After the progress of the initiative in Mexico City that proposes to reform the Federal Law of State Service Workers to grant menstrual leave and that women can be absent from work twice a month with pay, opinions have divided.
Although it is an attempt to accept menstrual cramps as a condition that often disables someone so that they can carry out their activities, the same proposal indicates that permission will only be given if it is diagnosed with disabling primary or secondary dysmenorrhea. In addition, the receipt can only be delivered by a gynecology specialist from a public health institution such as the ISSSTE or the IMSS.
What is disabling dysmenorrhea and why does it cause menstrual leave?
Dysmenorrhea can be defined as uterine pain during the menstrual period that makes it difficult to perform normal daily activities. The Ministry of Health estimates that 50 percent of women and pregnant people have presented dysmenorrhea at some point in their lives.
This condition is divided into two:
- Primary: refers to menstrual pain that occurs when the menstrual period begins and is not related to any specific problem. This is the most common.
- Secondary: it is menstrual pain that develops in women who previously had normal cycles and is related to conditions such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease and fibroids.
What are the symptoms?
According to a study from the University of Virginia (in the United States), the pain can be more intense 24 hours after the start of menstruation and continue for 2 or 3 days. Generally, it can feel like a burn but also like a very strong colic, as well as being sharp and constant until it reaches other areas of the body such as the legs.
Patients with primary dysmenorrhea may also have malaise, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, back pain, or headache.
In case of presenting the symptoms it is important to go to the doctor, since an adequate treatment is required that consists of the use of medicines and some home measures.
