At all events, in treating suppression avoid strong remedies, such as old-fashioned tansy tea, steel filings and ergot. These produce congestion, and may be the source of severe chronic ailments.
See to it that a general condition of health is attained. With plenty of out-door exercise, congenial employment and freedom from care, the young girl may, with rare exceptions, trust to nature for correction of suppression.
Dysmenorrhea, or painful menstruation, is of such frequent occurrence that it deserves especial attention. Most young ladies experience more or less suffering at this time. It may be only nervousness, wakeful nights, a slight headache, some pain in the back or pelvic regions, and a disposition to be alone; or the attacks may be severe, with pain in the back and pelvis, running down into the limbs; the surface and extremities cold, face pallid, with nausea, vomiting or fainting, and perhaps spasms.
This ought not to be, and, in most instances, need not be. With our present knowledge, the conditions for and causes of dysmenorrhea may be removed.
Among causes we find inflammation of the ovaries, oviducts, or mucous membrane of the womb, mechanical closure of the outlet of the womb, or, simply constipation, neuralgia or rheumatism.
With inflammation of the ovaries there is, previous to the recurrence of the menses and throughout its course, a dragging pain in the pelvis with swelling and soreness of the breasts, and more or less mental distress. These symptoms are not always relieved by the flow.
Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the uterus is the most frequent cause of dysmenorrhea. With this the pain begins with the flow and increases as the flow increases. There may be a discharge of shreds of membrane or clotted blood, and sometimes a membrane having the entire form of the cavity of the womb. This is produced by deposits of fibrine, like that of membranous croup.
When there is undue closure of the cervix the pain precedes the menstrual flow, and is relieved as the discharge becomes free.
The remote causes for dysmenorrhea are errors in dress and diet, want of exercise, etc.
To errors in woman’s dress more than any other one thing is the unnatural pain due. Women are burdened with heavy clothing, and every vital organ restricted by bands and bones. It is not unusual to count from sixteen to eighteen thicknesses of cloth worn so tightly about the pliable structure of the waist that actual deformity is produced.