User Guide
We provide information about the staff working at the Health Center, the facilities, opening hours, etc. Please feel free to use the site.
- Enter through the main entrance on the first floor of Global Square
- Continue straight along the East Building corridor, past the Admissions Center and Takiyama Terrace.
- Take the stairs or elevator at the end of the hall down to the basement floor
- The Health Center is located immediately after going down to the basement floor.
Inquiry
創価大学保健センター
〒192-8577 東京都八王子市丹木町1-236
電話：042-691-9373 ／ ファックス：042-691-9590
The following are some of the common questions we receive from young women:
- Symptoms associated with menstruation, such as menstrual pain and abnormal menstrual periods (period stops, does not stop, or stops)
- Unpleasant symptoms before menstruation
- Contraception methods to avoid unplanned pregnancy
- Infectious diseases specific to women (symptoms: itching, excessive vaginal discharge, etc.)
- Diet and Health
- Regarding physical abnormalities such as breast lumps
Most of these issues can be resolved by having the correct knowledge and receiving treatment and consultation early. For this reason, the Health Center has opened a "Women's Specialist Outpatient Clinic" to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to contact us.
About girls' bodies
First of all, what is "menstruation"?
Mechanism of Physiology
Every month, a woman's body goes through a process of "preparing to become pregnant." For example, hormone secretion changes, the uterine lining proliferates, and so on. However, if pregnancy does not occur, all of this is reset. This is the phenomenon known as menstruation. In other words, menstruation is when the uterine lining that was preparing to receive a fertilized egg peels off and is expelled along with blood. Women continue to experience menstruation until they reach menopause around the age of 50.
Normal physiology
| period | The number of days from the first day of menstruation to the day before the start of menstruation the following month. Generally, it is 25 to 38 days. |
| period | Generally, 3 to 7 days. |
| Ovulation date | Generally, it lasts for 12 to 15 days from the first day of menstruation. |
| Amount of bleeding | Generally, it weighs about 180g. |
| Blood Condition | It's not fresh blood, but dark red. Unlike normal blood, it doesn't clot. |
| Basal body temperature | There is a clear polarization between low temperature and high temperature periods. |
*Cycle, period, and ovulation date are based on the assumption that 1 month = 30 days.
The cycle may vary by about a week depending on the month.
How menstruation works
A woman's menstrual cycle is divided into four phases: the menstrual phase, the follicular phase, the ovulatory phase, and the luteal phase.
In accordance with this cycle, the balance of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone changes, bringing about various changes in the mind and body.
Generally, ovulation occurs about two weeks after the first day of menstruation.
Before ovulation, during the follicular phase, which lasts for a few days after the end of menstruation, estrogen secretion increases, your skin is in good condition, and your mind is clear. After ovulation, when you enter the luteal phase, progesterone secretion increases, and you become more susceptible to breakouts and blemishes, as well as experiencing changes such as mood swings. After the luteal phase, menstruation begins again. The cycle is generally about 28 days: menstrual phase ⇒ follicular phase ⇒ ovulation phase ⇒ luteal phase.
*Please note that there are individual differences, so not everyone follows this cycle.
About Female Hormones
There are two types of hormones secreted from the ovaries: follicle hormone and luteinizing hormone. These hormones are mainly related to pregnancy, but also play an important role in controlling the entire female body.
Estrogen is one of the female hormones produced in the ovaries.
During puberty, breasts, genitals, and subcutaneous fat develop, creating a feminine body.
During the menstrual cycle, it helps to develop eggs and promotes the growth of the uterine lining.
It also helps lower cholesterol and promotes skin metabolism.
Progesterone is also a female hormone produced in the ovaries.
It is also known as the hormone that helps with pregnancy, as it keeps the lining of the uterus in a state where the fertilized egg can easily implant.
After ovulation, the follicle remaining in the ovary transforms into a very yellow tissue called the corpus luteum, from which progesterone is secreted.
Progesterone has the effect of raising body temperature. It also has the effect of retaining fluids in the body and increasing appetite.
Premenstrual syndrome/Premenstrual tension (PMS) = Physical and mood disorders before menstruation
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What is PMS?
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This syndrome is a group of unpleasant symptoms that occur during the period before menstruation, known as the luteal phase, and that improve with the start of menstruation or by the end of menstruation.
PMS can occur in any woman who is ovulating (able to become pregnant). It is not something that is unusual. However, PMS can be very bothersome because it occurs repeatedly during each menstrual cycle.
In addition, the severity of symptoms varies greatly from person to person; some people are not bothered by the symptoms, while others find the symptoms difficult to carry out their daily lives.
It is estimated that about 5% of women who experience PMS symptoms will seek medical treatment.
In Japan, the term PMS has only recently become widely known, and awareness is low compared to other countries. As a result, many women are aware of their symptoms but do not realize that they are due to PMS, and suffer alone, which can be perplexing to those around them.
It is especially difficult for men who do not have periods to understand PMS. I think there are many women who are usually quiet and docile, but suddenly one day they change and are dismissed as being "emotionally unstable" or "fickle."
