How to Prepare & Manage Yourself During Your Menstrual Period

Menstrual Cycle | Problems and Solutions | Menstrual Period | Complete Guide for Women | Difficulties Faced During Menstruation | Menstrual Cramps

Menstruation or the so-called periods is something all women face on a monthly basis. Most women will see their period recur every 28 days. However, cycles of 21 to 35 days are also normal in adult women.

Every woman is different and so not all will experience the same premenstrual symptoms and difficulties. I used to have regular periods but the cramps were extremely severe. Something which I could never handle by myself. Until becoming pregnant, I have been through many issues and pain as any other girl or woman would have had it in their life. Every month dealing with the same pain and discomfort is not at all easy.

So here I am to discuss the problems most of us face and the solutions for it. Some of the remedies have worked for me and I hope it works for you too.

Common Problems During Menstruation -

Before discussing the problems you face, let's know what happens during each menstrual cycle. Having your period is a part of this cycle. A series of changes occur to some parts of your body like uterus, breast, ovaries, etc every 28 days, on average. The first day you get your period is day one of the menstrual cycle. For some, it would last for 3-5 days while it can also go up to 7 days.

So every month, the ovaries release hormones that help in building a thick lining in the uterus. This process happens so that the fertilized egg can be held and attached to the uterus to start developing. But when no fertilized egg is found, the lining breaks down and bleeds through the vagina which we mention as our period.

Some women get through their monthly periods easily with few or no concerns. However, others might experience a host of physical and/or emotional symptoms just before and during menstruation like -

1. Menstrual Cramps

2. Heavy / Excessive Uterine Bleeding

3. Irregular Menstruation

4. Extreme painful periods

5. Pimples and Acne

6. Other severe conditions like vomiting, dizziness, etc

7. Mood swings

How To deal with menstrual cramps?

80-85% of women have abdomen/ back pains during their periods. Especially the first day of your menses is usually the worst. Though some over the counter medicines can help you relieve the pain It’s not advisable to consume it every time you have pain.

Here are a few methods you can follow so as to reduce it to a certain limit -

• Eat fiber-rich foods like oats, beans, broccoli, dry fruits, whole grains regularly, or at least a week before your period date starts.

• Drink plenty of water and citrus juices.

• Avoid non-veg (chicken/meat) and too salty and oily foods. Omega-rich fish can be consumed in a limit.

• Never keep your stomach empty during periods as it can lead to bloating and thus more abdominal pain.

• Use a hot bag to relieve some pain.

• Try to drink ginger or cinnamon tea which can really help to prevent bloating and also reduces pain.

• You also intake Ashokarishtam which you can get from any ayurvedic shop. Please get it prescribed from the doctor before using it. I used to drink 2 tsp daily a week before my menses date.

• Stop smoking or alcohol consumption.

In case you are having extreme unbearable pain along with migraine, vomiting, and dizziness consult a doctor so that he/she could identify the root causes. For example - people with PCOd have such symptoms and need required medications to keep them on the bay.

How To deal with the heavy menstrual flow?

Time has gone when women used to use cloth during their menses period. Now we have so many options to use like pads, tampons, and menstrual cups. Pads are the most commonly used but let's also get to know the pros and cons of all three.

a) Pads -

They are really good unless you are allergic to it or else you have a heavy flow during the initial 3-4 days. Also not changing your pad every 5-6 hrs can be the worst thing you're doing to yourself. It can develop rashes, bumps, and at worst infections too.

Pros -

• Easy to use

• The health risk is less

• Allow you to monitor your flow regularly.

• Easily available

• Comes in large varieties like cloth, cotton-based, gel-based, etc.

Cons -

• Doesn’t hold much menstrual flow.

• Disposable pads can be expensive.

• Harmful to the environment as they are non-biodegradable.

• Expensive

b) Tampons -

They are another feminine hygiene product used to absorb the flow internally ( by placing it inside the vagina). Once inserted it expands as it soaks up menstrual blood. The majority of tampons sold are made of rayon or a blend of rayon and cotton. Here are the pros and cons of using tampons.

Pros -

• Need to be placed internally.

• More discreet than pads.

• Prevent odor during use.

• Can be worn during sports such as swimming.

• Are not as noticeable as wearing pads.

• Can hold more flow than menstrual pads.

• No chances of leakage as that of using pads.

Cons -

• Difficult to use.

• Have more precautions to follow.

• ave to be changed every few hours.

• Cost more than other menstrual products.

• Not reusable

• Poses a higher risk of vaginal infections / Toxic Shock Syndrome.

• Can't be worn overnight while sleeping.

• Don't allow you to monitor flow easily.

• Not as easy to find tampons globally.

c) Menstrual cup -

A menstrual cup is a type of reusable feminine hygiene product. It's a small, flexible funnel-shaped cup made of rubber or silicone that you insert into your vagina. It has now become pretty common and is mostly available online. Out of all others, menstrual cups can be the best for a longer run.

Pros -

• It is affordable as it can be reused for a long time.

• It is safer than tampons.

• Holds more blood than pads or tampons, hence very good for people with heavy flow.

• It’s environment friendly than pads or tampons

• Can be worn with an IUD

Cons -

• It can be messy at first until you expertise in the process of placing and removing it/

• May be hard to insert or remove

• May be tough to find the right fit

• May cause an allergic reaction if not properly cleaned before reusing it.

• Can cause vaginal Discomfort during initial uses.

Now you know all the three things and their benefits and cons use the one that suits you the best. I would recommend pads for normal or medium flow people and menstrual cups for women with heavy flow.

Irregular or missed periods -

Now, after you get your first periods for the next 3-4 months it’s common for the periods to be irregular. But later if you are still facing such issues please consult a doctor so that he can examine you and give medications accordingly.

In some scenarios, in addition to irregular periods, you may have severe acne and pimples, excessive weight gain, extreme unbearable pains during your menstrual days, etc. I would strictly say not to neglect these symptoms at all and should definitely do a check-up. The causes of these symptoms can be -

• PCOD and PCOS

• Thyroid

• Fibroid

• Problems with ovulation.

Keeping them untreated can really affect you during the time of conceiving or pregnancy. Missed periods can be chances of pregnancy too. Take a pregnancy test to confirm the same.

How to prevent pimples and acne during the menstrual period?

Hormonal changes are the culprits in giving us those ugly pimples or acne on our face. Though it cannot be fully prevented we can reduce them by eating a proper and healthy diet.

Also, a good skincare routine can help you get rid of all those acne, dark spots, and pigmentations.

Click to get the complete guide on the skincare routine and steps.

How to handle mood swings?

Feeling depressed, sad, or anxious is very common among women before and during their period. These are part of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). During periods your body releases an egg which then drops the hormone level in your body. This drift in hormones can lead to mood swings.

The only solution is to focus on things that make you feel happy and relaxed. And still, if you are feeling bad, stay calm by letting your mind know that all these are due to your hormonal changes and that’s it you will definitely feel better.

So, with this, we come to the end of this blog. Remember, most menstrual cycle problems have a range of treatment options. These are just a part of our lives and should be handled with ease. But, if your periods feel overwhelming, discuss your symptoms with your health care professional. Once your symptoms are accurately diagnosed, he/she can help you choose the best treatment to make your menstrual cycle tolerable.