Contents:
- Medical Video: Endometriosis
- What are the abnormal menstrual conditions that you should be aware of?
- 1. If your menstrual volume is more than usual
- 2. If your periods slow down or even stop
- 3. If you experience excessive menstrual pain
- 4. If you experience bleeding while not menstruating
Medical Video: Endometriosis
Whether or not the health condition of menstruation can be an indication of whether your reproductive system is working properly or not. For this reason, it's important to know what an abnormal menstrual cycle is like you need to worry about.
Generally a woman's menstrual period is 3-5 days, while the cycle lasts every 28 days. But the menstrual period experienced by each woman has their own characteristics, so it is difficult to determine which are normal and which are not.
Some women are used to experiencing very short menstrual periods, while others are longer. Menstrual volume is a lot of women, while others are fewer.
However, there are some conditions that need to be watched out because they can be indicative of a health problem.
What are the abnormal menstrual conditions that you should be aware of?
The existence of certain changes in your menstruation can be a sign of possible interference with the reproductive organs. The following are some changes that can occur that can indicate abnormal menstruation.
1. If your menstrual volume is more than usual
Generally women issue menstrual blood volume on average 30-40 ml a month. But some women spend up to more than 60 ml a month. This condition is called menorrhagia, and this can be a sign of abnormal menstrual conditions.
If you need to change pads almost every hour, then you can be categorized as having these conditions. Losing a lot of blood causes the body to lose the iron needed to produce hemoglobin. Without enough iron, the number of red blood cells will decrease significantly, causing anemia. This condition is characterized by symptoms such as fatigue, pallor, and shortness of breath.
This higher menstrual volume can be caused by the following:
- Abnormal pregnancy or miscarriage.
- Use of an IUD (intrauterine device) or spiral as a contraceptive method.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Disorders of blood clots.
- Cervical cancer.
- Polyps or uterine fibroids.
Excess blood volume can be reduced by taking oral contraceptives or tranexamic acid drugs that can increase blood clotting. But if you have more menstrual volume than usual, you should immediately see a doctor. If after taking medication your condition does not improve too, the doctor will advise you to undergo an examination ultrasound (USG) to examine the pelvic organs.
2. If your periods slow down or even stop
Amenorrhea is a condition when a woman stops menstruating, or is 15 years old but has never had menstruation. This is due to a decrease in estrogen production so that the frequency of menstruation becomes increasingly rare.
Amenorrhea generally occurs naturally around the age of 50 years. You are in menopause when you have not had menstruation for 12 consecutive months.
But what you need to watch out for is if amenorrhea occurs before the age of 40. At this age, the possibility that can be the cause of cessation of menstruation is:
- You are pregnant.
- Exercising is too heavy or too often. The frequency and intensity of excessive exercise can affect the production and work of reproductive hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle.
- Having eating disorders like anorexia nervosa. Calorie limitations in the body prevent the release of hormones needed in the ovulation process.
- Other possible causes are breastfeeding, obesity, taking birth control pills, disorders of the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that regulates the regulation of reproductive hormones), thyroid gland disorders, stress, uterine disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome, ovaries that stop functioning earlier, and other hormonal balance disorders.
Immediately consult a doctor if your periods stop, irregular, or often late in a long enough time.
3. If you experience excessive menstrual pain
Most women experience fatigue and pain during menstruation. But some women feel more severe pain that makes them unable to move.
This condition is called dysmenorrhoea which can be accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache, back pain, and diarrhea. Excessive pain during menstruation can be an indication of the presence of certain diseases, such as endometriosis and fibroids.
Anti-inflammatory drugs can be taken to prevent the production of prostaglandins as a cause of pain and reduce the pain they cause. However, it is advisable to see a doctor for proper treatment. Your doctor will likely suggest a test PAP smear, pelvic examination, ultrasound, or laparoscopy.
4. If you experience bleeding while not menstruating
Bleeding while not menstruating should immediately be examined to detect the possibility of a disorder, such as a vaginal wound, to a more serious illness such as cancer.
In essence, you should immediately see a doctor if:
- The distance between your two periods is 21 days or more than 35 days.
- Your period lasts more than 7 days.
- Bleeding when not menstruating.
- Experiencing pain that is unbearable when experiencing menstruation.
- You need to change the pads until every hour.
- You have stopped menstruating for 12 consecutive months, but then have menstruation again.
Checking yourself as early as possible can make the possibility of a disorder that is indicated by abnormal menstruation can be immediately treated.
