What is the menstrual cup for and how to use it?

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Menstrual cups are worrying, but women who use them are mostly delighted. It is an innovative solution for women during menstruation.

What makes it different from the effects of tampons and pads is that menstrual blood is not absorbed by it, but only collects in the reservoir. The vast majority of menstrual cups available on the market are reusable hygiene products. Correct use, cleaning, maintenance and storage of the cup means that it can be used for 6 to 12 years – depending on the manufacturer.

See also: Tampon or sanitary napkin?

On the manufacturers’ websites, there are special tables or questionnaires that allow you to choose the best size of the menstrual cup.

Also read: The first menstruation – symptoms, menstrual cycle

Menstrual cup – types

There are several types of menstrual cups depending on their hardness.

1. Soft menstrual cupwhich is very soft and springy, which makes it necessary for a woman to have some skill when inserting it into the vagina. This type of menstrual cup is aimed at inactive women who are predominantly sedentary. In addition, due to the fact that the cup is very soft, it is perfect for women who are sensitive during sexual intercourse.
2. Classic menstrual cup in turn, it is aimed at women who spend a lot of time during the day sitting. The Classic menstrual cup is characterized by a very easy positioning in the vagina when changing the position of a woman. Given its elasticity, it can be positioned between the Soft and Sport menstrual cups.
3. Sport menstrual cup, reserved for women with an active lifestyle who are constantly on the move. This type of cup is especially recommended for physically active people who regularly play sports. It is characterized by the highest hardness of all the menstrual cups mentioned. If women using it have developed pelvic floor muscles, its application should not be a problem. 

Find out more: Menstruation calculator – fertile days, period symptoms

How to put on a menstrual cup?

What discourages women most from reaching for menstrual cups is the fear of incorrect application inside the vagina. The producers of the cups themselves admit that initially the use of the product may be difficult, but at the same time emphasize that 2-3 cycles are enough for a woman to master the use of a menstrual cup to perfection.

It should be noted that menstrual cups are easier to apply than a tampon, despite their much larger size. The slippery surface of the menstrual cup reduces friction and makes the cup easy to insert into the vagina, even without additional lubrication.

Before the first use, the cup should be disinfected – for this you can boil it or disinfect it with a special tablet that is dissolved in water.

Further stages of application of the menstrual cup have:

1. thorough hand washing,
2. bending the cup in your fingers in such a way that the thickest ring forms the letter “c”, “s” or a rose bud,
3. inserting the cup into the vagina (remember that the cup should be inserted much shallower than a tampon).

Correctly inserted into the vagina, the menstrual cup should automatically expand and suck thanks to the creation of a negative air pressure. If you can move the cup very easily with your finger, it means that it has not developed or sucked properly. Gently twisting the cup in your fingers should help.

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Many women worry that the menstrual blood will run out when the cup is removed. With a properly placed and gently removable cup, nothing like this will happen, because the cup is constantly directed towards the inside of the vagina.

To remove the menstrual cup from the vagina, gently squeeze the edges to suck the ring out. The cup can then be gently pulled downwards. This activity can be performed while sitting on the toilet, crouching or standing with your foot resting, for example, on the edge of the bathtub. Before reapplication, the cup should be drained of blood and rinsed under running water.

Menstrual cups – opinions of users

Ladies who have decided to try a menstrual cup are usually satisfied with the product. Problems with the leakage of the cup or discomfort during use result from the inability to use the product or the wrong size.

Women appreciate the menstrual cup primarily for the lack of unpleasant smell, the cost-effectiveness of the solution, the lack of frequent visits to the toilet and the ability to eliminate or significantly reduce irritation and infections of the intimate area.

Also read: How do I shift the period?

Menstrual cup – use of the cup and renal colic

The menstrual cup is gaining more and more popularity among women to control menstruation. Most manufacturers are advocating that these devices are 100% safe for users, though There are reports of rare complications with their use.

In the USA, there was a reported case of a 26-year-old female gymnast, sexually active, not ill, who came to the emergency department complaining of pain in the right side radiating to the groin and related nausea and vomiting. She stated that there was no hematuria or fever or other lower urinary tract symptoms.

A simple x-ray of the abdomen revealed an object in the pelvis more than a third smaller than the diameter of the pelvis and on the right side. Ultrasound examination showed hydronephrosis with ureteral dilatation with no recognized obstructive cause.

