Along with gut-wrenching pain are those other not so fun symptoms — bloating, nausea and migraines. Mother Natures’ way of saying congratulations you’re not pregnant. Although I’m sure most of us would be prefer to get a congratulatory e-card instead.

About 80% of women will experience dysmenorrhoea, the clinical term for menstrual cramps. And at least 50% of these women will seek some form of medical treatment.

There are two types of dysmenorrhoea, primary and secondary. Most women suffer from primary dysmenorrhoea, which is menstrual pain that is not caused by an underlying disorder of the uterus or pelvis. The pain usually starts a few hours before and lasts until the second day of menstruation. While scientists have yet to discover what causes this pain, it’s understood that the hormone prostaglandins is responsible for general symptoms such as migraines, nausea and cramps. The more of this hormone a woman has, the more severe her symptoms are.

Read more: 5 types of period cramps that could signal a serious problem

Secondary Dysmenorrhoea is painful menstruation that is the result of an underlying disease or pelvic pathology such as endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease. The pain usually starts a week before menstruation.

While exercise and anti-inflammatory medication can be used to ease the symptoms of dysmenorrhoea, it doesn’t always work. According to this study conducted in the UK, one in five women experience dysmenorrhoea so severe, it interferes with their daily actions, while this Canadian study found that 51% of women reported that their activities were limited during menstruation as a result of dysmenorrhea, and 17% of them reported missing school or work.

Last year, John Guillebard, professor of reproductive health at University College London, told Quartz that some patients described the pain as being as bad as a heart attack. Yet despite how intense dysmenorrhea can be, women still suffer in silence. How many times have you seen a woman doubled over her desk because her period pain was so severe?

Read more: Could this herb be the cure for your never-ending period pains?

Guillebard also stated that even practising doctors aren’t prepared to take period pain seriously. “I think it happens with both genders of doctor. On the one hand, men don’t suffer the pain and underestimate how much it is or can be in some women. But I think some [female] doctors can be a bit unsympathetic because either they don’t get it themselves or if they do get it they think, ‘Well I can live with it, so can my patient’, ” he says. He attributes this as the reason why menstrual cramps aren’t considered important enough to research.

While we’re waiting for scientists to come up with the ultimate quick fix to cure period pain (how amazing would that be?), a simple solution would be to allow women to take menstrual leave. The pain might still be there, but we’d all be able to suffer in comfort.

We recently conducted a poll on twitter to find out whether the idea of menstrual leave would appeal to twitter users.

Do you think women should get time off work for ‘period pains’? https://t.co/Og1BdVMSIw??

— Women’s Health SA (@WomensHealthSA) July 4, 2017

Many were emphatic that women should be allowed menstrual leave.

I clicked yes because there are some really hectic periods that require a lady to stay at home for that week.

— Sphe (@Sphesihle49) July 4, 2017

Absolutely yes. Suffered through the pain yesterday and today. Still in pain med don’t work most times. In so much pain even as i tweet.

— Mhana Vana (@Tintswalob) July 5, 2017

i remember how i used to suffer at work, some women get pains worse than others and they should get leave

— Priya Sewnath (@PRajcoomar) July 4, 2017

More recently, in 2015, Zambia became the first African country to allow women to take menstrual leave, while the Italian parliament is currently considering passing this bill.

Aside from countries passing this law, individual companies such as Nike (on a global scale) and British company Coexist, have stipulated that women are allowed to take menstrual leave. Bex Baxter, a director of Coexist, told the Independent that there’s a misconception that giving women time off makes a business unproductive. “This is not about employees taking more time off but working more flexibly and efficiently around their menstrual cycle and encouraging a work-life balance,” she explained.

The idea of menstrual leave is not a new one. In 1947, Japan passed a law allowing women to take menstrual leave. This law, however, doesn’t stipulate if this should be paid or unpaid leave. Indonesia followed suit in 1948, allowing women to take two days of menstrual leave per month. South Korea and Taiwan also allow women to take menstrual leave.

Read more: Period shaming is never okay and Janelle Monáe agrees!

Other arguments against women being allowed menstrual leave include women being further discriminated against in the work place. Companies might hire men over women as they wouldn’t need to take this leave. Some argue that women might potentially abuse this leave. This could be why 37 respondents believe that women shouldn’t be allowed to take menstrual leave.

It’s clear that there are issues surrounding the regulation of menstrual leave. But we shouldn’t dismiss the idea entirely. Instead we should make this idea feasible. Women have suffered in silence for too long.

What do you think? Should women be allowed menstrual leave? Let us know via Facebook or Twitter. 

Worried about whether your period is ‘normal’ or not? Here’s what your period blood consistency says about your health, plus you should really know these 10 things about your period. 

^{This article was originally published on www.womenshealthsa.co.za. Image provided by iStock.} 

Megan Flemmit

The information on Health24 is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need health advice, please consult a healthcare professional. See additional information.

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In partnership with SA’s top medical aesthetic companies

1. Adult acne

Acne is increasingly become an unpleasant fact of life for older women, sometimes into their forties. This tells us something’s wrong, as our skin acts as a warning light for our bodies. The three main causes of adult acne are stress, hormone dysfunction and an unhealthy lifestyle.

The Skin Renewal medical and skin-care professionals will consider your problem holistically and offer the most effective medical and aesthetic treatments.

