Problematic Periods

For many women, their periods give them minimal discomfort and are extremely regular, but for others they can be a real nuisance causing a lot of pain and can become very irregular.

There may in fact be a medical reason for this and if after puberty has fully ended and the cycle should have become regular, you find you are having problems with your periods, it is advised you seek advice from your doctor who may want to explore this or be able to treat it easily.

What Are Problematic Periods?

Every woman will be aware of her cycle and how it affects her life. Some women adjust well to the changes and adjust to their periods easily whilst others find the whole thing rather off-putting. It is however to become aware of your individual cycle so as to be able to detect problems if they occur.

The term 'problematic periods' is a term used to describe unexplained change in your periods that can be troublesome. It may be that you are finding you have more pain than usual either before or during your menstrual stage. Perhaps you are losing more blood than normal or are passing thick mucous or clots. Some women experience this often and it may 'normal' for them but for most this can indicate an underlying condition or some thing that can be easily treated.

Intermittent bleeding or bleeding after sex can occur in many medical conditions some dangerous others not so dangerous, so it is advised that this is discussed with your GP or sexual health nurse.

If your periods stop altogether, you should take a pregnancy test immediately. If this is negative it may indicate that there is a problem with your menstrual cycle or reproductive health.

Conditions Associated With Problematic Periods

Absent periods is indicative of pregnancy or polycystic ovary syndrome.Intermittent bleeding can be a sign of many medical conditions ranging from pelvic infections, hormone imbalances, emotional upset, using an inappropriate form of contraception for your body, problems with the thyroid gland or that you have experienced a miscarriage or other complication of early pregnancy.

Although unusual in young women in particular, it is possible that this could be a sign of something more serious which is why it is important to make sure you talk to your GP or sexual health nurse, but for many the problem can be easily treated.

When To Seek Advice

If you are experiencing very heavy periods or those that are prolonged you must see your GP. As well as there being a reason for this, you might be at risk of becoming anaemic from losing too much blood (therefore red blood cells and blood volume) which may affect general health.If you are losing clots or noticeable tissue in your periods this may indicate that a potentially serious medical problem could be to blame.

Any bleeding after the menopause should be investigated as there should be no reason to bleed when the menopause has ended.It is important to report any bleeding after sex as this can be a sign of an infection that needs treating or something more serious that will need investigating; likewise for any bleeding experienced during pregnancy.

It is also vital that you keep up-to-date with your cervical smears and check your breasts regularly for any relevant changes.

It is normal for women to experience some discomfort and irregularities with their periods at some time in their life, during puberty the periods are often unsettled and irregular until the process of change is complete. For others having a baby can upset the regular cycle and cause temporary irregularities; this is why it is important to be able to identify the type of cycle that is normal for you. Every woman will experience the menstrual cycle in a different way.