The patient admitted using the menstrual cup for the past two years without any previous symptoms. The patient was asked to remove the cup, and a few minutes after that, she reported complete symptom relief.

1. Menstrual panties – underwear for “difficult days”

Ultrasound examination of the kidneys after removing the cup showed no evidence of hydronephrosis. After the patient changed the menstrual cup to a smaller one, any problems and symptoms did not appear anymore. In the present case, the cup used by the patient occupied an area greater than one-third of the smaller diameter of the pelvis and was inserted on the right side.

The shape and size of this cup can compress the outer distal part of the right ureter, resembling classic renal colic. As you can see in the example above, in addition to infectious complications, there can also be mechanical complications, and the solution to these problems can be very simple, by removing the menstrual cup and replacing it with a smaller model.

Also read: Menstrual disorders – it does not have to be a symptom of menopause

Menstrual cup – advantages

The advantages of using menstrual cups include:

1. Comfort and convenience of use caused by the imperceptibility of the menstrual cup, which you can use and at the same time lead an ordinary lifestyle and at the same time be physically active, play sports or swim in the swimming pool without worrying that the cup will turn out to be leaky. The menstrual cup does not mean that we have to go to the bathroom often and replace it as often as sanitary napkins or tampons.
2. Securitybecause the use of the menstrual cup does not endanger the health of a woman and does not contain any harmful chemicals or dioxins.
3. High hygiene resulting from the principle of the menstrual cup in which blood is collected, and the cup itself is not subject to decomposition processes and does not produce an unpleasant odor. 
4. Purity and freshness resulting from the use of the menstrual cup for the duration of the period, the cup is practically imperceptible and does not allow the blood to leak out and during the entire period, it only comes out during its emptying. 
5. Long-term protection, because the menstrual cup can be worn for up to 12 hours, but you shouldn’t forget to empty it after 3 or 6 hours.
6. No wastebecause the menstrual cup is ecological and environmentally friendly. By using the menstrual cup, a woman does not contribute to the generation of waste as in the case of used pads and tampons. It is worth mentioning that a used menstrual cup can be burned.
7. No chance of allergic reactions, chafing or irritation, which can occur when using tampons or pads.
8. Reduced monthly expenses due to the fact that menstrual cups do not have to be bought every month, like pads or tampons.

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Menstrual cup – disadvantages

Unfortunately, the use of menstrual cups also has some disadvantages:

1. Difficulty choosing the right cup size. This is very important as an improperly chosen menstrual cup can leak, fall out or stick out. The difficulty with the first purchase is due to the fact that the woman does not know exactly what size she needs, and it is not possible to try on the menstrual cup in advance.
2. Initial difficulties with the application and removal of the cupwhich occurs especially when it is taken out. Over time, however, every woman will perfect it.
3. One-time cost of a cup in the amount of approx. 70 to 120 PLN. Despite the fact that this price may seem quite high, it should not be forgotten that it is only a one-off expense, and can quickly pay off if you consider how much a woman has to spend monthly on other such products, such as tampons or pads. In addition, it is worth knowing that the cups are often sold as part of a promotion, costing much less then.
4. Application, as well as emptying the cup in public places such as for example at work, while traveling or at university. Always in these places, toilets, emptying and washing the cup can be problematic and uncomfortable. 

If you don’t feel like using a menstrual cup, order the Bio Super Organic Cotton Tampons Vuokkoset or Bio Mini Tampons, which are convenient to use, but at the same time made of biodegradable materials.

Also read: How to relieve menstrual discomfort? The most effective natural ways

Usually, the body tolerates the cup well, and the symptoms of allergy are relatively rare.

Nevertheless, there are some contraindications to the use of menstrual cups:

1. for women who have not had intercourse and want to preserve their hymen;
2. when the woman has developed toxic shock syndrome;
3. after receiving such a recommendation from the gynecologist.

Find out more: Hymen – what do you need to know about it?

Menstrual cup – where to buy?

The menstrual cup can be bought without any problems in online stores of producers, organic drugstores or some pharmacies. On Medonet Market you can buy at an attractive price:

1. Perfect Cup – a set of menstrual cups in two sizes,
2. FunCup – a set of menstrual cups in two sizes.