Menstrual problems

What is it?

Menstruation is a normal part of a woman’s reproductive cycle. The ovary periodically releases an egg. It also releases a hormone called oestrogen, which stimulates the lining of the uterus to grow and get prepared to receive the fertilized egg. If, however, the egg does not get fertilized, the uterus sheds its lining resulting in menstrual flow. This flow repeats itself in a cycle of approximately 28 days until a woman gets pregnant or has approached menopause.A slight discomfort or pain associated with menstruation is quite normal but if it becomes severe, a doctor should be consulted for problems that may not be really visible. The three main problems associated with menstruation are: Lack of periods- amenorrhoea Painful periods- dysmenorrhoea Heavy periods- menorrhagia Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS or PMT)AmenorrhoeaAmenorrhoea is the absence or abnormal stoppage of menstruation. It can be of a primary or secondary nature. It can be due to normal physiological reasons like pregnancy, breast feeding or menopause. Infact, the commonest cause of physiological amenorrhoea is pregnancy. The abnormal (pathological) causes are:Girls who have attained the age of 16 years and still not started getting their periods are said to have primary amenorrhoea. Secondary amenorrhoea occurs when a woman who was having normal periods suddenly stops menstruating for more than 6 months.It can be due to a hormonal imbalance or a developmental problem. Stress, severe dieting, increased levels of exercise or chronic illness could also add to the problem. Most often women do not give importance to this but it needs to be dealt with more cautiously as it may be a sign of an underlying problem- imbalance in the production of reproductive hormones or even uterine cancers.DysmenorrhoeaDysmenorrhoea or pain during the periods may be quite normal in most of the cases. Primary dysmenorrhoea is more common in teens and is not caused by a disease. It is because of the production of a hormone called prostaglandins in large quantities leading to nausea, headaches, diarrhoea and severe cramps. These symptoms last only for a day or two.Secondary dysmenorrhoea is pain caused by some physical condition like fibroids in the uterus, infections in the pelvic region or growth of tissues normally found only in the uterus outside the uterus-the ovaries, fallopian tubes or other parts of the pelvic cavity, a condition called endometriosis. Menorrhagia A heavy period is one that lasts longer than eight days, saturates napkins within an hour or includes large clots of blood in the menstrual flow. It is very common in adolescents because of slight hormonal imbalances at their age. An imbalance in the levels of oestrogen and progesterone hormones allows the uterine wall to keep building up resulting in bleeding that is very heavy. In some cases it can also be due to fibroids, vaginal infections or thyroid problems.Premenstrual SyndromePMS refers to a combination of physical and emotional symptoms experienced by all women during the menstrual cycle, usually just before menstrual bleeding begins. The intensity and range of symptoms vary from person to person. These include: Temporary weight gain, due to accumulation of water in the body. Headaches and cramps. Painful breasts. Tension and depression, irritability and stress.PMS is usually at its worst 7 days before the period starts and disappears before it begins. Diet that is low in sodium and salt, increased fluids, high fibre, high complex carbohydrates, low fat and low sugar may be taken. Exercise, massage, relaxation techniques may help in relieving the symptoms.