menstruation
Brief summary:
The menstrual cycle begins on the first day of menstruation and ends with the beginning of the next menstruation.
The menstrual cycle consists of four phases, in which hormones change in preparation for pregnancy each month.
Some disturbances associated with menstruation are normal, and some require a visit to the doctor.
The treatment for disorders varies depending on the cause.
There are several methods and guidelines for relieving pain before and during menstruation.
Installation of the internal female reproductive system:
The vagina: It is the canal that lies between the uterus and the external genitalia.
The uterus: It is a hollow, pear-shaped organ in which a fetus is formed during pregnancy, and a narrow channel called the (cervix) separates it from the vagina.
Fallopian tubes: They are narrow channels connected to the upper part of the uterus, which is the path that carries the eggs from the ovaries to the uterus, and in which the eggs meet the sperm (fertilization), then the fertilized egg moves from them to the uterus to stick to its wall and the embryo is formed.
The ovaries: are small oval-shaped glands located on either side of the uterus, and in them the eggs are formed and the female hormones are secreted.
menstruation:
These are the natural hormonal changes that happen to a woman's body every month in preparation for pregnancy, and it starts with puberty and ends at menopause.
Its duration reaches approximately 28 days, and it ranged between 20 or 40 days, as the first day of menstruation is the first day of the menstrual cycle, and ends with the beginning of the next menstruation.
The beginning of the menstrual cycle:
Girls' menstruation often begins in adulthood, which is the age between 8 to 15 years (that is, around 12 years old), and usually begins two years after the appearance of the breasts and the growth of pubic hair.
Phases of the menstrual cycle:
There are 4 stages to it, which are: menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation phase, and luteal phase.
Menstruation:
Menstruation occurs when the inner layer of the wall of the endometrium and other secretions come out through the vagina, and it usually lasts from three to seven days, and the period may increase or decrease from one woman to another, as well as from one month to another.
Follicular phase:
This phase starts from the first days of the menstrual cycle and ends at the ovulation phase, in which the pituitary gland at the bottom of the head secretes the follicle-stimulating hormone (for the follicle), so it forms 10 to 20 follicles in the ovary, where inside each follicle there is an immature egg, and these follicles produce the hormone Estrogen, which in turn increases the thickness of the endometrial wall in preparation for receiving a fertilized egg, usually only one follicle develops and moves to the surface of the ovary, while the rest of the follicles are destroyed and reabsorbed by the body.
The ovulation phase (ovulation):
The ovulation phase occurs 12-16 days before the next cycle and is not necessarily in the middle of the menstrual cycle, and the term (ovulation) means the formation of a mature egg from one of the ovaries, as the secretion of the estrogen hormone in the follicular phase causes the secretion of the gonadotrophin hormone from the brain, which stimulates the gland The pituitary secretes a high percentage of the luteinizing hormone (luteinizing hormone), which removes the mature egg from inside the follicle (vesicle), then moves from the ovary to the fallopian tube, and if fertilization does not occur at this stage, it goes to the uterus and dissolves within 6 to 24 hours.
The luteal phase:
At this stage, the follicle from which the mature egg (called the corpus luteum) was released, secretes a high amount of progesterone and some estrogen, as they contribute to increasing the thickness of the endometrial wall and maintaining its thickness, and if fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum vanishes, and thus the proportion of progesterone decreases. This leads to instability of the lining of the uterus and its exit through the vagina and the start of the new cycle.
Premenstrual syndrome:
Some psychological and physical changes may appear in the luteal phase, which include:
Physical changes:
Swollen and swollen breasts.
Diarrhea or constipation.
Flatulence and gas.
Contractions.
Headache or back pain.
Fluid retention.
Fatigue and dizziness.
Unable to stand noise and high lighting.
acne.
Psychological changes:
Disturbance or aggressive behavior.
Sleep disturbance (too much or too little).
Changes in appetite.
Difficulty concentrating and remembering.
Anxiety and stress.
Mood Swings.
Depression or feeling sad.
Decreased sexual arousal.
These changes are caused by a sudden drop in progesterone and estrogen levels, but they disappear within a few days after menstruation and the hormones rise again.
Common disorders associated with menstruation:
Contractions:
Many girls experience abdominal cramps during the first days of their period, which are caused by chemicals in the body that cause the uterine muscles to contract to help the lining of the uterus come out.
Dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain):
It is the most common problem associated with menstruation, and its severity varies from one woman to another, and there are two types of dysmenorrhea:
Primary dysmenorrhea:
It is a very common condition that occurs due to contraction of the uterine muscles. It is common in girls in adulthood, and it decreases with age, and the risk of infection increases in the following cases:
If menstruation begins before the age of 11 years.
If your menstruation is heavy and prolonged.
Smoking.
Psychological stress.
Secondary dysmenorrhea:
It is pain caused by some physical problems, and it increases with age and also continues for the first period of primary dysmenorrhea, and the most common health problems that cause it are:
Endometriosis.
Uterine fibroids.
Ovarian cysts.
Irregular menstruation:
The girl’s body begins to regulate the menstrual cycle two to three years after its onset, and during this period the body tries to adapt to the hormonal changes that occur, and it is considered irregular if it is longer or shorter than usual, but it is normal for its irregularity in the pre-menopausal phase. Irregularity generally occurs for these reasons:
Eating disorders.
