Menstrual Abnormalities

Menstrual cycles are synonymous with uncomfortable symptoms before and during your period. In most cases, these are considered normal. However, you need to remember that 'normal' can be different for every woman. Understanding your body and the consistency of your periods will help you notice any significant changes that could suggest a menstrual abnormality.

Symptoms of normal menstruation

Here are the most common symptoms of menstruation:

• Moodiness
• Trouble sleeping
• Food cravings
• Cramps in the lower abdomen and back
• Bloating
• Tenderness in the breasts
• Acne
• Constipation or diarrhoea
• Headaches

Symptoms of abnormal menstruation

Schedule a visit with Dr Maseko if you are concerned about your menstrual cycle or experience any of the following:

• Bleeding or spotting between periods, after sex or following menopause
• Extreme pain, cramping or vomiting during periods
• Periods that occur less than 21 days apart or more than 35 days apart
• Periods that continue for more than 7 days
• Missing 3 or more periods in a row

Several different conditions could cause irregularities in your menstrual cycle, including the following:

• Premenstrual syndrome: psychological and physical symptoms before menstruation
• Menorrhagia: heavy and prolonged bleeding
• Metrorrhagia: bleeding between periods
• Dysmenorrhea: painful cramps during menstruation
• Amenorrhea: absence of menstruation
• Oligomenorrhea: infrequent periods
• Hypomenorrhea: light periods

Other abnormal menstrual conditions include:

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that causes sporadic or prolonged menstrual periods or an excess of the male hormone androgen. It can cause irregular menstrual periods or absent periods; obesity; excess hair growth; severe acne that occurs after adolescence and does not respond to treatments; and infertility.

Endometriosis

It is a painful disorder where the endometrium, the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus, grows outside of it. As a result, the tissue will act like normal uterine tissue during the menstrual period. However, the surrounding areas may become inflamed or swollen because the blood has nowhere to go.

Uterine polyps or fibroids

Small benign (noncancerous) growths in the uterine lining are known as uterine polyps. Tumours called uterine fibroids become attached to the uterine wall. There could be one or more fibroids, which can range in size from an apple seed to a grapefruit. Although these tumours are mostly benign, they can be painful and cause significant bleeding during periods. In addition, large fibroids may impose pressure on the bladder or rectum and hurt if they do.

If you suddenly experience any abnormalities in your menstrual cycle or have been experiencing painful periods for a significant period, schedule a consultation with Dr Maseko immediately.