MENSTRUAL PROBLEMS OF ADOLESCENT AND MENARCHE

Before starting the topic menarche I want to share my  personal view, I don’t know why women’s are considered as a  weaker sex. Being a male I can only imagine how much a  women suffers from her childhood (menarche to menopause).  she suffers, she immolates and offers herself in complete to  give birth to a new life.

It is a surprise to see why this difference between a man and a woman still exists in any country that has witnessed much advancement in every field.

Facts we should remember:

– women’s are not liabilities or burden, they are valuable assets.

– She brings fortune not misery.

– She is the creator not destroyer.

– Girl child is the most precious gem, save her from any cataclysm.

– After god, she has the potential to give birth to a new life.

– Daughter is the knot that unites two families together.

Menarche

Menstruation usually begins around age 11, but it may happen as early as age 8, or as late as age 16. The beginning of menstruation is called “Menarche”. Before menarche most girls will have shown the physical symptoms of puberty,

External changes

– Breast development and

– Fine hair growth in the pubic region.

Internal changes

Production of estrogen and progesterone by ovaries triggers certain changes in the female’s reproductive system these are –

– Uterus enlarges

– Vagina becomes deeper, and the vaginal wall thickens.

– Ovaries and cells destined to become ova are slowly begins to develop.

Prior to the onset of menstruation or several months before the first period, fluid or discharge may be secreted by the vagina. This fluid may be clear or white in color, and watery to thick in consistency. This is known as physiological leucorrhea and it is normal.

The very first period is usually very mild; only a few drops of blood. menstrual cycle can be very irregular for the first one or two years, usually being longer than the average of 28 days.  For example, they may be shorter (3 weeks) or longer (6 weeks), or the female adolescent may only have three or four periods a year.

Symptoms experienced During Menstruation

– Weakness and exhausted feeling

– Pain in lower abdomen

– back pain

– Headache

– Tenderness of the breasts

– Pruritus of the external female genitalia

You need to see a Doctor when

– No signs of sexual development by age 14.

– Not started menstruating by the age of 16.

– Periods has suddenly stopped and not menstruated for three cycles.

– Bleeding for more days than usual or bleeding excessively.

– Bleeding between periods (more than just a few drops).

– Severe pain during period.

Common menstrual problems of adolescent

Painful Menstruation

Cramping pains can occur in the lower stomach, and sometimes also in the lower back and kidney region. They tend to start on the onset of bleeding or for those who suffer from pre menstrual syndrome, the day before the onset of bleeding. Exact cause of this is not known but fluctuating hormonal levels probably Oestrogen and recent research suggests hormones called prostaglandins could also be a cause.

Premenstrual tension

Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a term used to describe a various groups of physical and psychological symptoms that occurs few days or week before the menstruation or any time after ovulation and disappear almost as soon as menstrual flow starts or shortly thereafter. Sometimes the symptoms are so severe that they interfere with their day-to-day lives.

Delayed menarche

May be caused by chronic illness such as

– Cryptomenorrhea (symptoms occur without any external bleeding, as in cases of imperforate hymen)

– Polycystic ovary syndrome

– Endocrine problems

Amenorrhea

Primary Amenorrhea: No menstruation after 17 suggests primary amenorrhea or delayed menstruation. The main cause is the failure of the sex organs to mature which in turn does not produce the required level of the hormone, Oestrogen. Menarche date of the mother and grandmother can help identify if it’s just typical of that family or there is a different reason. Other physical problems like

– Obesity,

– blocked tubes

– Psychological problems such as anorexia nervosa, severe depression, schizophrenia can also cause delays.

Secondary Amenorrhea: Secondary amenorrhea has been defined as the absence of menses for 6 months; it is statistically uncommon for girls and adolescents to remain amenorrheic for more than 3 months or 90 days. This is where menstruation has begun, become established and then stops.

Causes

– Pregnancy

– Severe shock,

– Physical agitation,

– Constant travel,

– Drugs and contraceptive pill

Amenorrhea alternating with heavy bleeding

If it is on a recurring basis can be a sign of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Abnormal bleeding in patients who previously had normal menstrual cycles is most worrisome if the patient:

– Has a low hemoglobin level (less than 10 g/dL).

– bleeding from other orifices.

– Has symptoms or signs of endocrine dysfunction.

Continued bleeding, particularly if the hemoglobin level drops to less than 6 g/dL, may require hospitalization of the patient

Prevention

Mother’s guidance

Since menarche is such an important milestone in physical development, it is important to educate young females. Girls who have been educated about early menstrual patterns will experience less anxiety when they occur.

Girls may be unfamiliar or reluctant to discuss   menstruation and may not inform their parents about menstrual irregularities or missed menses. If her friends are her only source of information, she might hear inaccurate information and take it for truth.

So, Mothers should take the time to explain why menstruation occurs. The earlier you begin talking to your daughter about the changes she can expect in her body, the better. Don’t plan a single tell-all discussion. Instead, talk about the various issues — from basic hygiene to fear of the unknown — in a series of conversations. If your daughter asks questions about menstruation, answer them openly and honestly. If she’s not asking questions as she approaches the preteen years, it’s up to you to start talking about menstruation.

