Handling prevalent menstrual issues: strategies for relief
Menstrual problems can be a common and sometimes distressing experience for those who menstruate. This article aims to provide an overview of common symptoms, causes, and treatments for various menstrual issues.
Symptoms of Menstrual Problems
Period problems can manifest in various ways, including swollen or sore breasts, bloating or gas, diarrhea or constipation, mood swings, headaches, back pain, tiredness, difficulty concentrating or sleeping. These symptoms are commonly associated with Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS), a condition thought to be related to hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle.
PMDD: A Severe Form of PMS
PMDD, or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, is a severe form of PMS that affects a smaller percentage of people who menstruate. Symptoms of PMDD can be more intense and disruptive, affecting a person's daily life.
Managing Menstrual Problems at Home
There are several steps people can take at home to ease or prevent symptoms of period problems. These include stopping smoking, using heating pads, hot water bottles, or warm baths to ease pain, trying gentle forms of exercise, managing stress, avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and refined sugar, getting enough sleep each night, and using a portable transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) machine for temporary pain relief.
Treatment for Menstrual Problems
Treatment for menstrual problems can vary depending on the specific issue. For heavy periods, treatment may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, oral contraceptives, a hormonal IUD or implant, cyclic progestin, tranexamic acid, and other medications. For irregular periods, lifestyle modifications, hormonal treatments, and treatment of underlying conditions may be necessary. For painful periods and PMS, hormonal contraception, NSAIDs, and stress management can help. In cases of absent periods, addressing underlying causes and hormonal treatments may be appropriate.
Common Causes of Menstrual Problems
Common causes of painful, heavy, irregular, and absent periods include hormonal imbalances, uterine fibroids, polyps, adenomyosis, bleeding disorders, infections, lifestyle changes, stress, and certain medications or cancers of the uterine lining.
In all cases, evaluation by a healthcare provider is essential to diagnose the exact cause and personalize treatment. If a person experiences periods that become irregular or absent when they are usually regular, three missed periods in a row that have not resulted from pregnancy or breastfeeding, periods that happen more often than every 21 days or less often than every 38 days, they should speak with a doctor.
It's important to note that the exact cause of PMS is unknown, but it may result from hormone fluctuations. Factors associated with PMS include stress, personal or family history of depression, and previous postpartum depression.
When period irregularity or absence stems from weight loss or an eating disorder, people require mental and physical health support.
In cases of suspected infection (e.g., pelvic inflammatory disease) or cancer, medical evaluation and targeted treatment are required.
In all cases, it's crucial to consult with a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis and personalized treatment plan.
- Science and health-and-wellness professionals have linked Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) to hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle, though its exact cause remains unknown.
- Women experiencing Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a severe form of PMS, may find relief in various treatments such as hormonal contraception, stress management, and taking NSAIDs, depending on the specific case and symptoms, according to health-and-wellness literature on women's health.
