Menstruation is the periodic bleeding events and cyclic (monthly) of the uterine mucous membrane accompanied by the release of the uterus (endometrium) through the vagina in women are sexually mature. Every healthy woman is not pregnant and not yet menopausal period will receive each month. In normal circumstances the length of periods ranging from 3-7 days and the average repeat every 28 days.

Menstrual pain is a complaint the most common gynecologic and many experienced by women. Menstrual pain is not known to do with the cause, but several factors can affect the hormonal imbalances and psychological factors. The pain can be a primary disorder or a secondary disturbance of various kinds of diseases. Menstrual pain caused by primary disorders quite often, usually occurs after the start of the first menstruation and often disappear after pregnancy or with the increasing age of women. Possible causes are the result of increased secretion of prostaglandins, hormones that cause increased uterine contractions, menstrual pain this type of attack a lot of teenagers and lasted until adulthood. Menstrual pain caused by secondary disturbances usually occur in older women who previously did not experience pain. Usually the pain associated with gynecologic disorders such as endometriosis, narrowing of the cervix, malposisi uterus, pelvic inflammatory disease, and tumors of the pelvic cavity. Therefore, to overcome it must be known for certain what the cause, so it can take the steps appropriate medical.

The symptoms of menstrual pain are: pain comes irregularly, sharp and cramping in the lower abdomen that is usually spread to the back, down the legs, groin and the vulva (the outside of the female genitalia). Menstrual pain was also followed by the syndromes premenstruasi varied set of symptoms that appear between 7 to 14 days before the menstrual period begins and usually stop when menstruation began. Symptoms â € “these symptoms include behavior such as anxiety, defresi, irritability / sensitivity, irritability, sleep disturbances, fatigue, weakness, food cravings and sometimes mood changes very quickly. In addition, physical complaints such as breast pain or swelling, bloating or abdominal pain, headache, joint pain, backache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, and skin problems like acne.

To reduce pain during menstruation because the primary disorder can use a painkiller (analgesic) such as aspirin, or with antiprostaglandin hormone administration to reduce the strength of uterine contractions, but antiprostaglandin hormone administration should be careful especially in women who wish to become pregnant.

Here are some things you can do to anticipate and reduce the pain during menstruation:

Attach a hot water bottle or heat pad / warm in the abdominal area.
Massage the abdomen / abdominal slowly
Try sleeping on your back with legs / knees propped up with pillows
Perform light exercise such as gymnastics, hiking, or biking at the time before and during menstruation, it can make blood flow to the muscles around the uterus becomes smooth, so that pain can be overcome or reduced.
Medicinal plants that can be used to reduce and overcome pain during menstruation have analgesic effect (pain relief), blood circulation, and dilute blood clot.
Here are examples of some medicinal plants that can be used to treat menstrual pain.

DAUN DEWA (Gynura segetum [Lour.] Merr.)
Part used: whole plant / herb
Effects: blood circulation, melt the blood clot, anti-coagulant

ROSES (Rosa chinensis Jack.)
Part used: Flowers
Effects: blood circulation, normalize the menstrual cycle, anti-inflammatory, eliminate swelling.

SIANTAN / SOKA (Ixora stricta Roxb.)
Part used: flower
Effect: relieve pain (analgesic), reduce blood clot, circulation.

LEAF HIA / NEW CHINA (Artemisia vulgaris L.)
Part used: whole plant / herb
The effect: eliminating pain (analgesic), blood circulation, regulate menstruation, to stop the bleeding, remove the cold.

GINJEAN (Leonurus sibiricus L.)
Part used: whole plant (herb)
Effects: blood circulation, normalize the menstrual cycle, menstrual peluruh (emenagog), eliminate swelling and shrinking of the uterus.

TEKI (Cyperus rotundus L.)
Part used: root
Effect: normalize the menstrual cycle, alleviate pain (analgesic), launched the vital energy. Is an important medicine for diseases in women (gynecological diseases)

Temu lawak (Curcuma xanthorrhiza)
Part used: rhizome
Effect: as peluruh period (emenagog), tonic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotektor, and others.
Here are examples of herbs recipe that can be used to overcome the pain of menstruation (dysmenorrhea):

Recipes 1.
Temu lawak 30 grams 30 grams + black + meeting 20 grams 20 grams ginger + Java + acid palm sugar to taste, washed and cut into pieces, boiled with 600 cc of water until the remaining 200 cc, filtered, the water was drunk.

Recipes 2.
3 red rosebud flower + 2 SIANTAN / soka + 15 grams of flowers bugenfil, washed and boiled with 600 cc of water until the remaining 300 cc, filtered, water is taken 2 times a day.

Recipes 3.
God of 15-30 grams of fresh leaves + 20 g turmeric, washed and boiled with 600 cc of water until the remaining 300 cc, filtered, water is taken 2 times a day.

Recipes 4.
30 g leaves hia / new china 15 grams of fresh or dried boiled with 400 cc of water until the remaining 200 cc, filtered, the water was drunk.

Recipes 5.
20 grams of dried ginjean + 10 grams of dried nut-grass tubers, washed and boiled with 600 cc of water until the remaining 300 cc, filtered, water is taken 2 times a day.

