Table of contents:
- Definition
- What are menstrual disorders?
- How common are menstrual disorders?
- Signs & symptoms
- What are the signs and symptoms of menstrual disorders?
- 1. PMS
- 2. Heavy menstruation
- 3. Absence of menstruation
- 4. Dysmenorrhea
- When should I see a doctor?
- Cause
- What causes menstrual disorders?
- Risk factors
- What are the factors that increase my risk for menstrual disorders?
- 1. Age
- 2. Underweight or excessive weight
- 3. Menstrual cycle and flow
- 4. Pregnancy
- 5. Stress
- Diagnosis & treatment
- How are menstrual disorders diagnosed?
- 1. Endometrial biopsy
- 2. Hysteroscopy
- 3. Ultrasound
- How are menstrual disorders treated?
- 1. Irregular menstrual cycle
- 2. Reduce pain
- 3. Uterine fibroids
- 4. Endometriosis
- Home remedies
- What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat menstrual disorders?
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Definition
What are menstrual disorders?
Menstrual disorders are a term that refers to abnormalities in your menstrual cycle. These disorders vary widely, ranging from excessive bleeding, too little, severe pain during menstruation, disruption of menstrual cycles, or even no menstruation at all.
In healthy women, menstrual cycles will continue normally and stop at about the same time each month. The disturbance you feel is sometimes still within normal limits, such as stomach cramps or mood swings.
However, some women go through the menstrual cycle accompanied by physical and psychological symptoms that are quite disturbing, and even tend to affect their daily activities.
Indeed, a "normal" menstrual cycle is different for every woman. One person's routine cycle may not be normal for another. It is important to understand your own body and talk to your doctor if you notice significant changes in your menstrual cycle.
There are several different menstrual disorders that you can experience. Some of them are:
- Amenorrhea (no bleeding)
- Excessive bleeding
- Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation)
- Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- Premenstrual dysphonic disorder (PMDD)
How common are menstrual disorders?
Menstrual or menstrual disorders are very common. Depending on what kind of disorder, this condition can occur in patients of various age groups.
Menstrual disorders are conditions that can be overcome by controlling the existing risk factors. To find out more information about this condition, you can consult a doctor.
Signs & symptoms
What are the signs and symptoms of menstrual disorders?
Common symptoms of menstrual disorders generally vary, depending on the type of disorder. The following are symptoms based on the type of disorder:
1. PMS
PMS occurs 1-2 weeks before menstruation begins. Some women experience a variety of physical and emotional symptoms. Other women may experience fewer or no symptoms. STDs can cause:
- bloated
- emotional
- back pain
- headache
- breast pain
- acne
- starving
- fatigue
- depression
- restless
- stress
- insomnia
- constipation
- diarrhea
- mild stomach cramps
2. Heavy menstruation
Another common menstrual problem is heavy menstruation. This disorder, also called menorrhagia, causes you to have more dirty blood than normal. Menstruation lasts more than an average of five to seven days.
3. Absence of menstruation
In some cases, women do not get their periods. This disorder is also called amenorrhea. Primary amenorrhea is when you don't have your first period at age 16.
This can occur due to problems with the pituitary gland, abnormalities from birth in the female reproductive system, or a delay in puberty. Secondary amenorrhea occurs when you stop getting your regular periods for six months or more.
However, there is also the possibility that your periods have stopped which could mean that you are pregnant. If you think you may be pregnant, check with a pregnancy test kit.
To get accurate results, wait until you are at least one day behind your normal menstrual schedule.
4. Dysmenorrhea
Most women must have felt stomach cramps before or during menstruation. However, some of them experience excessive pain that lasts longer. This condition is called dysmenorrhea.
The pain experienced when a person has dysmenorrhea is sometimes also accompanied by pale conditions, sweating, weakness, and lightheadedness (lightheadedness).
There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.
When should I see a doctor?
If you have any signs or symptoms above or any other questions, please consult your doctor.
Each sufferer's body shows signs and symptoms that vary. To get the most appropriate treatment and according to your health condition, check any symptoms you feel at the doctor or the nearest health service center.
Cause
What causes menstrual disorders?
Menstrual disorders can occur due to various causes. Some of them are:
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Missing periods can be a sign of early pregnancy. Breastfeeding can generally delay the return of menstruation after pregnancy.
- Eating disorders, extreme weight loss, or too much exercise. Eating disorders — such as anorexia nervosa — extreme weight loss and increased physical activity can interfere with menstruation.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Women with generalized endocrine system disorders can experience irregular menstruation as well as enlarged ovaries containing small collections of fluid — called follicles — located on each ovary when viewed on an ultrasound examination.
- Premature ovarian failure. Premature ovarian failure is the loss of normal ovarian function before age 40 years. Women who have premature ovarian failure — also known as primary ovarian insufficiency — may have periods irregularly or only occasionally during the year.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This reproductive organ infection causes irregular menstrual bleeding.
- Uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are uterine growths without a cancerous nature. This disorder can cause excessive menstruation or longer menstrual periods.
Risk factors
What are the factors that increase my risk for menstrual disorders?
Menstrual disorders are conditions that can occur in almost every woman, regardless of age and racial group of sufferers. However, there are several factors that can increase a person's risk for developing this condition.
It is important for you to know that having one or more risk factors does not mean that you will definitely suffer from a disease or health condition.
In rare cases, it is possible for a person to develop certain diseases or health conditions without any risk factors.
