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Period pain

Health & Fitness

The Discomfort of Having a Period

by Thembi Terry
written by Thembi Terry

There’s nothing more erratic than being on your menstrual cycle. You lose control almost over everything. No two periods are ever the same and you could reach menopause and still not be used to having Aunt Flo show up every single month. There is assured discomfort at this time of the month, every month. Not only is the actual period uncomfortable, some of the pain management remedies are equally as not ideal. Have you ever been burnt by a hot water bottle?

We still live in a world where women still need to disclose being on their period and be exempted from certain religious practices. Despite being extremely uncomfortable, women are still required to carry on as if everything is normal. Since the 28th of May is Menstrual Hygiene Day, here are some of the ways in which menstruation is uncomfortable.

Premenstrual Syndrome

PMS is such a confusing time. You don’t know if you are pregnant or terminally ill. The boobs hurt, they are heavy as stone, you are nauseated. You have headaches, abdominal cramps and mood swings to boot. One minute you’re fine and the next you’re crying buckets for no reason.

Period Pain

According to scientists, period pain can be equated to an actual heart attack. The scientific name for period pain is dysmenorrhoea. If you have severe period pain, please visit a gynaecologist and get a professional diagnosis. Period pain can be mistaken for a more serious condition like Endometriosis. Stay ready for those spontaneous sharp butt pains which render your legs useless.

Lack of supplies

Due to water rationing, most women and girls don’t have access to running water. The debate about reusable pads raises the issues of hygiene and safety of reusable pads without running water. Disposable pads are a luxury for under privileged girls. Not having pads doesn’t excuse girls from their daily chores. So they resort to unsafe products instead of sanitary wear.

Leakage freakage

The reason why pads have wings is because they take flight so much. The glue on pads is clearly fake. Every time you sit down you have to run an assessment. What colour is the chair? Can I get up from it without anyone seeing if I’ve leaked. When people are leaving, you want to be the last one and you want to be the absolute last one to get up so that you can run a check before you leave. Most girls were surprised by their first period and have PTSD of having leaked in front of the whole class.

Paranoia

One thing a period will do, is surprise you. You can track your days and it will still show up or not. You dread having to survive period pain but have you ever had your period not show up? This is terrifying especially if you’ve indulged in sexual relations because now you think you’re expecting a baby. Truth is, you can have a delayed period for a myriad of reasons.

When you sneeze while you’re on your cycle and it feels like the river Nile just gushed out onto your pad. Now you’re unsure if it leaked onto your clothing.

Anything that isn’t fresh doesn’t have a pleasant smell. You know how a butchery filled with old blood smells? Now you’re scared that everyone can smell your period. Not only that, but if you have to share a bed with someone else, forget about a peaceful sleep, with every toss and turn, you’re wondering if you have displaced your pad which will now leak. Also, can the person sharing the bed with you smell your period?

Post-period

For girls with longer periods, the pads may cause chaffing due to the prolonged friction. There’s also the issue of not knowing exactly when your period will end. You’ll get a clean pad twice and thinking you’re home free and then all of a sudden, the last kicks of a dying horse. To protect yourself, invest in some pantyliners so that the residue from the cycle doesn’t catch you off guard. Develop a period aftercare routine to re-calibrate the hormones and pH balance.

Not only is the period uncomfortable, the home remedies you resort to, are equally a thorn in the flesh. Please seek medical advice from a medical expert on pain management. If you buy the right period products for you and change them as regularly required, you should be fine. Minimise your movements, take your painkillers, hydrate and stay away from light-coloured clothing.

All the best for the next time your uterus punishes you for not giving it a baby.

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FeaturedHealth & Fitness

The One Thing Girls Need During Their Period the most

by Thembi Terry
written by Thembi Terry

Going through that time of the month is a turbulent and definitely a trying time without having to worry about additional stress. The plight of the Zimbabwean girl isn’t only about affordable sanitary wear but also accessible reproductive health services and the basic human right of water. The worst thing that can happen to a girl is for her to wake up on her period and find out that there is no water.

During the menstrual cycle, anything can go wrong. Leakages happen all the time. I am nearly 30 years old and I still hesitate to stand up when I am on my period just in case I had a leakage and my dress or chair is now stained. When the worst happens, you’ll need water nearby to clean yourself up and the affected items.

Since the biblical times, the menstruation cycle has been considered dirty physically and spiritually. If I go on my period and it’s on a weekend or I am at home, I’d ideally like to take at least three showers in the day. I get heat flashes when I am on my cycle so I get sweaty and need to keep refreshing. I can’t do that if there’s no water which increases my discomfort during my period.

Most girls suffer from what is called dysmenorrhea. Which is the scientific name for severe period pain. Most of the remedies for period pain include water. Either placing a hot water bottle on your tummy/back or drinking warm water or simply taking pills. All this means that the girl needs to have a constant water supply.

If its yellow, let it mellow but if its brown, flush it down.

We’ve all heard this right? Well, when you are on your period you have to flush every single time. Nobody needs to see that mess. Imagine having to go outside to go and find a bucket of water for flushing and having to carry it across the house meanwhile your back is burning from severe period pain. Doesn’t sound fun does it? It is so much discomfort because you can’t go and visit other people because going to the loo in a strange place is a chore.

Water is a basic human right and women need access to clean sources of water especially during their monthly cycle. Clean water is essential to ensuring that women’s reproductive health is preserved. I hope one day our leaders or any decision makers in this space do their best to improve the situation of lack of water.

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