The Sunday News
Tine Mataz
Hello readers! I hope everyone is doing okay.
Last week we left off with me mentioning the names of some menstrual conditions. Today we are going to discuss that further.
What are menstrual conditions? Menstrual conditions/disorders are problems related to a woman’s menstrual cycle. ( What definition did you have?)
Menstrual conditions are the main reason women see gynaecologists or specialists. They can cause a great deal of pain and infertility issues in a woman’s life.
The most important thing to note is that these issues can occur outside of the menstrual period, and that pain can occur during anytime, not only when a woman is menstruating.
Symptoms: Abnormal bleeding, pain, chronic pain, pelvic pain, vaginal clotting, cramps, depression and stress, bloating or swelling or abdomen.
There also types of menstrual disorders. These include : Prolonged bleeding, heavy bleeding ie bleeding in excess, absence of bleeding, premenstrual dysphonic disorder : severe pain and discomfort before menstruation, oligomenorrhea : very light or infrequent bleeding
I am sure you have come across a lot of these. The next question would be the reasons why this could occur.
Many times women visit doctors or emergency rooms due to the above factors, and most times leave with no answers or are simply told that “ it is just period pain”. Sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes it is your body communicating to you that something is wrong. I would suggest keeping a diary where you track your periods and any symptoms. That way you have a receipt of when things changed and how things have changed.
Causes: Endometriosis; Polycystic ovarian syndrome, cysts/fibroids, adenomyosis, hormonal imbalances, pelvic floor dysfunction, genetics, endometritis (different from endometriosis)
Diagnosis
There are a number of ways to get a diagnosis, and early diagnosis is key. Fight for your doctor to listen to you and if they don’t, look for one who does because your pain is real and you are worthy of getting help and being listened to.
Some of the diagnosis options include: Blood tests, hormonal tests, ultrasound scans, laparascopy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Treatment
Treatment options are available, but it is more successful when treatment is sought early. There are many options like dietary changes, medical treatments like the use of hormones and pain killers. Surgical treatment is also available as well as alternative treatments like cupping, reflexology, yoga, acupuncture and herbal treatments.
These are all subjective and what works for you may not work for somebody else.
The utter most important thing is to get educated and be aware of these conditions.
In these articles I will give you lots of information to equip you and educate you.
You may get in touch with me on [email protected] or +263778026402. Until next week, remember to spread love and kindness. Ta!
