Your Gynecologist Wishes You’d Stop Doing THESE 9 Things
chaitra krishnanMA (Journalism & Mass Communication) Experience: 5 yearsChaitra has a triple main bachelor’s degree in journalism, communicative English, and economics from St. Aloysius College, Mangalore, and a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from St... more
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We often run to a doctor or start taking medication when we have a fever or a stomach ache. But, there’s one area that we don’t give much attention to — gynecology. Reproductive health is something most women aren’t as aware as they ought to be. This is true particularly in the case of Indian women, because of the taboo attached to reproductive health. Sexual awareness is considered to be a sinful crime even today in many parts of our country. From everything related to reproductive health, starting from knowing the changes that will occur in your body to lovemaking and pregnancy, every woman needs to be educated. Sadly, from the bits and pieces of information they get from their parents, friends, and teachers (not to forget pornographic videos and magazines), people think that they know it all.
However, knowing something is more harmful than knowing nothing at all. And, you might end up doing things that might damage your reproductive health. While some of these mistakes aren’t that harmful, some others can lead you to infections and infertility. And, these can be long term problems that will affect your self-esteem and love life. So, in this article, we will introduce you to the nine most commonly mistakes committed by women.
- Assuming Heavy Bleeding Is Normal
Nobody likes to be on their periods. However, periods can say a lot about your menstrual cycle and reproductive health. If you know your body, you’ll know how much bleeding you have on every day of your period. If you feel that on any of the days you have very heavy bleeding or if you have bleeding for more than seven to eight days, it’s a good idea to consult a gynecologist. Also, untimely bleeding and irregular menstrual cycles are something that you should seek medical help for.
- Using Tampons And Pads For Too Long
Using tampons and pads for more than six hours isn’t healthy. In fact, you should change your pad every three to four hours (1). Otherwise, you may be making yourself vulnerable to vaginal infections, urinary infections, and rashes (2). This rule applies even if the flow isn’t very heavy and you just have spotting.
- Applying Sugary Foods During Foreplay
We try to make our love life the best by adding naughty nuances to spice things up. One such fun thing in the bedroom between partners is the usage of sugary food items like syrups, chocolate sauce, and jams in the woman’s vaginal area. This isn’t a healthy thing to do because it can lead to yeast infections (3).
- Using Harsh Chemicals In Your Lady Parts
Very often we fall for fancy packaging and advertisements that lure us into buying harmful products for our lady parts. It’s not even a good idea to use soap in there and the best thing to do is to stick to a genital wash recommended by your doctor. Before purchasing and using any such products, always take the advice of a medical expert.
- Resuming Lovemaking Without Enough Lubrication
Lovemaking is passionate. But, couples often forget the importance of lubrication during the action. While men and women’s body produces natural lubricants when they are aroused, it varies according to many factors. For example, if the woman isn’t erotically charged up to a certain point, her body may fail to produce the natural lubricant. The skin inside is very delicate and friction aggravated by dryness can cause bleeding and pain. In such cases, an artificial lubricant that you can purchase from stores can be used to avoid injury in your lady parts.
- Following Poor Hygiene
Shower regularly and wear clean clothes every day. Follow good hygienic practices when you go to the washroom and give extra attention to cleanliness when you’re menstruating.
- Wearing Clothes That Are Too Tight
Wearing panties or pants that are too tight can suffocate your lady parts. In fact, if you do not wear breathable clothing, the wetness and sweat in the area can attract infections. Also, tight underwear and pants are very uncomfortable. They make the sensitive skin in your private area rub against each other and that might result in painful rashes. To avoid this, always stick to clothes that are loose or that fit perfectly.
- Having Unprotected Intercourse
It’s not just something your gynecologist wishes that you’d do. It’s something that everyone, who love you, wishes you to do because unprotected lovemaking can get you STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases). Herpes, Gonorrhea, AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) are some of the most dangerous and even fatal STDs there are. Also, unprotected lovemaking can result in an unexpected pregnancy for which you might not be ready for.
- Not Consulting A Gynecologist When Necessary
Many women shy away from consulting a gynecologist. This is either due to the first-time discomfort they feel or because of the taboo attached to reproductive health. These include the people who consult doctors for even a cold. This is something that can be very dangerous for you, since infections and problems regarding your reproductive parts need medical attention as much as any other part of your body.
To ensure that you are healthy in every way and that you never suffer because of ignorance, make a conscious effort to educate yourself about reproductive health. Also, make it a habit to get routine checkups done once in a few months to detect any anomalies in their early stage itself.
