Can I wash my hair when I have dysmenorrhea?

In order to ensure the hygiene of their head, people usually wash their hair regularly. Of course, although washing your hair is good, you cannot wash your hair at any time. For example, you cannot wash your hair during menstruation, because washing your hair during this period will cause dysmenorrhea or some other health problems. If you have dysmenorrhea, you should not wash your hair. Here I will introduce to you some relevant knowledge about washing your hair during menstruation!

1. Choose the right time to wash your hair during menstruation

The menstrual period is a very vulnerable period for women. Taking a bath or washing hair during this period can cause some women to experience dysmenorrhea or other diseases.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the head is the head of the six yang meridians and the uterus is the starting point of the Ren meridian. During menstruation, blood circulation is already poor. Washing your hair will concentrate blood on the head, affecting blood circulation in the uterus, making it impossible for blood in the uterus to be discharged smoothly, which can easily cause a decrease in menstrual blood volume or menstrual pain. On the other hand, since the pores on the hair roots are open, if you catch a cold at this time, it can easily lead to headaches, especially when washing your hair at night or before going to bed. Since night is yin and the head is the head of the six yang meridians, the headache will be more serious when yin and yang are contrary. If you go to bed immediately before your hair is completely dry, all kinds of problems will come to you when your body's resistance and metabolism are low.

2. What to do if you need to wash your hair during menstruation

However, does it mean that you must have unkempt hair and dirty face during menstruation? Dr. Han suggested that a workaround is to wash your hair at noon, and be sure to keep the washing time short. Be sure to spend more time blow-drying your hair after washing it. If you need to go out immediately after washing your hair, you can wear a hat outdoors to protect your head from cold wind. If you are an office worker and cannot wash your hair during the day, according to the rule of thumb, it is recommended that you try not to wash your hair during the first two days of your menstrual period. You can choose to wash your hair after the third day when the menstrual blood is less. Be sure to blow dry your hair completely after washing.

3. You can soak your feet for dysmenorrhea

Many women suffer from dysmenorrhea. In this regard, Dr. Han suggests that you might as well try soaking your feet with Chinese medicine at home, which may achieve unexpected results. However, foot soaking also requires syndrome differentiation and treatment.

Women with Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome experience lower abdominal distension and pain before or during menstruation, and dark menstrual blood with blood clots. The treatment is aimed at harmonizing Qi and blood, resolving stasis and relieving pain. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "women are based on the liver", so the medicines selected for foot soaking are mainly those that enter the foot Jueyin liver meridian, and an appropriate amount of vinegar is added as a meridian-guiding medicine (acid enters the liver). You can use 30 grams each of Citrus aurantium, Linderae serrata, and Leonurus japonicus, 10 grams each of Chuanxiong and Safflower, add about two liters of water and 50 milliliters of vinegar, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. When the medicinal liquid cools to 50°C, pour it into a basin with the residue and soak your feet. The amount of medicine in the basin should be enough to soak the ankle joint. If it is insufficient, add appropriate amount of warm water.

Women with Yang Deficiency and Cold Excess type experience cold pain in the lower abdomen, which is relieved by hot compresses and they have cold hands and feet. The treatment is suitable for warming the meridians, dispelling cold and relieving pain. “The kidney governs all the yang in the body”, therefore the medicines selected for foot soaking should mainly be those that enter the foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, and an appropriate amount of salt should be added as a meridian-guiding medicine (salty enters the kidney). You can use 15 grams each of cinnamon, cloves, Linderae scabra, angelica, Ligusticum chuanxiong, 6 grams each of dried ginger, fennel, and Evodia rutaecarpa, and a little salt, and boil them in water for soaking your feet.