This is an opinion article.
This topic is being discussed more often between my students and those around me, but I still think it’s not enough. For centuries our health has been minimised to “hysterical”, “dramatic”, and “hormonal”.
I have no idea how often I have heard from health professionals that period pain is normal. No, it is not. It can be common but not normal. In any other situation, pain is related to a sign that our body is trying to communicate something. So then, why is it categorised as usual when it’s about menstrual cycle pain? Any thoughts?
Also, for any issues related to periods, hormonal variations and so on, the solution is always the prescription of contraceptive pills. Excessive bleeding? Period pain? PMS? Acne? The answer for all of it is “the pill”.
My question here is: how much of this is supported by science, and how much of this is a tentative-error situation, where hormones are the easiest “solution” (masking symptoms would be more precise here, in my opinion)?
How often did you girls receive explanations about the risks of the pill and the risks of suppressing your menstrual cycle? Because “the pill” stops your period and ovulation (if it’s an oestrogen-based one), it can thin the uterus walls and getting pregnant can become a challenge. Not to mention the risk of blood clots and stroke, never mentioned by doctors. As an osteopath, I must explain that when I am about to manipulate my patient’s neck, there’s a little, tiny risk of stroke for informed consent.
These are just some of my reflections today. Delirious ones? I don’t think so.
What do you think about it?
