What is period ?
To truly understand a period, we have to look deeper into the root cause of it. Many men now understand that it is a monthly cycle where a woman involuntarily bleed from her vagina. But why?
Throughout the month, the female body builds up a lining in the uterus in preparation of impregnation. Once this cycle is complete and there is no sperm to attach to the lining, then the uterus sheds this lining.
During the four to five days that a woman has her period, she wears either a pad, a tampon, a period cup, or other means of catching the flow of blood. There are however many women who struggle with irregular periods, but we’ll get into that later. What I do want to mention here is the many testimonials of women who has commented on how wearing Anion pads have helped regulate their period. But how on earth can a pad help to regulate a woman’s period? Negative ions. This natural element is infused within the pads, and has many other health benefits as well.
“I have been using… mainly Anion Napkins… since 2010 for all health conditions including infertility, premature menopause, infections, cervical dysplasia, pain… Negative ions are as necessary as water and air.”
– Mira Bajirova
Normal period cycle
A normal period cycle is a build-up of 28 days, where after the lining and menstrual blood flows from the vagina for three to five days. For some women this may differ, and the build-up may be up to 35 days with a period lasting up to seven days. This is where we get into why a period might be irregular. There are many causes, some of which is stress, excessive weight gain or loss, travel, drug use and unstable hormones. If you struggle with irritable bowel syndrome or have diabetes, this may also cause you to miss a period here and there. So why would you not want to harness the benefits of Anion pads along with a healthy diet and exercise plan?
Period back pain
Unfortunately periods come with their own set of challenges besides the bleeding. I’m talking about bloating, debilitating cramps and horrendous back pain. According to the Virginia Spine Institute, there is a very specific reason for the lower back pain. They mention that it is typically muscular in nature and that it also thought to be caused by the changes in hormones flooding the body.
“Prostaglandins can affect the lower back muscles. An excess of prostaglandins causes… painful menstruation. Heavy contractions can lead to low back pain, as the pain can radiate from the lower abdomen into the low back.”
Period lighting or Why is my period light all of a sudden?
Beyond these horrible side effects that many women have to deal with, there are more things to worry about. For example when you period suddenly becomes very light. Your first thought is that you might be pregnant. While for some that can be great news, for others it can be terrifying. Either way, when you do the test and it comes back negative, you have to start questioning why this is happening. Often it is normal to have lighter months than others, but it might also be an indicator of a hormone-related condition or, as with an irregular period, stress, travel, et cetera.
Jelly-like blood clots during period
But wait, there’s more! The majority of women also experience menstrual clots, which are gel-like blobs of coagulated blood and tissue which comes out with the normal menstrual blood. But even though these clots are not unusual, albeit unsightly, even they can be cause for concern. If there are large clots that are frequent, it could be cause for concern. A normal clot is smaller than a 20c coin, only occurs towards the beginning of the cycle, and is either bright or dark red in colour.
Itchy vagina before period
Then of course there is the great itch… Yes, I’m talking about an itchy vagina just before your period starts. But what causes it? Well, there are a number of things that it could be. For example; a yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis, inflammation, vaginal dryness, and the use of some period products. From oestrogen levels falling rapidly in the days before a period, to increased skin sensitivity, there is a simple yet obvious solution to the itch. Using the correct period products such as panty liners can reduce the itch exponentially.
Period sponge
A new contender in the period ring is the menstrual sponge. A sponge, I hear you ask? Yes, a sponge. Since it conforms to the shape of your cervix, it is fast becoming a replacement for the conventional tampon. There are already several brands available across the world, and Beppy seems to be very popular in Australia. There are different sponges available to suit your needs, it is easy to use, some are reusable, and it is much friendlier on the environment than most menstrual products.
Period pain relief tablets
But of course every woman would love to have a pain-free period. Even if there is no itch, your clots are normal, your cycle is regular, you have no leakage, and everything else is going your way – there is always the inevitable pain. After all, you are having a form of contractions as the blood and lining is being expelled. So how do you manage your pain? If you’re at home you can always put a warm pack on your abdomen, but when you are out and about or at work, this becomes impossible. Luckily there are some amazing pain medications available to save the day. Two which popped up immediately upon research were Tylenol caplets 500mg paracetamol, and for those who want to go the more natural path, there is BrauerArnicaeze Arnica tablets.
Tea for period pain
For the person who doesn’t want to swallow any tablet in any form, you can always opt for tea. No, you won’t suddenly wake up with a British accent. But the benefits of various teas have been scientifically proven. Some teas that may help is red raspberry leaf tea, ginger tea, chamomile tea, peppermin tea, cinnamon tea, thyme tea, and rooibos tea. Even if it isn’t that time of the month, a cup of tea is always soothing to the soul.