As soon as we talk about rules, prejudices as old as the world resurface. And because of them, month after month, women are depriving themselves of solutions that could help them live this period better. We take stock of received ideas with Dr Brigitte Letombe, medical gynecologist, hospital practitioner at CHRU Jeanne de Flandre in Lille, and member of the National College of French Gynecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF).
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- What the rules can say about your health
- Period pains as strong as a heart attack
- Prescribing cannabis for painful periods?
Stopping menstruation is necessarily a sign of pregnancy
False
Stopping menstruation can indeed be a symptom of pregnancy, but not only that. A psychological shock, a problem of anorexia, stopping the pill or even certain drugs can indeed cause a amenorrhea. After 45, it can also be a menopause sign.
Read also : Periods: what to do when they are too abundant?
It’s normal to be in pain
True
It is natural to have a stomach ache on first day of her period : the contractions intended to take off the uterine lining, which had thickened in anticipation of a possible pregnancy and whose evacuation will constitute the menstrual flow, explain the discomfort felt. These pains are considered physiological.
But suffering for several days from violent spasms that radiate throughout the pelvis, thighs and back is nothing normal. There is no reason to consider these dysmenorrhea like a fatality.
Read also : Pollution disrupts menstrual cycles
It is possible to shift the rules
True
If it is very punctual, nothing prevents to postpone the date of onset of his rules. It is rather advisable to move it forward so as not to prolong the feeling of discomfort of the patient. premenstrual syndrome. With a monophasic pill (tablets all the same color and therefore identical), it suffices to stop a few days before the end of the pack and to start a new pack a week after stopping. You can also chain two plates without pausing. With a triphasic pill, it is a little more complex, it is better to seek advice from your pharmacist or doctor so as not to make a mistake.
Read also : Premenstrual syndrome: homeopathy to relieve pain
Aspirin helps relieve painful periods
False
If you have stomach aches when you have your period, it is best to avoid aspirin, which thins the blood and makes your period heavier. To relieve the physiological pain of menstruation, take analgesics paracetamo typethe and antispasmodics Spasfon® type, associated with the application of a hot water bottle on the stomach, relieves the physiological pains of the rules.
When this is not enough, it is necessary to switch to anti-inflammatory drugs, respecting the pharmacist’s advice concerning their dosage and their contraindications. But above all, you have to talk to the general practitioner or the gynecologist. Because other solutions exist: treat endometriosis or a fibroid that went unnoticed, adopt hormonal contraception (pill, ring, implant, hormonal IUD) which, by often making it possible to eliminate the rules, thus eliminates the pains …
Read also : How to choose your hot water bottle
Sex is not recommended when you have your period
False
No medical rule forbids making love when you have your period. It’s up to each couple to listen to their wishes. Keeping in mind, however, that the risk of catching a sexually transmitted infection is higher during these few days. Note: an American company, The Flex Company, has recently marketed an intra-vaginal device resembling an absorbent disc and allowing sex without being hampered by the flow of blood. But for now, the Flex is only available in the US and UK.
Read also : What to do when penetration is painful?
Tampons are dangerous
False
What is dangerous isuse a tampon without respecting the rules of safety hygiene:
- Wash hands with soap before inserting or removing it.
- Change tampon every 4 to 8 hours.
- Avoid wearing it at night.
- Do not put it outside your period to absorb vaginal discharge.
These precautions greatly limit TBS (risk of toxic shock syndrome). This rare but serious infection mainly affects young women. She has been talked about a lot in recent months, as several cases have been identified at short notice. However, it should be remembered that the toxin in question does not come from the tampon itself but of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium which is believed to be the carrier of approximately one in 200 women. And whose virulence can be limited by using tampons correctly.
Read also : Unusual: a connected tampon to detect diseases
Periods can make you irritable
True
It is common for menstruation to be accompanied by a change in mood … and to make you feel slightly bad. It’s about premenstrual syndromewhich is sometimes accompanied by stomach pains, feelings of tension in the breasts, etc… Do not hesitate to talk about it with your gynecologist who will be able to advise you.
Read also :My anti premenstrual syndrome foods.
Intensive sport can stop the rules
True
The level of estrogen in the body is directly related to body fat. If it decreases very significantly under the effect of significant energy expenditure, combined with a possible diet, this rate can become particularly low. To the point of provoking irregular periods, or even lead to their disappearance. This absence of periods (amenorrhea) is however not irreversible and does not affect fertility.
Read also : Why do I no longer have my period?
The cup can suit everyone
True
Very fashionable intravaginal hygiene protection, the menstrual cup is available in several sizes and can therefore adapt to all types of flows, even when they are abundant. If it is economical and ecological, since it can be reused, its use nevertheless requires careful hygiene, under penalty of risking a vaginal infection or toxic shock.
Before each period of menstruation, care should be taken to sterilize her cup. At each removal to empty it, it must be washed with water. And, as with tampons, you should avoid wearing the same cup for several hours in a row. In addition, IUD wearers must take care not to cause a suction effect that could displace their intrauterine device.
Read also : Rules: what women don’t say