Sexual Problem of Young People

During the teenage years, all normal young people suddenly become conscious of sex, striking changes start taking place within the body, producing new reactions that are often followed by deep feelings of guilt. How these peculiar problems are handled mean a great deal both at present and in the years to come. Bad companies and a lack of proper guidance may lead to a life of sorrow and tragedy. Many parents would not want to talk about sex, hoping that the young person will learn the true facts of life from someone else. Such sources of information are often faulty, and sometimes they are downright immoral.

A woman with premenstrual tension can trace the beginning of her illness to the fact that she was not told in advance about menstruation and such facts of life. She was either left in total ignorance, or perhaps given some scanty information, with the result that she becomes frightened and ashamed at the sight of blood at the time of menarche. This is certainly not fair to any girl. Long before this, she should have been told frankly what to expect. She should be informed that menstruation is a perfectly normal occurrence in the human female, and that these menstrual periods will continue every month for the next thirty years or more, except during the time she is pregnant.

By the time a girl is a able to menstruate, she already has enough reason not to feel ashamed or guilty. She should not be told that she is “sick”, for actually she is perfectly well. Menstruation and ovulation are simple physiological processes just like breathing. These are normal components of the reproductive process by which the human race is continued from one generation to another. Without menstruation and ovulation, it would be impossible to perpetuate the human race. Having begun her monthly period and ovulation, she is already a woman even though she is still growing and maturing.

The adolescence years of the girl child are frequently marked by stormy emotional upheavals that the girl herself may often find difficult to understand or explain.

A young woman’s menstrual cycle may be compared to the ebb and flow of the tides at the shore. Each month she passes through this ever-changing cycle.

Male hormones are produced in more or less constant ratio, so that a man’s body varies little from one day to the next. But the female sex hormones are produced in ever-changing amounts throughout her monthly cycle. Women are ever-changing. This certainly adds gaiety and variety to life.

When girls menstruate, the monthly cycle in girls is controlled by the glandular system. No one really knows very much why menstruation starts when it does, or exactly how it is regulated. But we do know that when a girl reaches a certain size and age she will begin to menstruate, usually every twenty-eight days for three days or so, although this may vary from one person to another. It may be a little irregular at first, but this is nothing to worry about.

Some girls begin their menstrual periods as early as eleven years of age. Others may begin at their sixteenth year, yet all are perfectly normal. There is no reason for undue concern if the beginning of menstruation seems to be a little delayed. This may be a familiar trait but if there is the need to consult a doctor, it’s not also out of place to reduce tension of delayed menstrual cycle in a girl above certain years that menstrual cycle is already expected.

This time of life, known as puberty is the time when a girl grows rapidly. She may even feel a little embarrassed because she is one or two inches taller than the boys of her age. But she has no need to worry. The boys will soon catch up and become taller as their glandular organs begin to develop and function. This is all part of the normal growing process in either sex.

During the teen years or adolescence period, nature does a wonderful piece of sculpturing. As her body takes shape, the natural feminine curve appears. Her breasts begin to develop and hair begins to grow under her armpits and around the genital organs. Soon her face takes on the shape of that of a mature young woman, making her highly attractive to men, a fact she quickly recognizes and uses to her advantage as she grows older.

SOME GYNAECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS IN YOUNG GIRLS:

Usually, the genital organs of a growing girl function without anything unusually occurring. But there are times when the girl may be troubled by an excessive whitish discharge known as leucorrhoea. This is not a normal occurrence. She should seek the advice of her doctor, rather than discussing the problem with those not qualified to advice her. Some slight vaginal discharge is also not unusual at ovulation (midway between periods), or during times of strong sexual excitement. There is nothing abnormal in this. But if there is associated intense itching, the cause may be a genital infection, such as trichomoniasis, candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis etc. pinworm infestation is another source of irritation in the vagina, particularly in young girls.

Menstrual tension: Just before menstruation, some women become nervous and irritable and suffer from depression, headaches, fullness in the breasts, and swelling in the lower abdomen. This is probably due to increased hormonal activity from the adrenal glands during the latter part of the menstrual cycle, causing retention of sodium and water in the tissues.

The treatment to this is avoiding using extra salt. Then consult your Gynaecologist for further advice and treatment.

Some mild discomfort is to be expected at the beginning of menstruation, although many women have little if any difficulty. If there is severe pain it might be due to some abnormality that should be corrected. Some young women tend to magnify their symptoms, apparently in an unconscious effort to gain sympathy. But in other cases the pain may be due to some endocrine imbalance, which may clear up entirely following pregnancy or a satisfactory marital relationship. Abnormal positions of the uterus may also lead to menstrual pain or discomfort. Certain pelvic conditions, such as endometriosis and fibroids are also possibilities but most of these conditions tend to come on later in life.

Certain infections, such as syphilis, gonorrhea, or tuberculosis may sometimes cause pelvic pain, which may be aggravated during menstruation.
Rectal conditions such as constipation may aggravate menstrual pain and discomfort. Spinal deformities and poor posture must also be born in mind. Finally, there is the problem of emotional tension. This always increases any menstrual discomfort and makes the woman more irritable.

Treatment on this should be that the girl should be encouraged to enter into active exercises, for these always help to improve pelvic blood circulation. Special exercises to strengthen the back are recommended, but they must be done in moderation. The patient should not allow herself to become exhausted by too strenuous a programme at first. She should be sure to get adequate rest and sleep. Chronic constipation should be relieved. As far as possible, she should be encouraged to ignore the discomforts, carrying on with her regular daily activities. Some simple analgesics such as aspirin may be given, but codeine and other habit-forming drugs should be avoided except in cases of severe pain.

Local heat applied to the pelvic area and the lower spine may also bring relief. If all these measures fail to relieve the pain, one should consider consulting her Gynaecologist.