Note:
To use the pot boiling the ground, enamel pot or glass pot.

Regular menstruation is a sign of hormone balance, with the assumption that we are not pregnant, breastfeeding, or menopause. Regular menstrual period indicates that we are in week (called the Venus Week) to prepare for ovulation. Hormone that starts the first day of such period lasted help us be in the best condition. On the third or fourth day of menstruation, we are getting better conditions.

Unfortunately, not all women can feel regular menstrual. There are erratic menstrual come, or felt the pain was so great. Even if our regular menses, but blood flowed in copious amounts, is also a sign that we are having menstrual problems. Various issues surrounding this period if allowed can affect our fertility.

Basically, there are four types of menstrual problems that often occur in women:

1. Painful menstruation or dysmenorrhea. “The first Dysmenorrhea associated with increasing levels of natural chemicals in the body during ovulation, which causes pain,” wrote Mary Jane Minkin, MD, in Women’s Health for Life. “Dysmenorrhea both a sign of an underlying disorder.” This second Dysmenorrhea affects women who had never before menstruation.

Reproductive disorders, endometriosis, or fibroids can cause menstrual pain, and the only way to know for sure the cause is checked out to the doctor. Dysmenorrhea symptoms include pain in the lower back or legs, abdominal cramps, or pain in the pelvic bone. Menstrual problems may indicate infertility. So the sooner you know, the better.

2. Menstruation is very great, or menorrhagia. Hormonal imbalance or uterine abnormalities can cause menstrual blood volume is very high, but Dr. Minkin said that the cause is not always clear. If you menstruate for seven days or more, and blood came out no longer accommodated by the bandage, then chances are you suffer from menorrhagia. Blood clot was also normal, but blood clots in large quantities is a sign of heavy periods.

Menorrhagia cause anemia, so make sure you consume enough iron. Of lean meat, green vegetables, cereal, oatmeal, boiled soybeans, and other nuts, are sources of iron are good. You may need medication from a doctor to deal with excessive menstrual or anemia, but make sure your doctor knows if for example you are trying to get pregnant.

3. Irregular menstruation, or oligomenorrhea. Menstruation is not predictable arrival including normal, but if this happens in your first year of periods and during perimenopause (the years before menopause). Hormone imbalance or disorder also causes irregular menstruation, which can affect fertility and your chance to get a baby. Dr. Minkin suggests to record the menstrual cycle to see if the disorder is still considered normal, because what is normal for one person may not be normal for another. “Fortunately, most of the problems of menstruation is a small problem, and can be treated,” he explained.

4. Absence of periods or amenorrhea. If you do not menstruate for three months, chances are you’re pregnant. But other causes could also be because you have amenorrhea, perimenopausal, or menopausal. “The most common cause of the absence of menstruation is pregnancy,” explains Dr. Minkin. “Amenorrhea is also a side effect of illness, stress, exercise too hard, or losing weight too much.”

So if you’re not a period, means you do not ovulate, or release eggs each month. If you are not ovulating, then you also will have difficulty pregnant. Consult a physician for the diagnosis and treatment of amenorrhea. Avoid diet and exercise that is too tight.

source: kompas.com

It is estimated that there are> 5 million Indonesian women who had entered menopause per year (data from BPS, 2008) where approximately 68% of them experienced symptoms of the climacteric (menopausal complaints) but only 62% of those who ignore these symptoms. Menopause itself is defined as a period after 12 months without menstruation (amenorrhoea). Menopause usually occurs at the age of 50 years and over. At this time the body has some biological changes that cause a sharp decline in ovarian function (ovarian) of which is decreased production of sex hormones, especially estrogen significantly. Declining levels of estrogen in the body greatly affects quality of life of women, although symptoms can vary in every woman.

Hormonal changes result in the emergence of this body symptoms such as joint pain & pain in his back, drying of the vagina (so ill during sexual intercourse), difficult to hold urine, mood disorders & high emotions so stressful, but it decreased estrogen levels also cause trend of increased blood pressure, weight gain & increased cholesterol levels. In the long-term decline in complaints due to estrogen levels can cause osteoporosis, coronary heart disease, Alzheimer type dementia, stroke, colon cancer, tooth loss & cataracts.

For most women these complaints, especially that intersect with everyday life can have negative impacts on the quality of life & self-confidence. For that we need appropriate treatment of menopausal deal. Currently the most effective medications to treat the symptoms of menopause & well as the prevention of osteoporosis is the estrogen hormone-based therapies that aim to replace the decline in estrogen that occurs at menopause. And for menopausal women who still have a uterus (womb) then the combined therapy with progestogen.

In addition it is important to remember that our lifestyles are affecting youth menopausal symptoms will be felt later. Here are some tips to stay healthy when entering menopause later, namely:

1. no smoking (if they try to quit smoking),
2. do not drink alcohol,
3. frequent exercise regularly,
4. eating healthy foods (especially those derived from soya beans as a source of phytoestrogens) &
5. enough sunlight.

Finally we can say that menopause is a natural thing that will happen to every woman. His arrival is not scary as long as we can sensibly event of complaints, visit the doctor to get treatment.