What is Irritable Uterus?

IRRITABLE UTERUS : CONDITION

The name given to this disease is Irritable Uterus, 
as due to " Disorders of 
Females, connected with Uterine Irritation." These 
terms are used to express a state or condition of the 
womb where in Irritable uterus is all painful; —

 pain more or less severe at all times, these, with certain functional derangements, 

and various sympathetic affections are some elements of this condition.

IRRITABLE UTERUS
 I shall first describe irritable womb.Irritable womb ap- 
pears in two very different classes of patients, and 
it would be very useful in the management of 
each case, could we ascertain beforehand to which 
class it belongs. 
This exists in some degree in the majority of cases of irritable uterus ; but rarely in any to such an extent as would give rise to any serious inconvenience, if existing alone.





WHEN DO YOU GET IRRITABLE UTERUS ?

Uterine irritation rarely occurs before twenty, 

though it has been observed as early as the eighteenth 
year. It requires for the most part, for its perfect development, a state of the womb which is rarely produced by a short or temporary continuance of disturbing causes. Months and even years may elapse under the operation of such causes, before the organic predisposition has been brought about. There 
is much however in the previous condition of the individual which deserves notice. From the establishment of menstruation, there may have existed marks of bad uterine health.
IRRITABLE UTERUS & IRRITABLE TODDLER


WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF IRRITABLE UTERUS?



Symptoms of irritable uterus: 

These have regard to the womb and its neighbourhood, and to the system generally. 

Of the first is pain in the lower part of the 

abdomen, referred to the brim of the pelvis, most severe just above the symphysis pubis, and always in- 
creased by pressure. The course of this pain will be 
very distinctly pointed out by the patient, and her 
account will be abundantly verified by passing the 
hand or finger in the direction thus indicated. Other 
neighbouring parts are seats of pain, as the loins, the 
sacrum, and the thighs. Bearing down, at times, accompanies these last, especially during the menstrual 
periods.
 These symptoms are aggravated by exercise, and by the erect posture, and the patient now 
finds added to them lancinating pains through the 
pelvis, shooting from the neighbourhood of the symphysis on the inside, to the opposite point in the hollow of the sacrum.
Headache is a frequent symptom of irritable womb. 
It may take a chronic form, being in some cases al- 
ways present in variable degrees ; in others occurring 
from very slight causes after various intervals of ease. 
Confusion of head,- 
— imperfect vision,
 — ringing in the ears,
 — throbbing,
 — depressed spirits, with difficulty 
of fixing the attention long on any thing but the pa- 
tient's own personal troubles, are also among the 
symptoms which may be referred to the head, and 
the cerebral functions.


CURE FOR IRRITABLE UTERUS

A patient who has suffered from this disease, and 
in whom salutary changes have occurred, will still 
demand much attention during convalescence. She 
is to be guarded from the existing causes of the ma- 
lady, and is, at the same time, to use means for the 
restoration of health. Among these are diet, tonics, 
change of air, and exercise. The best tonics are 
chalybeates ; and these, as they exist in natural mine- 
ral waters, are best. They frequently contain mild 
cathartic salts, which add to their usefulness. The 
situation of such waters, and a moderate indulgence 
in the gaiety which is almost native to them, are high- 
ly salutary. I have said nothing of the benefit fre- 
quently derived from the use of preparations of iron 
at an earlier period in the disease. The solution of 
the sulphate of iron is particularly to be recommend- 
ed. I have never known it do harm after excitement 
has been subdued. On the contrary, I have found it 
highly useful as an aid to the other treatment of the 
functional derangements of the uterine system so 
common in irritable womb. The pessary will also 
become a very important means of preventing relapse 
when the removal of the local irritation allows of its 
use.