Is it possible to visit a sauna or steam bath on critical days?
Some women are interested in the question of whether it is possible to visit a sauna or steam bath during menstruation? Are there any serious contraindications, and what consequences can there be for the body during this spicy period of time?
Doctors note that each female body is individual and the stressful effect of temperatures on each representative of the fair half of humanity can be different.
However, there are general rules and recommendations for such cases in women’s medicine. Before learning about them, let's figure out what changes occur in the body during menstruation and how they affect the health of the fairer sex.
State of health of a woman during menstruation
During the period of monthly cleansing, women become more irritable, they develop restlessness, tearfulness, and some experience attacks of anger.
The main symptoms are pain in the lower abdomen and back, headaches, nausea, weakness, and blood pressure may increase or decrease.
Doctors consider the following factors to be the main changes in a woman’s body and health during menstruation:
- With the onset of menstrual periods, women experience pain in the lower region of the peritoneum. This is due to the contraction of the uterus, pushing out menstrual mass.
- The abdomen increases in volume, the mammary glands become engorged, and in some cases they hurt.
- Some ladies who have low blood pressure or pathological changes in the cardiovascular system complain of headaches (vascular reaction).
- Sometimes the female body reacts to menstruation with digestive tract upset and lower back pain.
- At the end of critical days, unpleasant symptoms are felt, and there may be a pulling sensation. This is due to the closure of the uterus.
- When menstruation is heavy, the following are possible: loss of strength, dizziness, irritability.
Some women experience unpleasant symptoms with the joints of their legs, as if they are being twisted.
Note ! According to gynecologists, visiting a sauna during the menstrual cycle is a high risk. Due to the opening of the cervix, it increases the likelihood of contracting pathogenic infections.
The effects of sudden temperature changes on health during menstruation
A change in the sharp temperature regime, which is provided by a sauna and steam bath, can negatively affect the weakened health of a woman during her period.
- The prospect of steaming can result in infection with fungi or infections - sterility is not guaranteed.
- During critical days, overheating is not recommended due to the risk of bleeding. This is due to the fact that high temperature causes blood vessels to dilate.
Before visiting a sauna during your period, you should seriously think about whether it’s worth it? During this period, the cervix is open, it can easily cause infection or cause heavy bleeding
- High temperatures can cause fainting.
- It is possible that pain in the lower abdomen may occur; this may occur due to the state of the tone of the uterus.
Temperature changes create pressure changes, which causes headaches.
The origin of the sign about the ban on canning
If you try to figure out why jars should not be closed during menstruation, you may find unscientific explanations. There is an opinion that these days a woman secretes a special protein through her skin and pores, which acts as a toxin on fruits and vegetables. When preserved, it ends up in jars. Vegetables begin to ferment, the lids swell, and the food becomes unfit for consumption.
Folk legends say that during menstruation, a woman emits a negative aura, which can get into the workpiece and spoil it. Also, through this food, people who consume it will become infected with bad energy. Therefore, women were not allowed to make pickles on critical days, so as not to expose themselves to danger and not be left without a harvest.
Another theory of the ban is that during menstruation a person feels unwell and cannot engage in such a labor-intensive process. Thus, the sign protects against hard work and unnecessary stress on the body.
Useful tips for those who still decide to go to the bathhouse during menstruation
- In the first days of menstruation, it is not recommended to visit saunas and steam baths at all. For such stressful procedures for the body, the female body is weakened at this time. According to the general recommendations of doctors, the first days of menstruation are considered the most difficult. Therefore, you can go to the sauna starting from the 4th day of your period.
- You should not be alone in the steam room. If your health worsens, there should be someone nearby who can help.
- When spending time in the steam room, you should not sit too long, getting carried away by conversations. It is important to monitor your state of health every minute. If you go into the steam room, it is better to stay in it for a few minutes, but go in several times, than to stay in the steam room for a long time.
- When going to a sauna or bathhouse, it is recommended to use a tampon or pad. The main thing is that the underwear is made from natural fabrics.
- During menstruation, you should not drink alcohol - narrowed blood vessels will cause dehydration, headaches and heart pain.
- For drinks, it is better to give preference to juices, herbal infusions and teas.
- The temperature in the steam room should not rise above 75 degrees.
- You can’t immediately douse yourself with ice water after a steam room; your body should gradually get used to it.
- If you are not feeling well that day, it is not recommended to take a steam bath at all.