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Symptoms
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Symptoms of PMS vary from person to person. They can be physical, such as "chest tenderness" or "pain in the lower abdomen," or mental, such as "feeling irritable" or "feeling sad for no reason."
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Typical symptoms
| Physical symptoms | Mental symptoms |
| Lower abdominal swelling, lower abdominal pain Breast swelling, breast pain Headache, back pain Swelling, weight gain Acne, rough skin Increased appetite constipation Feeling unwell, tired, etc. |
Angry, emotional Depressed, tearful Apathy Hikikomori Feelings of loneliness I can't concentrate I can't sleep, or I'm always sleepy Anxiety etc. |
During PMS, you tend to feel mentally negative, so it's best to avoid making important decisions as much as possible.
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Treatment
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1. Learn more about PMS
One of the important points in treating PMS is for the individual to understand PMS well. The first step in treatment is to realize that the various symptoms that bother you begin 1-2 weeks before your period and subside or disappear once your period begins. For this reason, it is also helpful to measure your basal body temperature and record it along with your symptoms. Some people get better just by recognizing that these symptoms are PMS.
Furthermore, simply having the correct information about PMS can help reduce your physical and mental anxiety.
For this reason, we recommend that you consult with a gynecologist about your discomfort and symptoms. Also, if your mental symptoms are stronger than your physical symptoms, you may want to prioritize consultation and treatment at a psychiatrist or psychosomatic medicine clinic. In that case, you should also visit a gynecologist at least once.2. Points to keep in mind in daily life
| Meals and Favourites |
Eat "complex carbohydrates" such as brown rice, potatoes, and beans, and avoid "simple carbohydrates" such as sugar and fruit. → Prevents sudden fluctuations in blood sugar levels and stabilizes the mind |
| motion | Rather than the intensity of the exercise, it's important to continue doing it a little bit every day. |
| Supplements | 2 parts calcium:1 part magnesium → helps relieve all symptoms of PMS γ-linolenic acid → Breast pain, abdominal distension, headaches, overeating St. John's Wort → For irritability and depression Vitamin B6: Improves breast swelling and pain, and depression and anxiety caused by PMS |
| Aroma | Sage: activates female hormones Lemon verbena: calms the mind and aids digestion Rosehip → For rough skin before menstruation Chamomile: Effective for lower abdominal pain |
The basics are to avoid overeating and drinking in general (except during PMS periods), get enough sleep, and lead a regular lifestyle.
3. Drug therapy
Antidepressants (especially SSRIs)
→ One of the causes of PMS is a decrease in the action of serotonin. This is a treatment that aims to improve PMS by activating serotonin, based on the idea that this decrease in serotonin action is deeply related to the causes of mental symptoms such as depression, anxiety, aggression, and decreased concentration.
Another advantage of SSRIs is that they have fewer side effects than conventional antidepressants and are easier to take. They are suitable for people who suffer from severe mental symptoms such as depression during PMS.
Oral contraceptives (low-dose pills)
→The pill is a medication that contains small amounts of the female hormones estrogen and luteinizing hormone. When you take the pill, ovulation stops and the level of female hormones secreted from the ovaries on a daily basis decreases. The pill is not effective for everyone with PMS or for all symptoms of PMS, but taking the pill can reduce or eliminate a significant portion of PMS symptoms, especially the physical symptoms.
Herbal medicine
Each drug may be used alone, but depending on the severity of your symptoms, they may also be used in combination.
With effort, you can reduce the symptoms of PMS as much as you like. There are many women who have learned how to overcome PMS and live with it well. Don't continue to suffer alone, talk to someone and start doing what you can!
Irregular periods
Menstrual irregularity refers to a state in which the menstrual cycle is disrupted. In adolescence, the cause is often an immature ovulation cycle, and obesity, weight loss due to dieting, and stress can also easily cause menstrual cycle disorders. Other causes can include medications you regularly take and hypothyroidism, so if your menstrual cycle remains disrupted, we recommend that you get examined while keeping the cause in mind.
kinds
| Frequent menstrual periods | Menstrual cycle is less than 24 days |
| Oligomenorrhea | Menstrual cycle is 39 days or more |
| Secondary amenorrhea | A condition in which menstruation has stopped for more than three months in a person who had previously had menstruation |
Symptoms
| Frequent menstrual periods | Anemia: The blood lost during menstruation does not recover before the next menstruation. Napkin rash: due to frequent exposure to blood and napkins |
| Oligomenorrhea | Uterine cancer: future risk increases depending on cause Infertility: Difficulty in timing or reduced ovulation frequency |
| Secondary amenorrhea | Infertility: Due to poor uterine development or ovulation disorder Threatened miscarriage/premature birth: due to poor development of the uterus, etc. Loss of bone mass: due to a decline in female hormones |
Treatment
| Frequent menstrual periods | Progesterone is taken orally for about one week from two days before the shortest menstrual cycle, so that the menstrual cycle becomes approximately one month. If taking progesterone alone does not improve the condition, a combination of estrogen and progesterone is taken from the fifth day of menstruation to match the normal menstrual cycle. After about three cycles of hormone therapy, the patient is monitored to see if menstruation occurs on its own and to determine whether or not treatment needs to be continued. If anemia is present, iron supplements and dietary therapy may also be used. |
| Oligomenorrhea | If the cause is anovulation or if you are post-menopausal, there is a risk of uterine cancer, so after hormone tests and cancer screening, you should take progesterone for one week from the 21st day of your period to make your menstrual cycle approximately one month. |
| Secondary amenorrhea | Progesterone alone or in combination with estrogen is used to induce menstruation. In parallel with or after menstruation induction, hormone therapy is performed periodically or herbal medicine is used if necessary. |
In either case, if you wish to become pregnant, the first choice of treatment will be ovulation-inducing drugs, which also control your period. Therefore, if you find yourself in a situation where you wish to become pregnant, such as through marriage, and you need to require long-term treatment with the above hormone drugs, you should inform your doctor and change your treatment.