The following are risk factors that can trigger menstrual disorders:
1. Age
Age plays an important role in menstrual disorders. Girls who start menstruating at age 11 or younger have a higher risk of painful menstruation, longer menstrual periods, and longer menstrual cycles.
Teens can experience amenorrhea before their ovulation cycle is regular. Women in the period leading up to menopause (perimenopause) can also experience menstrual absences. Some cases of excessive bleeding can also occur during the perimenopause.
2. Underweight or excessive weight
Being overweight or underweight can increase your risk of dysmenorrhea or amenorrhea.
3. Menstrual cycle and flow
Longer or heavier menstrual cycles are commonly associated with cramping and pain.
4. Pregnancy
Women who have been pregnant more frequently have a higher risk of developing menorrhagia. Women who have never given birth have a higher risk of developing dysmenorrhea, whereas women who give birth at a young age have a lower risk.
5. Stress
Physical and emotional stress can block the release of the hormone LH (Luteinizing Hormone) and cause it amenorrhea while.
Diagnosis & treatment
The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.
How are menstrual disorders diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and how long you've had them. It can be helpful to carry a log of your menstrual cycle, cycle regularity, and other symptoms. Your doctor can use these records to find out what disruption has occurred.
In addition to a physical exam, your doctor may also perform a pelvic exam. A pelvic test allows your doctor to assess your reproductive organs to determine if your vagina or cervix is inflamed. A Pap smear can also be done to rule out cancer or other causing conditions.
Blood tests can help determine the presence of hormonal imbalances causing your menstrual disorders. If you suspect you may be pregnant, your doctor or nurse in charge will do a blood or urine test for pregnancy during your visit.
Other tests that can be done to diagnose the source of your menstrual disorder can include:
1. Endometrial biopsy
In an endometrial biopsy test, your doctor will take a small sample of tissue from your uterine wall. This is useful for diagnosing any disorders such as endometriosis, hormonal imbalances, or potential cancer.
Endometriosis and other conditions can also be diagnosed by a laparoscopic procedure. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a small instrument called a laparoscope through a small incision in the abdomen, which is then directed towards the uterus and ovaries.
2. Hysteroscopy
This procedure uses a small instrument called a hysteroscope that is inserted through the vagina and cervix. With this tool, the doctor can see clearly part of your uterus for abnormalities such as fibroids or polyps.
3. Ultrasound
Ultrasound or ultrasound tests can also be done to diagnose menstrual disorders. An ultrasound test uses sound waves to produce an image of your uterus.
Other tests that can be considered a diagnosis are:
- MRI scan
- Curettage
- Body hormone tests
How are menstrual disorders treated?
The type of treatment depends on the cause of your menstrual cycle disorder. The following is an explanation of each type of treatment depending on the disorder you are experiencing:
1. Irregular menstrual cycle
Hormone medications, such as estrogen or progestin drugs, may be prescribed by your doctor to help manage excessive menstrual bleeding.
2. Reduce pain
If you experience excruciating pain during your period, your doctor will prescribe medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
The use of aspirin is not recommended because it can actually worsen menstrual blood flow. You can also try taking a warm bath or using a warm compress to relieve menstrual cramps.
3. Uterine fibroids
This condition can be treated with drugs or surgical procedures. If your symptoms are mild, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers.
However, if you experience heavy bleeding, you need iron supplements to prevent or treat anemia.
You may also be prescribed birth control pills or injections to control excess bleeding. In addition, gonadotropin drugs can also be used to shrink the size of the fibroids in the uterus.
If you find that the fibroids are enlarged in size, or if you do not show signs of recovery after undergoing treatment, your doctor will recommend a surgical procedure.
The surgical procedure performed depends on the size, location, and type of fibroid. Myomectomy is a simple surgical technique that is often used to remove fibroids.
In cases that are severe enough, the patient may need to undergo a hysterectomy procedure. In this procedure, the surgical team will remove the fibroids along with the uterus.
Another alternative is uterine artery embolization or uterine artery embolism, in which blood flow to the fibroid tissue is permanently stopped.
4. Endometriosis
Although endometriosis is one of the menstrual disorders that cannot be completely cured, there are pain relievers that you can take.
In addition, hormonal drugs such as birth control pills can also slow the growth of uterine tissue and reduce the volume of blood lost during menstruation.
In severe cases, the doctor will give gonadotropin-releasing hormone drugs to temporarily stop menstruation.
There are other treatment options that can help with excessive bleeding during menstruation, namely the IUD contraceptive that has been inserted for 5 years called Mirena.
This drug can be used to reduce blood volume, and is believed to be effective in treating endometriosis.
Home remedies
What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat menstrual disorders?
Here are lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with menstrual disorders:
- Dietary factors: eating patterns starting about 14 days before menstruation can help some people with mild menstrual disorders, such as cramps. General guidelines for a healthy diet for everyone: include eating whole grain foods, fresh fruit and vegetables, avoiding saturated fats and junk food. Limiting salt (sodium) intake can help reduce bloating. Limiting your intake of caffeine, sugar and alcohol can also be beneficial.
- Prevent and treat anemia
- Sports. Exercise can reduce menstrual pain
- Sexual activity. There are reports that orgasm can reduce menstrual cramps
- Warm taste. Applying a warm compress to the abdomen, or taking a warm bath, can reduce pain and cramps due to menstruation.
- Menstrual hygiene. Change the bandage every 4-6 hours. Avoid using perfumed pads or tampons; Female deodorant can irritate your female parts. Douching is not recommended because it can kill the natural bacteria that live in the vagina. Shower as usual is sufficient.
If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.