, secondly is supplies the body with high potassium ,magnesium and iron minerals which are just what you need at that time😁

Q: Period Blood is bad blood.

A: period blood isn’t rejected body fluids or the body’s way of flushing out toxins. Think of it as evolved vaginal secretion😁

For more questions, feel free to chat up any of the members of the team via the team's page.

By Osunde Peter Nosa, Aikhomu Ella Onose and Offogah Oshone Evelyn.