If you are worried about a painful condition during menstruation (there is general weakness, headache or fever), it is better to avoid going to the sauna or bathhouse.
The period of exacerbation of chronic diseases, varicose veins, heart disease, respiratory tract, are contraindications for visiting the sauna.
In any case, negative painful symptoms occur, it is necessary to be examined by a specialized specialist immediately after their appearance.
In some cases, due to various pathologies that a woman may simply not know about, she is generally prohibited from visiting places with elevated temperatures: beaches, solariums, saunas, baths. Because instead of a healthy and pleasant procedure, you can get serious complications to an existing pathology or disease.
And if you feel unwell while in a room with a high temperature, you must immediately leave the sauna or bathhouse without waiting for your condition to improve.
According to the general recommendations of doctors, if possible, it is better to abandon the idea of visiting a bathhouse or sauna during menstruation. It is better to wait until your health condition has stabilized and have a safe and pleasant time in the steam room without any risk to your health.
Is it possible to visit the sauna during menstruation, how to swim during this period:
Feminine intimate hygiene. Is it possible to wash at this time?
A bathhouse is a unique place where you can not only steam and relax, but also communicate with your friends and have a good time. As for men, they can constantly visit the sauna and steam room, which cannot be said about the fair sex. The fact is that during menstruation there are some contraindications, so you should be extremely careful and cautious. Before going to the steam room during menstruation, you should figure out whether this will be beneficial for the woman’s health and well-being. Menstruation is not a very pleasant period, accompanied by discomfort, pain, weakness and other symptoms.
What not to do during menstruation: special rules for women's health
A lot of horror stories are associated with women's critical days; some say that you should give up physical activity, others are sure that tampons can be used in the most extreme cases. Which of this is true and which is a myth? What really shouldn't be done during menstruation?
Tips for every day
In order to feel great during menstruation, it is enough to follow simple rules. On the list of what not to do during menstruation, physical activity really comes first. It is advisable to refuse even gentle exercises, but if you feel uncomfortable without any movement, go for a walk or go shopping. Restrictions include water procedures. You should avoid visiting the pool, swimming in any bodies of water, taking a bath and visiting the sauna. It is advisable to limit yourself to a shower. But if you are relaxing at sea, or the desire to visit the pool is too great, you can go swimming on the 3-4th day, not forgetting to use a tampon.
About the most secret...
Is it possible to have sex during menstruation? Every woman must answer this question herself. It is worth giving up love pleasures if the process causes pain and discomfort. Do not forget that playing sports during menstruation is contraindicated. Accordingly, critical days are not the best time for sexual marathons with frequent changes in acrobatic positions. It is also advisable to use barrier protection these days, since the female genital organs become especially vulnerable to various infections. Don’t forget that it’s really impossible to get pregnant during your period. But unprotected sexual intercourse can still lead to the birth of a new life. The thing is that sperm live up to 7 days. Accordingly, the risk of pregnancy, although insignificant, is present.
What not to do during menstruation - special circumstances and secrets
You should take various medications with caution. You should beware of blood thinning medications, except if they were prescribed to you by a doctor for some serious illness or post-operative conditions. If you know everything about menstruation, you've probably heard that operations and a number of cosmetic procedures are not recommended these days. Of course, we are not talking about emergency surgical interventions. Also, at the beginning of menstruation, you should not go on a strict diet. Due to the characteristics of the female body, you are still unlikely to be able to lose weight, but you may well harm your body. In addition, during critical days, food restrictions will be especially difficult. And yet, the restrictions - what not to do during menstruation - are rather individual in nature. Don't forget that everyone is different. And only you personally know how you should eat and live. Try to listen carefully to your body, rest assured, it will reward you for such care. If you know what you shouldn’t do during your period and follow all the rules, but your health these days still leaves much to be desired, it’s time to think about visiting a doctor and getting a detailed consultation. Rest assured, a specialist will find a way to make your life easier during your critical days.
Features of menstruation
Every month in a woman's life there comes a period when menstruation begins, which indicates that conception has not occurred. The process is accompanied by the fact that the uterus gets rid of the unnecessary epithelial layer, which was necessary for fertilization. In simple words, a natural cleansing of the female body occurs.
