Period or menstrual problems

There are a number of menstrual problems, such as: late menstruation, absence of menstruation, pains and premenstrual syndrome. And what are causes and symptoms?

 

 

Menstrual period

Menstruation known also as menstrual period, menorrhea, menses, and monthly period is the period of vaginal bleeding which women experience from puberty to menopause, averagely every four weeks. It normally lasts three to five days. If it lasts only two days or more than eight days, this is probably caused by a disorder or abnormality. During a menstrual period the uterus discharges mucosa thickened because of the reaction to progesterone, meaning that the uterus is prepared for accepting fertilised eggs. If fertilisation doesn’t take place, eggs disintegrate. As the thickened mucosa is no longer needed, it peels off the uterine wall. Bleeding stops when the uterine wall is covered with new mucosa. The first menstrual period occurs between the ages of 10 and 13, and sometimes even later, i.e. up to the age of 17. It depends on the general development of a girl, her nutrition, health state, lifestyle and other factors. At the beginning the menstrual period is irregular because the young body is still adapting to the new function. If, however, similar problems occur at a later age as well, there is definitely a problem.

 

 

Amenorrhea

This refers to the absence of a menstrual period, which is usually experienced by girls before they reach puberty, pregnant women and women before menopause. If the problem is experienced by other women, it involves diseases of the ovaries, uterus and endocrine glands. It can also involve psychogenic disorders which are often a result of various emotional shocks. In other words, psychogenic disorders are triggered by a certain emotional state which causes reactions in the human body. And these emotional shocks which trigger tension can have an effect on the physical well-being and cause menstrual problems to women. If a woman hasn’t experienced menstruation, this indicates primary amenorrhea. If menstruation is late, this indicates secondary amenorrhea. Amenorrhea can also be caused by abnormalities in the functioning of the brain, hypophysis, thyroid gland, adrenal glands, ovaries or other parts of genitalia. Girls aged 13 who don’t show any signs of puberty, or girls aged 16 who don’t have menstruation, or girls who don’t experience menstruation five years after reaching puberty, have to undergo an examination to determine whether there is a case of a potential disease.

 

 

Dysmenorrhoea

Dysmenorrhoea is the pain in the abdomen caused by the cramps in the uterus during menstruation. In the case of primary dysmenorrhoea the cause of cramps is unknown, while in the case of secondary dysmenorrhoea the cramps are caused by a gynaecological disease. Primary dysmenorrhoea affects up to 50 per cent of women. Pains usually occur in youth and are sometimes as strong as to affect women’s everyday activities. They can ease with age or after childbirth. They normally appear as a result of the contractions of the uterus caused by the reduced blood flow to the uterine mucosa. Secondary dysmenorrhoea affects fewer women, i.e. up to 25 per cent. The most common causes are endometriosis (cell growth outside the uterine mucosa) and myomas (benign tumours in the uterine wall). The main sign of dysmenorrhoea is the pain in the lower abdomen in the form of cramps. The pain can also be  dull or chronic. Other signs are headaches, constipation or diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and frequent urinating. Sometimes the uterus also discharges blood clots or pieces of the uterine mucosa. The pains caused by dysmenorrhoea can be alleviated effectively by non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They can also be alleviated by rest, sleep and regular physical activity. If the pains affect your everyday activities, you can prevent ovulation by using contraceptives with low doses of hormones. Treatment for secondary dysmenorrhoea depends on its causes.

 

 

PMS

There are numerous signs of PMS (premenstrual syndrome), such as nervousness, irritability, agitation, depression, headaches, tender breasts and the thickening of tissue. The signs appear 7 to 14 days before the beginning of menstruation. They are influenced by the changes to hormones and digestion in the body. Hormonal contraceptives reduce the fluctuation of hormone levels and alleviate pains. Less salt or a mild diuretic reduce the thickening of tissue. It is also advisable to reduce the quantities of sugar, alcohol and caffeine, and use food additives with calcium and magnesium. Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help ease headaches and pains caused by contractions of the uterus.

 

 

Abnormal vaginal bleeding

Hypermenorrhoea refers to too heavy menstrual bleeding caused by an ovarian disorder (similarly, hypomenorrhoea, meaning that a menstrual period is too weak). If a woman suffers from hypermenorrhoea, and if she also has severe pains in her lower abdomen, paracetamol is a much more recommended drug than Aspirin because the latter increases blood flow, which can consequently cause heavier blooding. Uterine bleeding can be too heavy, too weak, too frequent and irregular. In about 25 per cent of women the cause is an organic disorder of genitalia, and in about 75 per cent of women the cause is hormonal imbalance. Any sort of abnormal bleeding is the reason for visiting your doctor or a specialist. In addition to bleeding being too heavy or too weak, another cause of menstrual problems is polymenorrhoea, which refers to a shorter menstrual cycle where bleeding occurs every three weeks. There is another disorder called oligomenorrhoea, which refers to a longer cycle where menstruation occurs every six weeks.

 

 

 

 

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