Strength or stupidity: When should women seek help for pain?

When does strength go too far?Credit: sxc.hu/sarahpelle, sxc.hu

I was strong for nearly two years. The pain in my left lower side started small and grew more and more painful as the months passed. It was worst during my monthly menstrual cycle though I never remembered feeling cramps quite like this. I knew something was just not right, but life, children, family, work and obligations were more important and I was growing used to the constant ache, until the ache changed. On the first day of the last menstrual cycle of my life I lay in bed writhing because the pain was so bad. I couldn't eat, drink or sleep, but I pulled myself together and saved what I could of the next five days. Later, the doctor told me if I hadn't sought help when I did, I could have died from internal bleeding. Looks like I was stupid, not strong.

How much pain is too much? In my case, the cause of the pain was a hemorrhaging endometrial cyst. Every month when my menstrual cycle began, the cyst would hemorrhage, causing the swelling and pain I'd been experiencing for nearly two years, but this scenario is not likely to be the case for all women.

There are general rules by which a woman can gauge pain. When pain lasts more than one day, ask yourself:

Does this pain feel like a normal "blank" pain? The blank is filled in with your personal pain area. If a headache is the problem, for instance, does the pain feel like a normal headache or something different? Keeping a pain journal is important. After my brush with death, I decided I would never neglect my body again so I started noting all headaches, aches, pains and the like. Sure, I feel older every year as the list of normal pains grows longer, but at least I have a baseline for any changes should they occur.

Has the pain lasted longer than normal? If your "blank" pains normally last 24 to 48 hours, gauge this pain based on that normal. Pains lasting longer than normal are worth a visit to the doctor's office. It may take just a few minutes in the office and a discussion with your physician to remember a twist, pull or overexertion that could be causing the pain. If not, a few tests could determine the cause and help ease the pain before the condition worsens.

Does the pain change or worsen at some point? My pain starting out like a normal menstrual cramp, but it changed several times during my battle. At some point, sharp pains started on top of the dull, constant pain. Later, a ripping pain compounded the other two feelings. Changes in pain or severity of pain may be a signal of a serious condition.

Many women think they are being strong by pushing away pain and concentrating on other situations, family members and loved ones. Life is delicate and the human body, though it can heal, sometimes needs help maintaining proper health. Notice pain, recognize changes and seek medical attention. Getting help makes you strong; suffering alone is the stupid choice.