Thyroid problems.
Take some medications (such as: antiepileptic drugs).
PCOS.
Premature ovarian failure.
Pelvic inflammatory disease.
Psychological stress.
Irregular blood sugar (diabetic patients).
Obesity.
A woman is considered to have menopause (other than during pregnancy or breastfeeding) in the following cases:
Menstruation cessation for more than three consecutive months.
The girl reaches the age of 15 and her period has not yet begun.
Heavy bleeding:
It may occur due to the following factors:
Problems with ovulation: as the imbalance of hormones during the ovulation phase may lead to an increase in the formation of the inner lining of the uterus, which increases the amount of menstruation during its exit.
Thyroid problems.
Uterine fibroids: These are muscle tissue that forms in the uterine wall, and is usually not malignant.
Polyps.
Certain medications.
Pregnancy problems (such as: miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy).
Bleeding disorders (such as: hemophilia).
Obesity.
Use of an IUD.
Bleeding other than the time of menstruation:
It may occur due to the following factors:
Hormonal changes during puberty or before menopause.
Endometriosis.
Ovarian cysts.
Malignant (cancerous) tumors, such as: uterine, cervical or ovarian cancer.
When should I see a doctor?
When encountering the following problems in adulthood:
If the menstrual cycle begins before the age of 8 years.
She reaches the age of 15 and has not started her period.
The cycle did not start within 3 years of the breast implantation.
If you did not have regular menstruation during the first 3 years.
When experiencing the following problems in the menstrual period:
If the symptoms are severe, which hinders daily activities.
If painkillers do not help relieve menstrual pain.
When lumps of blood of abnormal large size come out.
When cramping pains are felt at times other than usual (before and during menstruation).
When menstruation lasts for more than 8 days.
When you need to change the sanitary pads every hour or two.
When you experience symptoms of iron deficiency anemia (including: dizziness, weakness, fatigue, chest pain or difficulty breathing).
A change in the nature of menstruation (that is, when it is unusually heavy).
When you encounter the following non-menstrual problems:
Bleeding after sexual intercourse (more than once).
Bleeding other than the time of menstruation.
Bleeding after menopause (menopause).
Diagnosis:
Family history: As the pattern of a girl’s menstrual cycle may be similar to that of the mother.
Clinical examination.
Laboratory tests: blood or urine analysis.
Radiology: x-ray or CT.
Treating common menstrual problems:
Treatment varies according to the cause, so it is either:
Medicinal: such as prescribing painkillers or hormonal treatment (such as: birth control pills, thyroid hormone therapy, and others).
Surgical: Surgery is the last resort to treat, and it includes removing cysts.
General Instructions:
Make sure to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
Reducing your salt intake. Because it causes fluid retention in the body.
Reduce your caffeine intake. Because it causes stress.
Eat foods rich in calcium, as calcium relieves symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Using some painkillers (such as ibuprofen) may help relieve the pain of contractions.
It is advised to monitor and record menstruation dates and associated pains in a schedule; To make it easier to diagnose problems as they arise.
Change sanitary pads every three or four hours.
stop smoking.
Put warm compresses on the abdomen.
Light walking to relieve stress.
Consult a doctor before using any method of contraception.
common questions:
Does period pain affect fertility?
No, period pain does not affect fertility, and usually the menstrual cycle that is accompanied by pain is the cycle in which ovulation occurred. But if the pain is due to endometriosis, then it is chronic and does not respond to painkillers easily, and if it is in an advanced stage and leads to blockage of the fallopian tubes, it may be a cause of infertility.
Do some drinks (such as: coffee peel, cinnamon, cumin, etc.) help clean the uterus and relieve menstrual pain?
These herbs may ease uterine contractions, thus relieving pain. But it has nothing to do with cleaning the uterus.
Are vaginal washings useful for girls and women?
It is not recommended to increase it, because once or twice a month is sufficient, as the frequent use of it may weaken the immunity of the vagina and be susceptible to fungal infections.
Is brown blood coming out after purity considered menstruation?
Yes, if it is connected to the days of the period and not after several days.
Is mood is normal during the menstrual cycle?
Yeah; Several studies have shown that this matter is observed.
Is it normal to repeat the menstrual cycle in the same month?
Yes, the shortest duration of a natural cycle is 25 days, including the days of menstruation, and it is most noticeable in the years before the age of menopause.
wrong concepts:
Eating drinks that contain vitamin C (such as: orange juice, lemon, etc.) is harmful during menstruation.
Truth: Not true, it is not harmful, and there is no scientific basis for such a belief.
Brown blood at the beginning of menstruation means that it is the remnants of previous menstrual blood and indicates the existence of a problem.
Fact: The brown color of menstruation at the beginning of the menstrual cycle is from the superficial part of the lining of the uterus before the lining begins to shed from the wall of the uterus, as it is part of the current cycle and not the previous period.
Bathing during menstruation is harmful.
Fact: not true; But it is advised not to lie in the bathtub to prevent infections.
Irregular menstruation is a sign of infertility.
Truth: Not necessarily, unless the disorder was several months late.
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