Menstruation Problems
A Guide to Common Menstruation Problems
Menstruation problems can cause women a great deal of worry. A lot can be said about a woman’s overall health based on the regularity and flow strength of her cycle. Heavy blood flow or intense cramping during a period are symptoms that many women encounter more than once in their lives, but how can we tell if there is a real problem at hand? We are going to take a look at some common menstruation problems as well a few signs that could indicate a serious issue.
The first menstruation worry that we are going to discuss is irregular or absent periods. When a woman’s period is off by a few weeks, or indeed fails to show up altogether, it can lead to many worrisome questions. The truth is, a period (and even a few month’s worth of periods) can be affected by several factors. Stress is one of the leading causes of an irregular menstrual schedule or missed periods. Everyone’s body handles stress in different ways, but the effects of prolonged stress can be traumatic to the human body. In a woman’s case, her hormone levels may be thrown off balance which in turn has an effect on her menstrual cycle.
A poor diet can also cause a big change in cycle regularity. The female body really is something to marvel at in terms of efficiency. When a woman fails to eat properly, whether she doesn’t take in enough essential nutrients or skips meals on a regular basis, her body may alter her hormone levels causing her to miss a period simply because it can sense that her body isn’t healthy enough to handle pregnancy. In this case, a positive dietary change is the best way to correct the problem. Eating more fruits and vegetables and switching to un-processed meats for a while—and, of course, eating three “square” meals a day with a snack and plenty of water—should have an immediate effect on the menstrual cycle.
It is also not uncommon for adolescents to experience erratic menstrual periods for a year or two after they first start their period, as hormone levels can be quite unstable during this time. If stress, diet, and age are likely not the source of a skipped period, one may have to consider whether pregnancy is a possibility and have the appropriate testing done to determine whether she is pregnant or not.
Other menstruation problems involve dramatic changes in the menstrual schedule that seem to last for more than two period cycles. For instance, say a woman’s usual period is around 34 days, then suddenly narrows down to 21 days—this is a massive change that could indicate a serious issue. A woman’s cycle should fall within five days (plus or minus) of the next expected cycle date. I.e.: If a woman started her last period on the 1st of the month and usually has a 31-day cycle, the anticipated date of her next period should fall within five days of the 31st of the month. She shouldn’t be alarmed if her period comes earlier or later than this “gateway” once or twice, but if severe irregularity becomes a habit—and this includes bleeding for less than two days or more than eight days in one cycle—she should definitely speak to her doctor.
Heavy bleeding is another common worry that could point to a serious underlying medical problem. While it is not uncommon for a woman to have heavy flow rate for a few days during her period, excessive blood flow is not normal. By excessive, I mean soaking one or more sanitary towels during an hour for several hours or days at a time. Even a “heavy-ish” period lasting longer than seven days in length could be a sign that something more serious is going on. Heavy bleeding could be a sign of having polyps on the uterus, a thyroid disorder, a blood clotting disorder, or a vaginal infection. If heavy bleeding seems to be a persistent or normal occurrence for a woman, she should consider speaking with her doctor about the issue to determine whether testing should be done for one of the above mentioned medical problems.
Cramping and the occasional vaginal pain is definitely a common sensation that most women experience—sometimes as regularly as every menstrual cycle. –But the pain should not be extreme and should respond to over the counter pain relievers to some degree. If the pain becomes unbearable, there is likely something else at work besides the normal cramping and bloating. Endometriosis is a condition where the shed lining of the uterus doesn’t expel from the body, but in fact makes its way outside of the uterus and into another area inside the body. Chronic pelvic pain and heavy bleeding are symptoms often associated with this condition. If left untreated, endometriosis could impair a woman’s ability to have children.
A woman can usually sense when something is wrong with her body—especially when it comes to menstruation problems. If you believe you are dealing with an uncommon menstruation issue and want to see your doctor for a discussion, it’s important that you take as much information with you to the meeting as possible. This includes your average cycle length, how many days your period typically lasts, as well as any symptoms you may experience, such as heavy bleeding, pain, spotting between periods, etc.