Many people are concerned about the question: is it possible to go to the bathhouse and sauna during menstruation? As for going to a hot bath, a slightly different cleansing occurs. A person sweats, the pores expand, excessive sweating is observed, due to which impurities, toxins and harmful substances are eliminated. This provokes normalization of the activity of internal organs and rejuvenation of the entire body. Considering the fact that the uterus is cleansing, when going to the bathhouse there will be a huge load that is difficult to cope with.
The effect of menstruation on the female body:
- pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen, and in some cases in the lower back;
- there is an increased load on the circulatory system;
- It is advisable to limit physical activity to avoid shortness of breath.
It is quite difficult to maintain perfect sterility when visiting a sauna and bathhouse. At this stage, the woman’s cervix is open, its entrance is very similar to a wound that is bleeding. That is why there is a huge risk of infection and infection. Most gynecologists strongly recommend avoiding visiting swimming pools, the sea and rivers, saunas and baths during menstrual periods.
Is it possible to go to the sauna with a tampon?
As for visiting the steam room with a tampon, it is possible to close the vagina inside. In addition, it is considered an excellent protective element against various infections. Despite this, a tampon cannot guarantee one hundred percent safety, since there is a high risk of not just infection, but also bleeding.
active dilation of blood vessels occurs , therefore blood circulation increases significantly, which can cause serious bleeding, which only a gynecologist can stop. That is why bathhouse and menstruation are not a very good combination.
If the desire to steam is irresistible, then it is better to do it not in the first, but in the last days. When there is severe pain, you should forget about such entertainment altogether. With normal menstruation, which does not occur against the background of pain and discomfort, you can take a steam bath, but not for too long, there is no need to risk your own health.
Practice during menstruation
One of the most important questions: is it necessary to take a break from practice during menstruation?
We answer!
Menstruation is not a contraindication to exercise. But it is necessary to adapt the practice to “these days.” There are absolute contraindications, which should be strictly followed – a matter of your safety. This applies to inverted asanas. The fact is that women have access to the abdominal cavity from the uterine cavity through the fallopian tubes. This is an unusual and delicate feature of the female body that must be taken into account in practice. During inverted asanas, part of the menstrual blood can enter the abdominal cavity and provoke inflammatory processes. This argument is enough to exclude from practice asanas in which the pelvis and legs are higher than the heart area; they are called inverted. And also such asanas as Downward-Facing Dog, “corner” on the arms, Bridge and other poses in which the pelvic area is raised above the floor.
In order not to provoke increased pain in the lower abdomen, avoid abdominal manipulation, tension in the abdominal muscles, and intense power asanas. During this period, asanas that shift the tone of the nervous system towards the parasympathetic, as well as relax the smooth muscles of the pelvic organs and improve their blood circulation, will be relevant.
Here is one practice option that can be performed during the cycle:
1.
Setting up for practice in a sitting position.
The basin must be on a bolster or blocks. 2.
In the same position: calm, “long” breathing - inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth (lips relaxed).
We bring our breathing to the longest possible inhalation, but we try to make the exhalation even longer. At least 3-5 minutes. 3.
Warm up in a standing or lying position - working out all the main joints in a comfortable mode.
If you have abdominal pain, you can skip this point. 4.
Marjariasana position (Cat Pose): inhale using the Ujjayi technique - bend, exhale - round the back (the stomach is relaxed).
From 10 to 20 times. 5.
Supta Baddha Konasana with a bolster under the back, pelvis on the floor.
Breathing with your belly. From 3 to 5 minutes. 6.
Supta Baddha Konasana without a bolster with dynamic circular work of the hip joints - 5-7 times in each direction.
7.
Upavishkhta Konasana (bend to wide-set legs).
Important: tilt to a position in which you feel the stretching of the inner thighs, but it is still possible to relax. Work with closed eyes and “long breathing”: inhale - observe the body, exhale - maximum relaxation and deepening. Perform asanas effortlessly. At least 3 minutes. 8.
Lying on your back: palms on your knees, knees together, legs relaxed.
Using the strength of your arms, make circular movements with your knees and feel how your lower back rolls along the floor. Perform 5-7 times in each direction. 9.
Shavasana for at least 10 minutes. For lower back pain, place a bolster under your knees.
Authors:
Anastasia Yakovleva
– Candidate of Medical Sciences, obstetrician-gynecologist, gynecologist-endocrinologist, ultrasound diagnostics doctor, certified specialist in the management of the transitional perimenopausal period and menopause, in cervical pathology.
