Menstruation is a part of every woman’s life for years. Menopause typically begins around age 50, and girls in Myanmar tend to get their periods somewhere between 13-14 although puberty is beginning at younger and younger ages. This means, women generally deal with their periods for roughly four decades. It is good for women to know about how their bodies function. It will help us know what’s typical, personal and what’s not. Here are just five of the things we should all know about our periods.
1 – There is such a thing as too much flow
Having a heavy flow is relatively common. But if you find yourself needing to change your pad more than every two to three hours, or if your period lasts longer than seven days, it’s time to talk to a doctor about your options.
2 – Pain relief requires foresight
I am sure there are a lot of women out there who have painful periods. I, myself, am one of them. Getting relief from cramping and other common physical symptoms often requires taking pain relievers before any bleeding even starts. Research also suggest that certain lifestyle changes-like getting plenty of exercise and sleep, eating healthy foods and finding ways to relax- can help provide some women with some relief.
3 – Sometimes it is common to have irregular periods
It is not uncommon to have one or two abnormal periods per year. Irregular or missed periods can come from a variety of causes, including illness, stress, significant weight loss or gain, or pregnancy. If you are feeling totally fine otherwise, but your period is irregular, it’s typically okay to just wait until your next periods. But if the irregularity becomes persistent you should see the doctor.
4 – How to Deal with hygiene is important
Some movies and TV shows tend to portray women’s periods as somehow gross. But menstruation is a perfectly normal biological process and women shouldn’t go overboard in the hygiene. It is good to use a soap that has pH that’s similar to your own body’s. Do not use powders and perfume sprays. Those things can cause irritation and other bacterial infections.
5 – When your mom stopped getting her period matters for you
The age at which your mother went through menopause is one of the biggest predictors for when you will. And that’s extremely useful information to have, because there’s significant range- the average age at which a woman has her last periods is 51, but anything between age 40 and 56 is within the normal range.