Keep track of periods. This will help a girl know when her next period will start, and identification of abnormal menstrual patterns, and may permit early identification of potential health concerns for adulthood.

Diet

Good nutritional diet is essential for girls for rapid physical growth during adolescence. Slow physical growth and delayed sexual maturation are the results of deficiency in nutrition.

– Energy needs: Adolescent girls need 2000 calories per day and this is much more than what they required during their childhood days. Factors influencing energy needs of these girls are their activity level, metabolic rate and the growth needs of the pubertal period. Hence adolescent girls must be well informed of their nutrition requirements and must choose foods rich in lean protein and low fat and also fibre-rich whole grains, fruits and vegetables. It is recommended that 25% of the total energy must come from fat, out of which, 10% from saturated fat. Eating a low-fat diet helps in preventing heart disease, breast and colon cancer. Therefore skim milk and lean meat are better.

– Protein: The requirement has been calculated as 45 to 60 grams every day. Dairy products, beef, chicken, eggs, pork, vegetable sources like tofu, soy products, beans, nuts, etc. supply this requirement. If this required protein is not available to adolescent girls that will cause belated sexual maturation and also affect development of lean body mass.

– Calcium: Calcium helps in development of dense bone mass and also reduces risks of fracture and osteoporosis. Milk, cheese, ice cream and frozen yogurt, calcium-fortified orange juice, breakfast bars, bread and calcium-fortified cereals supply the 1,200 milligrams of calcium required during adolescent years.

– Iron: Iron transports oxygen to the entire body. If there is a deficiency in iron, it will lead to anemia, fatigue, dizziness and weakness. As the blood volume and muscle mass increase rapidly during adolescent period, girls require more of iron. Beef, chicken, beans, peanuts, legumes, spinach, etc. can supply the required daily dose of 12 to 15 milligrams of iron.

– Zinc: Growth and sexual maturation require zinc to the extent of 9 mg. per day and it can be got from red meat, shellfish and whole grains.

– Folate: Folate helps in protein synthesis and plays a major role in DNA and RNA. Hence adolescent girls require more folate during puberty and this can be got from orange juice, bread, milk, dried beans and lentils.

Adolescents should never skip breakfast. About one-third of the day’s nutritional supply should come from breakfast. Skipping breakfast may lead to under-nutrition which will affect the future health of adolescent girls.

Large studies have confirmed that a higher gain in body mass index (BMI) during childhood is related to an earlier onset of puberty.

Homeopathic symptoms and cure

Homeopathic remedies are prescribed on the basis of symptoms rather than conditions, as each case of a particular illness can manifest differently in different people. There are many symptoms which can be effectively treated by homeopathy few symptoms are given below. If your symptoms are matching to any of the symptoms given below, it can be cured mail the disease and symptom number at drraishyam@gmail.com to know your medicine.

1. First period delayed, in adolescent girls.

2. Periods too early and excessive, with headache.

3. Periods in the daytime only.

4. Periods irregular, with bloating, moodiness, and irritability.

5. Periods changeable, no two alike.

6. Periods absent, with bleeding from nose instead.

7. Periods with intermittent bleeding; stops and starts.

8. Periods too early in young girls, with flooding.

9. Blood dark or red, with or without clots in it, labour-like pains in small of back, emotional upsets increase blood loss, difficulty controlling weight Sabina 30c

10. Blood bright red, dragging pains, face hot and flushed, throbbing headache.

11. Profuse bleeding, blood bright red, nausea.

12. Cramping pains in abdomen, pain in small of back, head feels congested, chilliness, general pallor, weight problem.

13. Flooding, blood dark and watery, face pale, occasional flushes, walking around seems to improve things.

14. Clots of blackish blood, sensation of movement inside uterus, feeling weak, sick, and worried.

15. Blood thin and watery, without clots, cold extremities, general exhaustion, and fear of dying, warmth makes you feel worse.

16. Profuse bleeding, with abdominal cramps and nausea, especially in first day or two of period, pain and bleeding worse at night.

17. Pain worse just before period, aching, dragging sensation made worse by lying down, skin hot and flushed, bright red blood.

18. Severe cramping pains, especially if associated with anger, great restlessness.

19. Pain comes in spasms, soothed by heat, pressure, and movement, membranes present in blood flow.

20. Periods late and scanty, pain extends into thighs.

22. Scanty periods, nausea and vomiting, weepiness.

23. Periods late and scanty, sharp pains which are soothed by heat, uterus feels heavy.

24. Prolonged periods which arrive early, chilliness, exhaustion, constipation, irritability.

25. Strong contractions of uterus, rather like labour pains, headaches in days leading up to period.

26. Pain extends down into thighs, nausea, muffled buzzing in ears.

27. Intermittent bleeding, dark clots of blood, abdominal cramp, headache, giddiness, faintness, face very pale.