Hygiene at the front: how military women can take care of their health during menstruation
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At least 5,000 women defend Ukraine in advanced positions. Military personnel at the front face daily not only extremely difficult living conditions, but also hygiene problems. In particular, this concerns the care of one’s own body and health during menstruation. Women, being in the trenches and on combat missions, do not always have access to running water. This promotes the reproduction of disease-causing bacteria. Also, servicemen are captured, where it is not possible to change hygiene products. Photo: sinenkiy/Depositphotos There are cases when women have a hard time coping with menstruation: they suffer from pain, upset stomach or heavy bleeding, and this can make it difficult to perform combat tasks. Maryana Polishchuk, a gynecologist at the private medical center “Dokazovi” and a midwife-gynecologist at private medical centers, told “UP. Life” what hygiene products during menstruation are better to use at the front, how to facilitate the course of menstruation and take care of your own hygiene and health these days. Centers “Evidence” and “Medical Plaza” Olena Tsisarzh. *** Olena (name changed at the request of the heroine) has been serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine for a year. Five months of which are in the war zone. Despite physical fatigue, constant stress due to wearing a bulletproof vest, a woman tolerates menstruation quite easily. For hygiene during the day, the servicewoman uses sanitary tampons, and at night – pads. He washes himself mainly with running water from a bottle, sometimes he uses a special dry shower for the military or wet wipes. She adds that her siblings understand her cycle, so she does not feel discomfort. Paramedic Yevgenia Kolesnichenko with the call sign “Yvga” has been serving in the volunteer medical battalion “Hospitaliers” for seven months. He is not directly in combat positions, and evacuates wounded servicemen after the battle. Paramedic Yevgenia Kolesnichenko “Yivga” The woman said that physical exertion is a sign that during menstruation the pains are slightly greater than usual. According to her, discharge is not so abundant and long, so Yevgenia confidently uses a menstrual cup. Olena Boychenko, a medic, has been defending Ukraine in the ranks of the Armed Forces for more than a year. Currently, she holds the position of sanitary instructor of the company. She had to be in a leading position in the Donetsk region. Before the eyes of the servicemen, they suffered serious injuries and friends and comrades died. The woman says that she feels very bad during menstruation, but she is not used to complaining. Her periods are very heavy and painful. He usually does not take medicine, because he simply does not have time for it. Elena uses only sanitary napkins. If he is unable to wash himself, he has a dry shower or wet wipes at hand. The woman admits that it is difficult to replace care products on the front line. Therefore, I learned to do it quickly and under the control of my peers. After all, they constantly have to “cover” each other. Doctor Olena Boychenko Tampons, menstrual cups or pads: what to choose According to gynecologists, in places where there is no regular access to running water during menstruation, it is better to use sanitary pads. “If you have to choose between tampons, menstrual cups and pads at the front, I recommend the latter. Since all hygiene products must be periodically changed with clean hands. Unfortunately, in wartime, the opportunity to wash them thoroughly is not always available. Tampons, like menstrual cups, must be to enter intravaginally and this increases the risk of infection, it is easier with pads,” says gynecologist Maryana. The pad will simply leak during menstruation, but the inability to replace a tampon or menstrual cup has much more serious health consequences. Photo: cskaymark/Depositphotos The worst risk associated with untimely tampon replacement is toxic shock syndrome. Because the bacteria contained in the vaginal blood can contribute to the occurrence of inflammatory processes in the pelvic region. Symptoms of toxic shock syndrome: drop in blood pressure; nausea; problems of the gastrointestinal tract; skin rash. Gynecologist Olena notes that if a woman experiences these symptoms during menstruation, she should first remove the tampon and seek medical help. Doctors do not recommend using a menstrual cup if a woman previously had bacterial vaginosis (a change in the usual microflora of the vagina) or chronic urinary incontinence. Because there is a risk that inflammatory processes of the genital organs will occur more often. If the menstruation of a woman who is in field conditions started prematurely or she simply does not have pads or other means of hygiene with her, then you can use improvised means: gauze, bandage, cotton wool, pieces of fabric. “The main thing is that it should be sterile and changed regularly,” adds Olena, a gynecologist. For storing used tampons and pads, ordinary bags with a Zip-Lock lock are suitable, which can easily be placed in the side pocket of a backpack. Photo: pStudioRN/Depositphotos How to deal with hygiene during menstruation at the front A modern woman has unlimited access to hygiene products every day. A shower or bath with warm water is also no longer a luxury for someone. But war dictates its own rules. Servicemen in the trenches do not always have access to basic running water. “To take care of hygiene during menstruation at the front, ideally you should carry a bottle with running water with you, which you can use to wash yourself at a convenient moment, for example, hiding somewhere in the bushes,” advises Maryana Polishchuk. Gynecologist Maryana Polishchuk As for hygiene products, gynecologists are advised to use soap or special products for intimate hygiene once every few days. It is worth remembering that you can wash only the external genitals and the anus, so as not to dry out the mucous membrane or disturb the balance of the microflora. It is very important to clean the external genitalia from menstrual blood, even if there is no access to running water. This should be done in the direction from the pubis to the anus. Wet wipes are also quite suitable for this. “If women do not have access to running water, then they can also be used. The main thing is to pay attention to the composition. Those with a neutral Ph content (acidity – ed.) are best suited. It is undesirable to use antibacterial, flavored ones. Children’s ones are perfectly suitable.” – says the doctor. You also need to remember to change your underwear regularly. It is advisable to choose panties from natural fabrics and a simple cut. For washing clothes, Olena Tsisarzh recommends using baby or laundry soap without extra fragrances. PMS and menstrual pain: how to relieve them at the front Every woman, no matter where she is, endures periods differently. If they were painful even before serving in the Armed Forces, then to ease the condition, doctors recommend taking painkillers a day or two before the start of the cycle itself. All non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs available in any first-aid kit are suitable for this purpose. This will slightly reduce the load on the whole body and help support the usual physical activity, which is very important in the extremely difficult conditions of war. It is important to remember that you should consult a doctor before taking medication. “For military servicewomen who suffer from intense discharge during menstruation, I can recommend the use of combined oral contraceptives. They can be prescribed by a gynecologist. Of course, in order to understand which drugs are best suited, it is best to start taking them before serving in the army, in civilian life.” – says doctor Maryana. It should not be forgotten that taking any medical drugs is very individual. Therefore, only a doctor will be able to choose effective and those that will suit you. They can also relieve the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome: frequent mood swings; anxiety; tearfulness; depressive disorders; constipation or diarrhea. If a servicewoman takes combined oral contraceptives, then menstrual blood is usually less. In such cases, reusable menstrual panties can also be suitable for periods. They absorb secretions quite well. “For an average menstrual cycle, you need about five pairs of such underwear. Of course, everything is very individual. However, just in case, you should also have sanitary pads with you,” says Maryana Polishchuk. Photo: [email protected]/Depositphotos Due to the constant stress at the front, the menstrual cycle in women can be disturbed: periods either do not start, or on the contrary, they become more frequent and intense than they were before. And this also negatively affects health, in particular, reproductive function. In such cases, it is better to seek help from doctors. Read also: Periods in a bomb shelter: how to monitor hygiene in wartime? Recommendations of the Ministry of Health of Tetyana Denisenko, “UP. Life” Cover photo: Real_life/Depositphotos
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