Menorrhagia is the medical term used to describe the condition in which there is heavy menstruation. Interestingly this is a symptom of an underlying problem but not the problem itself. There can be many underlying causes of excessive bleeding for women. A gynecologist, physician who specializes in the reproductive health of women, should be consulted to diagnose the problem.

Diagnosis of irregular menstruation relies on several methods. The doctor will take a comprehensive history that will include questions such as: the age she started her period (menarche), how long the period lasts (days), how many days there are between periods, any recent changes in her normal monthly schedule, if she is sexually active, the date of the last pelvic exam, if she is pregnant or was recently pregnant, and if she is on birth control pills and what kind.

The doctor may also ask the patient to keep a calendar of her bleeding history to keep track of any pain during the month, length of her periods, bleeding between periods and how many days are between periods. Patients are also asked to rate the amount of flow on the days of her period.  Read more...

Hormones run our bodies and the menstrual cycle is not different. They control the when an egg is released (ovulation) and when the lining of the uterus is shed (menstruation). Menstruation is necessary for reproduction and is considered the hallmark beginning of the reproductive years of women. When young women begin their periods the time is called menses and at the end of a woman’s child bearing years the period is called menopause.

Many times women have questions about what is normal and what isn’t in their menstrual cycles. Sometimes, when trying to get pregnant women aren’t sure what is happening with their bodies, when they are fertile or if there is a time of the month that is more fertile than others. All women should have a basic knowledge of what is happening in their bodies to help their physician diagnose any problems if they come up.

Your menstrual cycles are actually counted from the start of your bleeding of one cycle to the 1st day of bleeding of the next NOT from the end of one cycle to the beginning of the next as many women believe.  Read more...

Menstruation. Every woman has the experience and every woman has her own personal thoughts about how it affects her life.

Menstruation is the visible phase of the menstrual cycle that is counted from the first day of bleeding of one cycle to the day before the 1st day of bleeding of the next. Menstruation is the time in a woman’s life that marks the reproductive years. The beginning of menstruation is called menarche and the end of this period is called menopause.

It is important that all woman recognize what is a normal cycle so they can recognize symptoms that are not normal that may indicate the beginning of a dysfunction or illness.

The bleeding that women experience each month is actually the end of a 25 to 35 day process when the body prepares to become pregnant. A normal period lasts from 3-7 days using the first day of bleeding to count. Although the process is usually 25-35 days long teenage girls cycles are not normally regular until they have had their period for several years.  Read more...

Cramps are a reality for most teens and women in their 20s and early 30s. They are caused by strong uterine contractions triggered by prostaglandins. These strong contractions cause the blood supply in the uterus to temporarily shut down and then increase the contractions and pain.

Menstrual cramps are the single biggest reason for lost school and work hours among women. Cramps can be mild to debilitating and don’t require a doctors attention unless the pain isnt controlled by over the counter medications and other home remedies.

Women can use a menstrual calendar to predict their periods, chart their pain and emotional responses to the hormonal changes that happen each month. Using this calendar a woman can begin taking ibuprofen 2 times a day the day before she expects her period. Ibuprofen blocks the prostaglandin receptors in the uterus and significantly decreases the pain and cramping.

Some women also suffer from constipation during the beginning of their period. Eating 8 servings of fruits and vegetables and maintaining a healthy colon, at least 3 days before she expects her period, will decrease the pain and discomfort from constipation.  Read more...

According to legend tampons can get lost in a woman’s body never to be seen again; tampons are spiked with asbestos to increase bleeding and boost sales; and rayon tampons are especially dangerous to a woman’s health.

These are Internet legends and the truth is…

Asbestos has never been a component in the manufacturing of tampons. Asbestos can only get into tampons through some sort of tampering. Rayon tampons are just as safe as cotton ones. Tampons don’t get lost in a woman’s body ever.

The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates tampons as a medical device. This forces the manufacturers to conduct safety studies, review and clear the products before they can be marketed to the general public. The FDA also regulates absorbency ratings.

Each box of tampons has an absorbency rating that is consistent from brand to brand. So purchasing Brand A with a super absorbency rating will get you the same absorbency as purchasing Brand B with a super rating.

The risks of using tampons:  Read more...

PMS or premenstrual syndrome is a term used to describe a set of hormonal changes that trigger a syndrome in a significant number of women for up to two weeks before the start of her period. More than 5 million women require treatment for symptoms of PMS such as marked mood changes and behavioral changes.

Symptoms of PMS will often taper off with the start of her period and then she remains symptom free until approximately two weeks prior to the next period.

There are over 150 symptoms that have been attributed to PMS. The most common physical PMS symptoms are crying spells, headache, fatigue, fluid retention, constipation, backaches, cramping and weight gain. Emotional symptoms of PMS include behavior changes, anxiety, depression, irritability, panic attacks, tension and altered libido.

PMS symptoms can vary from month to month and women can be symptom free during some months.  Read more...

Most teens start menstruating when they are 11-13 years old but the first period can start as early as 9! So when do you start to talk about teen menstruation? How early is early enough?

You can generally predict the start of a girls menstrual periods by the development of her breasts. Girls develop breast buds, or small nodules below the nipples as the breasts begin to grow. This development happens approximately 2 years before she will start her period.

Most preteens are too embarrassed to start the discussion themselves so it is up to you to begin the conversation. There is too much information to cover all of it in one conversation and one talk will discourage your girl from asking questions later.

To introduce the topic you may want to ask her what she already knows and has heard from her friends. You can also start the conversation with health issues, which may be less embarrassing for her. Answer any of her questions honestly and at her maturity level.  Read more...