14 years of experience. Author of more than 40 scientific papers, speaker and participant in international and all-Russian congresses. Anastasia Kovaleva
is a biologist, teacher at the University of Yoga (disciplines: anatomy and physiology, teaching skills, yoga therapy, etc.), author and teacher of courses on yoga therapy, specialist in Yumeiho therapy (Grade 3), methods of spinal health (incl. scoliosis).
Photo: Unsplash
Is it possible to go to the bathhouse and take a steam bath there?
If your friends invited you to the bathhouse to take a steam bath, and you get your period, you need to think about whether it’s worth risking your health. Doctors recommend waiting out this period, as there may be negative consequences for the reproductive system.
What happens to the female body on critical days?
If fertilization of the egg does not occur, then the overgrown endometrial mucosa begins to be rejected and come out, damaging the blood vessels. When bloody discharge appears, women feel nagging pain in the lower back and lower abdomen. Migraines and an unstable psycho-emotional state appear. A visit to the bathhouse will bring neither moral nor physical pleasure. It is better to wait until the painful symptoms end at home without exposing the body to stress.
Should you believe the superstition, according to the Orthodox Church?
In ancient times, people believed that a woman should not enter church on her menstrual days. Otherwise, troubles may happen to her that are unimaginable to the understanding of a modern person:
- A girl will grow a beard if she goes to church while on her period.
- She will have a difficult birth if she visits the Temple during her menstrual period.
- It was also impossible to undergo baptism and become a godmother, because the godson may develop abnormalities. A child can be possessed by a demon and become possessed.
Until the end of the seventeenth century, people believed that women's blood multiplies demons, so it was forbidden to enter the church, touch icons, or light candles.
If an “unclean” woman lights a candle, it will burn not for good, but for evil spirits.
It was impossible to even touch such a woman, because she could transfer her “uncleanness” to the person touching her.
She was also forbidden to say goodbye to the deceased, since a woman with menstruation, according to signs, prevented his soul from leaving for the world of the dead.
The church itself does not recognize popular beliefs and superstitions. According to Orthodox laws, this is considered a sin and demonic acts. But church laws recognize that it is better for a woman to refrain from going to church during her period.
All signs related to cooking, from the point of view of a modern person, do not make any sense. The main thing is to prepare pickles with a good mood and positive thoughts.
Why not?
Dangers when visiting a bathhouse at the beginning of menstruation or before it:
Irregularity of menstruation
Hot steam affects tissues, organs, and the musculoskeletal system. Blood circulation is activated, metabolic reactions are accelerated. Pores open on the skin, which increases sweating and the removal of poisons and toxins. A woman who feels unwell from her critical days experiences additional stress and stress on her body.
The menstrual cycle directly depends on the functioning of the nervous system. In a stressful situation, the strong connection between the neurons of the brain and the hypothalamus is lost, the hormonal system becomes unbalanced, and the periodicity of menstruation is disrupted.
Increased load can cause menstruation on the spot or upon returning home if a woman takes a steam bath a few days before. In the event of the onset of critical days ahead of schedule or after a delay not related to pregnancy, you need to take personal hygiene products with you and warm up gradually.
It is advisable not to visit the bathhouse or wash in the dressing room without entering the steam room, to prevent cycle failure or the appearance of heavy menstruation from the first day.
Women are also interested in whether they can visit Turkish baths. Yes, the temperature of the hammam is lower than in a Russian bath, but it is also quite high. There is no need to risk your health, as the establishment provides massage that accelerates blood flow.
Danger of bleeding
Under the influence of high temperatures, the lumen of blood vessels expands, blood actively flows to the pelvic organs, which provokes blood loss.
It is forbidden to visit the bathhouse during heavy periods. Such trips cause bleeding, which can only be stopped with the help of doctors. Forced surgery can lead to infertility.
Infection
A slightly open, bleeding cervix and a moist, warm environment create optimal conditions for infection. Inflammatory processes are not always obvious. With latent forms of the disease, there is a high risk of loss of reproductive ability and infertility.
You shouldn’t rely on a tampon, since no hygiene product provides a 100% guarantee of protection. Moreover, after three hours he himself becomes a source of infection by pathogenic microbes from the inside.
Doctors do not recommend steaming for girls who have just started menstruating and have not established a cycle. Exposure to high temperatures disrupts the process of hormonal changes.
