Sometimes a very strong stress, intense training, climate change or slimming treatment is enough to disrupt the regular menstrual cycle. Irregular cycles happen to almost every woman. What are the causes of irregular periods?
Irregular periodsis considered normal in the first two years of puberty and in five years when menopause begins. In mature women , the causes of irregular menstruationare usually hormonal disorders - an excess of prolactin produced by the pituitary gland or a deficiency of the so-called the corpus luteum, which is associated with the lower production of progesterone in the second half of the cycle. Polycystic ovary syndrome can also cause irregular periods. It is a disease that affects 12% of people. young women. It consists in the fact that many cysts - tiny bubbles filled with fluid - form on the ovaries. Treatment of irregular periods is primarily based on taking hormone pills. The treatment must be preceded by thorough gynecological and hormonal examinations. Unfortunately, it often happens that only the constant intake of hormones guarantees the maintenance of a constant rhythm of the menstrual cycle. There is no regularity without medication. If the cause of the symptoms is polycystic ovary syndrome, the woman may take hormones or undergo surgery.
Too heavy periods
When a woman uses more than 10 pads a day or bleeds for more than a week, we are talking about heavy periods (hypermenorrhoea). What could be the cause? In the first years of menstruation, the reason is usually the immaturity of the reproductive organs. But then you have to go to the doctor, ask for an examination, because excessive bleeding can lead to anemia. Heavy bleeding can also be caused by a hormonal imbalance. The most important factor here is the ailing thyroid gland. But it can also be caused by endometriosis, polyps, uterine fibroids, the contraceptive IUD (IUD) or a developing infection. Very rarely, heavy bleeding is associated with ovarian cancer.
In order to make a correct diagnosis, a gynecologist orders a blood test for sex hormones. The test is reliable if it is performed three times a month: on the seventh, fourteenth and twenty-firstday of the cycle. She also recommends an ultrasound of the reproductive organ. In mature women, hysteroscopy, i.e. endoscopic examination of the uterus, is sometimes needed. An endometrial biopsy, commonly known as curettage of the uterus, is also necessary, which allows taking a larger section of the mucosa.
Too tight periods
Too tight menstruation (hypomenorrhoea) lasts from several to 48 hours. A woman does not need more than two sanitary napkins a day. It is rare that such slight bleeding is a feature of a particular woman's physiology. Most often they prove more serious hormonal disorders. They may indicate polycystic ovary syndrome, low estrogen levels, e.g. due to anorexia. However, this is not the end of the list of possible problems. Damage to the endometrium produces the same symptoms. The reason for scanty menstruation may also be a history of tuberculosis or mechanical trauma (e.g. after curettage treatment) or acute inflammation of the reproductive organ. It happens when scars form on the mucosa, i.e. adhesions limiting the surface from which the mucosa should be exfoliated. Unfortunately, such adhesions cannot be completely removed from the uterine mucosa, even surgically, and therefore the normal course of menstruation cannot be restored in such cases. To determine the real cause of very scanty periods, hormone levels, ultrasound and hysteroscopy must be performed. Only after an accurate diagnosis of the disease can the doctor prescribe a targeted treatment, i.e. a treatment selected for a specific patient. If it turns out that the menstrual disorders result from a significant disturbance of the hormonal balance, it is enough to take appropriate medications regularly to improve the woman's he alth and her menstruation to return to normal.
Rare periods
When menstruation occurs less than every 31 days (oligomenorrhoea), it can be assumed that the woman is not ovulating, which is usually associated with a disturbance in the pituitary gland. Such situations often result from experiencing very strong stresses or participating in some traumatic experiences, e.g. a car accident or the death of a loved one. When the stress is over everything usually returns to normal. Treatment is only started if the woman wants to get pregnant very quickly. Then she is administered gestagens and tries to eliminate the root cause of the disorder. Psychotherapy brings very good healing results, especially individual therapy, which allows you to calm down and forget about unpleasant experiences. Frequent menstruation (polymenorrhoea) is defined as when bleeding occurs more than every twenty-four days. With such disturbances, they appearnumerous abnormalities occur, e.g. ovulation may occur around the eighth day of the cycle, because the phase of follicular maturation is significantly shortened. Ovulation can also occur at normal times, but the bleeding occurs too early because the lining of the womb is not mature enough for an egg to settle in. The treatment is preceded by the usual specialized tests, including hormonal tests. After performing them, the doctor decides what treatment should be applied, and what doses of medications should be administered.
ImportantHormonal disorders are the most common cause of cycle dysregulation. It is also often the first sign of a serious ailment, e.g. inflammation of the appendages, endometriosis, and even cancer of the reproductive organs. Without specialized research, it is difficult to determine the cause of irregular or too heavy or meager periods.
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