Period pain
Many women feel some pain or discomfort here and there during their period. However, when symptoms such as abdominal pain, back pain, and headaches during or just before the start of menstruation limit your daily life, it is called "dysmenorrhea" and is considered to be a condition requiring some kind of treatment.
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Cause
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Passage obstruction
→Due to structure (immaturity, curvature of uterus, etc.), fibroids, trauma, etc.
Large amount of passing material
→Menorrhagia (fibroids, endometrial polyps, endometrial hyperplasia, cancer, etc.)
Uterine cramps
→ Hypersensitivity reaction of uterine muscle, contraction disorder
Excessive pain inducers, metabolic disorders
→ Endometriosis, endometrial hyperplasia, poor circulation, etc.
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Prevention measures
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Keep your body cool
→ The purpose is to prevent poor blood circulation and poor metabolism. It is important to keep this in mind at all times, but you should be especially careful 10 days to 1 week before your period.
Sleep well
→Quality is more important than quantity! To do that, it's also important to prepare before going to bed. Take a bath, warm your body, and after about half an hour to an hour, when the heat in your body has subsided, it's time to go to bed. This will release sleep hormones and induce good sleep.
Eat well
→ Here too, it's about content rather than quantity. In particular, if you eat foods that are in season and try to cook them as much as possible instead of eating raw, you can get what your body needs without straining yourself. However, no matter how good something is for your body, eating too much of it can make you sick.
Move your body
→You don't need to do anything special like sports or exercise. What's important is that you can do it every day. For women in particular, walking is recommended, as moving your legs can easily stimulate the pelvis. It's even more effective if you put enough strain on yourself to make your breathing a little faster, as this will stimulate your cardiopulmonary function. First of all, I think you need to be conscious of incorporating it as part of your daily life.
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Treatment
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warm
→ Improves blood circulation and metabolism. It also has the effect of relaxing tense uterine muscles.
Painkillers
→If you experience strong pain every time, it is more effective to use it before the pain starts. If you take it after the pain starts, the muscles of the uterus will tense up, causing poor blood circulation, which will slow down the circulation of the active ingredients that work locally. If you take it after the pain starts, don't forget to warm the local area. This will speed up the onset of effects.
Many people refrain from taking painkillers or endure them for fear that they will no longer be effective, but as this is a monthly occurrence for women, having to restrict their daily life every time it occurs will lower their quality of life (QOL). By using the appropriate amount appropriately, it is possible to live a normal life. In the unlikely event that your usual painkillers no longer work, this should be taken as a sign to see a doctor. If you have a disease that causes menstrual pain, it is a good way to know if your condition is progressing, and if you have never had any abnormalities before, you should suspect the onset of some kind of disease, so this is also a good way to know if there are any changes.Pill (low dose)
→ The pill is a medication that contains a minimum amount of female hormones. It is highly effective in relieving menstrual pain by suppressing the proliferation of the endometrium, which is the cause of menstruation, and by suppressing the amount of menstrual flow itself, it also suppresses the production of pain-inducing substances released during menstruation. Recently, the pill has been approved as covered by insurance for those whose menstrual pain is caused by endometriosis, making it easier to use.
Herbal medicine
→For those who have severe menstrual pain without any particular illness, constitution is often a major factor, and this medicine is often used alone or in combination with painkillers to improve each person's constitution. In addition, there are also herbal medicines that can be used for menstrual pain, not just for the purpose of improving constitution, so those who are worried about the side effects of painkillers can also take them.
If you are unsure of which hospital to visit, please feel free to ask at the Health Center or the Health Office.
The Health Center can also provide you with a referral letter, so please ask.
Rental Procedure
- Please submit the First Aid Bag Request Form to the Health Center at least three days before you plan to borrow the bag. Due to high demand in the summer, we may not be able to lend out first aid bags. Please apply as early as possible.
- The Health Center has a designated form for this request.
- When applying, please tell the nurse the date and time you plan to use the bag. If you have any requests regarding the contents of the emergency bag, please let us know.
- Please come and pick up your first aid bag on the scheduled date and time.
- Please return the item by the scheduled date and time as it will be used again later.
Notes
Please do not write anything on the request form, as the planned date and time of loan, planned date and time of return, and signature will be written by a nurse.
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