5 Period Related Conditions You Should Know About

The endometrium (uterine lining) prepares to nurture a foetus with each menstrual cycle. If fertilisation does not occur, the body loses the endometrium once a month (on average).

Some women have no problems getting through their monthly periods. Their periods are almost as predictable as clockwork, beginning and ending at approximately the same time each month and causing little more than a mild annoyance. On the other hand, other women have a slew of physical and/or mental symptoms leading up to and during menstruation. These symptoms can cause substantial disruptions in a woman’s life, ranging from excessive bleeding and missing periods to uncontrollable mood swings.

Heavy bleeding, missing periods, and uncontrollable mood swings are examples of menstrual disorders, which are physical and/or emotional symptoms that occur right before and during menstruation.

Although most women experience menstruation, it is not often a topic that is publicly discussed. As a result, many women are unsure of what is typical and abnormal in terms of their menstrual cycle.

You might also like this:

• Vaginal Discharge: Causes, Treatments, and Colors
• How to Avoid Pregnancy, When to Take a Test, and More
• Things You Should Always Discuss with Your Gynecologist

The four most prevalent menstrual disorders that every woman should be aware of are listed below.

1. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) 

PMS is a term that refers to a combination of physical and psychological symptoms that are linked to the menstrual cycle. Symptoms generally appear five to seven days before your period and go away when your menstruation starts or shortly after. 

PMS causes the following physical symptoms:

• Breasts that are swollen, and tender
• Bloating
• Headaches
• Clumsiness

PMS is related to emotional symptoms such as:

• Anger or anxiety
• Tension and mood swings
• Depression and weeping
• An inability to focus

Rising and falling levels of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone appear to be the cause of PMS, which may influence brain chemicals such as serotonin, which profoundly affect mood.

2. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a much more severe form of PMS. Women with PMDD claim it has a substantial impact on their life. According to experts, the difference between PMS and PMDD is compared to the difference between a minor tension headache and a migraine.

PMDD is characterised by increased irritability, anxiety, and mood swings. PMDD is more common among women with a history of major depression, postpartum depression, or mood disorders than in other women. Even though some symptoms of PMDD and serious depression are similar, they are not the same:

• PMDD symptoms (both emotional and physical) follow a cyclical pattern.
• Depression-related symptoms, on the other hand, are unrelated to the menstrual cycle. Depressive mood disorders can last for weeks, months, or even years without treatment. If your depression persists, you should seek professional counselling from a therapist.

It’s unclear why some women get PMS or PMDD while others don’t, but researchers believe that some women are more susceptible to hormonal fluctuations than others.

3. Menorrhagia: Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Bleeding is considered heavy when it prevents people from going about their daily lives. Almost a fifth of women experience such heavy bleeding during their periods that they cannot finish daily duties to deal with the flow. 

Hormonal imbalances, structural abnormalities in the uterus (such as poles or fibroids), and other medical diseases can contribute to heavy menstrual bleeding (such as thyroid problems, blood clotting disorders, liver or kidney disease, leukaemia, complications from IUD, miscarriage, and infections).

4. Amenorrhea: No Menstrual Bleeding

Amenorrhea is a condition in which an individual does not have any menstrual cycles at all. When this happens to a 16-year-old person who hasn’t started menstruating, it’s most likely due to a problem with the endocrine system, which regulates hormones. Pituitary gland maturation is sometimes delayed as a result of low body weight. Problems with oestrogen levels can cause a female’s periods to halt for three months or longer after having had them for a while. 

5. Dysmenorrhea: Painful Menstruation 

Menstrual cramps affect most women at some point in their life but severe period cramps and pain are a symptom of dysmenorrhea. The type of dysmenorrhea determines whether it is primary or secondary. Women with primary dysmenorrhea have abnormal uterine contractions as a result of a chemical imbalance in their bodies. Other medical diseases, most commonly endometriosis, can induce secondary dysmenorrhea.

You should make an appointment with your online lady doctor to assist diagnose menstruation issues. Keep track of the frequency and length of your cycles to prepare. Make a list of any additional symptoms, such as cramps, and be ready to talk about your medical history.