In-clinic treatments include:

Chemical peels:The most effective peels for acne include Lamelle Beta Salicylic acid peels, Azelan, modified Jessners Peel and TCA peels (for post acne scarring). Your skin type and budget will determine which is used for you.

Laser Genesis procedure: This five-in-one treatment reduces the size of the sebaceous (oil) glands, eliminating inflammation, reducing pore size and improving acne scarring and pigmentation.

Carboxytherapy is an effective complementary treatment that improves the effect of other treatments. Tiny amounts of CO2 gas are injected into the target area, stimulating a healing response and helping to heal pimples and active acne by destroying the acne bacteria. It also helps prevent scarring and strengthens the skin.

2. Pigmentation

While extremely common among SA women of all skin tones, pigmentation is also one of the trickiest problems to treat, firstly because there are different types of pigmentation – hormonal pigmentation, superficial hyperpigmentation and dermal pigmentation. Because it is triggered by the sun, there is no quick or permanent fix. Pigmentation treatment and prevention needs to be managed daily and indefinitely. Even one day of unintended sunburn can set your condition back.

The first order is to avoid stimulating pigmentation by using a broad-spectrum sunscreen, preferably SPF 50+ on a daily basis.

In-clinic treatment depends on skin type, pigmentation type and the depth of the pigment in the skin. Most common, superficial hyperpigmentation can be treated with a combination of superficial chemical peels or lasers such as Limelight Laser or Fraxel Dual.   

Fraxel™ DUAL incorporates 2 lasers in 1 – used separately or together, depending on skin needs, and shows results in as little as 2–3 treatments, with hardly any downtime. All forms of pigmentation and pre-cancerous skin lesions can be treated, skin texture, deep lines and acne scars can be improved and sun damage and pigmentation can be treated. 

3. Scarring

Scarring from a wound to the skin (accidental, surgical or from skin damage such as acne) has traditionally been very difficult to treat. Even after the scab has fallen off the wound, the repair work is far from over, and it may take months or even years for the skin to return to normal strength, depending on the size, depth and location of the injury.

The larger and deeper the wound, the longer it takes to heal and the greater the chance of a visible scar. Your skin’s own make-up also determines how you will scar. Some of us are lucky to have scars heal neatly and fade away, while others, especially among people with darker complexions, will have pigmented and even keloid scarring. The good news is that technological advances give us much more effective in-clinic treatment:

Carboxytherapy: The CO2 injected just beneath the skin causes the body to increase oxygenated blood flow, nutrients and growth factors to the area. This improved circulation results in cell restoration and stimulates collagen, allowing the scar to heal more quickly and effectively.

Dermapen Skin Needling stimulates the skin’s ability to repair itself. During this safe, precise procedure, a sterile Dermapen needle head is moved over the skin, creating “mini wounds” that stimulate the body to release healing growth factors, triggering the production of collagen and elastin. This new, fresh collagen forms a smoother, more even appearance on the treated area over time.

Pearl Rejuvenation: The Pearl laser has a computer-guided scanning device that can be programmed to remove specific layers of tissue uniformly. Depending on the depth, treatments can range from mild to very aggressive. It is able to treat a variety of conditions, ranging from age spots to deep wrinkles and scars.

Scar subscision is recommended for very deep scars that leave hollows in the skin. During this simple, in-office surgical procedure, a special needle is inserted into the scar to break the tether that pulls the scarred skin downwards. Following this, other treatments, such as those mentioned above, will smooth out the scar tissue itself and leave its colour more even.

4. Spider and varicose veins

Very common among both women and men, spider veins, aka thread veins and “broken capillaries” (this is not what they are), are small dilated veins that appear close to the surface of the skin and look like spider webs.

Varicose veins: The larger, usually swollen veins, tend to appear during pregnancy and menopause, because hormonal changes play a role in vein health. Excess weight and lack of movement might play a role in their development as extra weight puts extra stress on the capillaries, which means you should try to move regularly to ensure proper blood circulation and help control weight.

Effective in-office solutions include:

Cutera Laser Vein removal: For body and facial spider veins less than 4mm in diameter.

Sclerotherapy: Recommended for varicose veins and spider veins. The doctor injects a solution (generally a salt solution) directly into the vein, causing irritation of the vessel’s lining, which causes it to collapse and the blood to clot. Over time, the vessel fades.

5. Sun damage

What we view as skin ageing – freckles, age spots, pigmentation, leathery skin, fine wrinkles, a blotchy complexion – is mostly the signs of accumulated damage from unprotected exposure to the sun’s UV and infrared rays. Sun damage signs can appear on the skin as early as your twenties, but the damage becomes really visible between 35 and 49.

Of course, preventative protection wins first prize, but lucky for us there are professional treatments available to help counter the damaged and dehydrated appearance of skin:

Most highly recommended are Fraxel Dual laser, chemical peels, carboxy therapy and Laser Genesis treatments (in combination or alone). The consulting doctor or skin-care therapist will determine what suits your skin’s needs and budget. These options all stimulate collagen production in the skin, restoring elasticity, plumping the appearance of the skin, fading pigmentation marks and giving the complexion a smoother, more even appearance.

Find out more about the conditions that mostly affect women and the recommended treatments, as well as the four pillars to addressing ageing skin, by visiting Skin Renewal at www.skinrenewal.co.za

Take the quick Beyond Beauty Survey and you could win a R2 000 Skin Renewal voucher to spend in our online store, with free delivery within South Africa. T&Cs apply.

^{Images sourced from iStock.}