It is a girl thing....

 

A woman in today’s world has no boundaries or limitations. She is educated, she is bold and she even may be wiser than some of her male competitors. But she is still a woman, and nature imposes certain limitations on her bodily presence. No matter how much she advances in society, a lady still has to face her menstrual problems.

What is it about?

 

A woman’s menstrual cycle more casually known as “periods”, occurs after every 28 days on an average. This is required for the production of “ovocytes'', and for the preparation of the uterus for pregnancy. 

Accompanied with symptoms such as irritability and headaches, the core discomfort during the time of periods, is the occasional discharge of blood

from a woman’s vagina. The initial stages of discomfort lead to adorning pads to avoid the seepage of blood and the consequent soiling of garments.

A lot of inconvenience is caused at these times, causing deterrence to her concentration, both at work and at home. In addition, a lot of a woman’s mind is placed on the pads covering her sensitive area.  She is always conscious of prying eyes, as well as the variations while sitting down, wearing pads.

The Solution

A perfect solution for the female folk of all ages should be to use tampons. A tampon is a mass of absorbent material that has to be inserted into the vagina during menstruation. They are designed to absorb the menstrual flow. Tampons are designed using rayon, cotton or a blend of both.

History of Tampons

The origins of tampons date back to thousands of years earlier. In fact, evidence proves the usage of tampons in many different cultures. The oldest printed medical document, Papyrus Ebers, indicates the usage of soft papyrus tampons by Egyptian women in the fifteenth century B.C. Roman women used wool tampons. 

Women in ancient Japan fashioned tampons out of paper, held them in place with a bandage, and changed them 10 to 12 times a day. Traditional Hawaiian women used the furry part of native fern called “hapu'u”, grass, moss and other plants. 

A tampon is not merely a piece of cloth that can be put into a woman’s sensitive area. It in fact, is also a medical device. In more recent history antiseptic cotton tampons were innovated with salicylates to prevent bleeding from wounds.

Sensitive areas of the body cannot be exposed to harsh or radioactive materials. They should be given the same tender care, with which one would care for a new born child. This was followed in the use of tampon-like objects throughout history. Similarly, tampons of current times are created using delicate material and fabric.

It was in the early 1930s that Dr. Earl Haas got a patent for the first modern tampon, named the Tampex. Originally, women were hired to manufacture, market and sell the product, considering its sensitive relevance to a woman’s life.

 

Types of tampons

They are basically of two types; an applicator tampon and a digital tampon. Nevertheless, the design, structure and size of a tampon may differ, between various companies and product lines. 

An applicator is made of two tubes, a barrel which forms the outer part, and a plunger forming its inside. They are normally created out of plastic or cardboard and are to be inserted into a vagina. The outer tube of an applicator tampon has a smooth surface that eases insertion. Such tampons come with an insert and extend in length, once inserted. They help to absorb the blood during menstruation. 

Digital tampons are inserted into the vagina using a finger. It results in less waste material and is more secure to use when away from home. These tampons are also made of soft fabrics or plastic. The difference in them is that they expand in diameter. The vagina being a nerve-sensitive area, inserting a digital tampon may be painful for the first-timers. Nevertheless, the pain subsides radically once fully inserted. 

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Selecting the right tampon

Inserting a tampon may cause sharp pain for a woman, if not inserted properly.

Using the right kind of tampon is another major factor that has to be considered. Tampons should be

inserted in a way that it settles on the posterior formix, covering the external opening of the uterus.

Hence, extreme care should be taken and the instructions completely followed.

t would be advisable for first-timers to opt for a applicator tampon, as it generates much less pain.

Selecting the wrong shape and size of tampon in accordance with the layout of a woman’s vagina,

can be extremely damaging. Besides the physical injury, the birth of serious infections

is an alarming concern. 

How to use a tampon?

Be it a digital tampon or an applicator tampon, the right way of insertion first depends on comfort.

The vaginal canal of the tampon stands or sits in the required position, ensuring that she is comfortable.

The tampon is then gently pushed into the vaginal canal, either with an applicator or a finger.

It should be pushed up and then backward.

Once the tampon is properly inserted into the vagina, the user should tug gently

on the string, to maintain a comfortable and safe fit.

Health Precautions

Beside the proper insertion of a tampon, special care also needs to be given to its changing.

A tampon mandatorily needs to be changed every few hours, preferable four.

This needs to be done even if the surface of a tampon is not saturated with blood or menstrual fluid.

This is a must to prevent a toxic medical ailment known as toxic shock syndrome.

It is a life threatening bacterial infection that when untreated, may cause damage to one’s vital organs.

Some symptoms to watch out for in such cases include low blood pressure, muscle pain and headaches.

Your skin or rather your vagina is your first child. I

t is vital to make use of the best tampon to give it the tender care that it deserves.

A son/a brother/a husband/a friend

Yasir Sulaiman

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