The bath is contraindicated for women with a history of:
- malignant neoplasms;
- varicose veins;
- hypertension, heart failure;
- haemorrhoids;
- bronchial asthma;
- elevated body temperature during the acute stage of viral infections, bacterial complications.
Visiting the bathhouse at the onset of critical days has its positive aspects:
- Vaping is beneficial for women with scanty, short-term discharge. Hot air or poultices with salt, flax seeds, and oats help relieve uterine spasms.
- The bath gives a boost of energy, reduces the risk of colds, improves physical and mental health if menstruation is painless and comes to an end.
- Women living in rural areas visit the bathhouse regularly, even if they are expecting or have started their period.
In any case, you should not be active. Warm up the body gradually starting from the bottom shelf. Sudden temperature changes are excluded - immersion in cold water or snow upon exiting the steam room.
Abdominal operations
Abdominal surgeries are the most difficult to endure. During this process, a large area of tissue is excised. After surgery, the patient will require a long period of rehabilitation, so doctors usually postpone the date.
Main risks:
- decreased blood clotting leads to a risk of bleeding;
- increased blood supply leads to inflammatory processes;
- due to the nature of collagen metabolism, the scars will be rough and unsightly;
- skin pigmentation.
Because of these risks, surgeons usually postpone the intervention to days 10–15 of the cycle. This approach allows you to reduce the likelihood of complications to zero and will facilitate the rehabilitation period.
It is possible to operate during menstruation if urgent intervention is required and the woman’s life depends on it.
Laparoscopic intervention
For laparoscopy, tiny incisions are made in the skin (no more than 1-2 cm). The doctor inserts instruments into them and controls his manipulations on a computer monitor. Despite the fact that laparoscopy is easier to tolerate and requires a short period of rehabilitation, doctors do not recommend performing the intervention during menstruation.
Possible complications:
- disturbances in the functioning of the heart;
- internal hemorrhages;
- risk of developing varicose veins.
It is believed that laparoscopy is best performed on the seventh day of the cycle - this reduces the likelihood of blood loss.
After the intervention, menstruation may become profuse and accompanied by slight pain. Delays may occur. If cycle disturbances last three months, then the woman should consult a gynecologist: perhaps she has experienced hormonal imbalances.
Rules for visiting a bathhouse during menstruation
If you still decide to undergo bath procedures, then in order not to aggravate the situation, follow our advice:
Recommended | Contraindicated |
go to the bathhouse starting from the fourth day of the menstrual cycle | visit the bathhouse in the first days of menstruation |
maintain a temperature regime of 60–80 °C | steam at temperatures above 80 °C |
rinse in the shower with warm water | take a dip in a cold pool |
use other people's personal hygiene products | use a tampon, pad, felt hat, sheets and towels made of natural fabrics |
reduce the steaming time per session to a minimum (3–5 minutes), it is safer to stay in the dressing room | steam for a long time in one go |
drink herbal infusions, green tea, still mineral water | drink alcoholic beverages |
You need to monitor your well-being. It is not recommended to use a broom and hover your neighbor, as the load increases. At the first signs of overheating, cerebrovascular accident, expressed in dizziness, decreased visual acuity and hearing, immediately leave the steam room.
The body should be warmed up gradually; you should not rise above the bottom shelf. The total soaring time is no more than a quarter of an hour.
With sudden changes in temperature, vascular spasm is possible, leading to unpredictable consequences. You can bring yourself to fainting or a heart attack. Bleeding is provoked or, conversely, menstruation stops. Therefore, after leaving the steam room, they avoid the icy pool, content with a warm shower.
Is it possible to visit saunas and spas and warm up in the bathtub?
Finnish saunas are characterized by high steam temperatures - up to 110 ° C and low humidity, reaching up to 15%. Therefore, the load and the risk of stress are greater than in a Russian bathhouse, where the air is heated to 95 °C with 60-100% humidification.
If the sauna is private, then favorable conditions can be created. In a public institution, maintaining an individual thermal regime is impossible. Therefore, a trip with friends during menstruation is postponed for a while or they are content with chatting in the relaxation room.
In addition to the main possible negative consequences - heat stroke, cycle disruption, bleeding, the risk of contracting fungal and sexually transmitted infections increases.
Saunas and spas include swimming pools, which are an increased source of danger due to the presence of pathogens. Fungal spores, viruses and bacteria easily penetrate into a female body weakened by menstruation through the slightly open cervical canal. For the same reasons, you should not swim in open water.