Dr. Aditya Shah
Expert In Clinical Pharmacology And Drug SafetyView moreWhile usual Menstrual Cycles vary between 21 and 35 days, and the duration is of 3-7 days, there can be irregularity in many cases. This is a very common concern in women’s health and women face such issues either due to some casual problems, mental issues, or even be for some bigger medical issues.
Today, in this article, we will provide all the essential details that will make you understand every small to major factor related to irregular Menstrual Cycles.
The Major Menstrual Symptoms:
The first thing that you need to know in this aspect is the symptoms associated with irregular Menstrual Cycles. Studies mention that often women cannot identify the issue and when they identify the same, the matter is already escalated and therefore need to undergo serious medical therapies. Hence, let us clear the symptoms of an irregular menstrual cycle for you:
| Symptom | Effect |
|---|---|
| Cramps | Pain in lower abdomen |
| Bloating | Swelling in stomach |
| Headache | Pain in head |
| Fatigue | Feeling very tired |
| Mood Swings | Emotional changes |
Irregularity: Usually, a menstrual cycle is of 21 days to 35 days from your last period. If it is more than 35 days, it is well understood that you will be aware about the irregularity. However, more often, you will see that the gap is less than 21 days initially and then it goes beyond 35 days. If you see such irregularities, you must be cautioned about the irregularity.
Missing periods: If you are missing periods for a continuous 3-4 months, it is surely an irregularity. The first concern of yours will be to check your pregnancy. Check it once; if you still find no issue, then you must see a doctor.
Change in flow: if you find that your flow during your periods is not stable. At times, it is a heavy flow, then the flow is suddenly reduced, and on the next day, the flow again attains spontaneity; some irregularity might be developing inside. If this happens for continuous 2-3 cycles, see a doctor. At times, the flow might even be more than 7 days, which is very unusual.
Intermenstrual bleeding: If you are facing intermediate bleeding between your cycle, or just after your intercourse, that also is a symptom of some irregularity of the menstrual cycle. Get in touch with a doctor so that you can get rid of the anomaly before it worsens.
Some additional attributes: Other than the major symptoms, there can be some associated attributes which might be symptoms of problematic Menstrual Cycles at times, such as:
- Severe pain in your pelvic region.
- Sudden growth of hair on the face and body.
- Heavy blood loss or feeling extreme weakness.
- Extreme mood swings and anxiety.
- Issues in conceiving in regular cycles.
If you face any of these issues regularly, see a doctor and undergo a diagnosis.
Major Medical Causes:
Once you have the idea that you have an irregular Menstrual Cycles, it is time to know the reasons behind the same. Reasons here can be physical and can also be mental.
Hence, take some time and understand the reasons properly, as it might be so that your menstrual cycle is still not irregular, but you’re doing something that can make it irregular in no time.
Hence, learn the major causes responsible for irregular Menstrual Cycles:
PCOs: This is a common reason for irregular menstrual cycles, where male hormones (androgens) become high. The same interferes with the development and release of eggs in females and often becomes responsible for forming a long pause between your periods.
Issues with TSH: Thyroid hormones, when they become overactive or underactive, can affect the periods and their flow.
Fibroids: Fibroids inside the uterus can cause irregular and heavy flow during periods. If you are facing such issues, it can be a fibroid.
POI: This is a rare case, which happens due to extreme hormonal imbalance in the body, where a woman often faces skipped periods.
Bacterial infections: Bacterial infection in the pelvic area, which is untreated, can cause issues with periods, including pelvic floor pain.
Endometriosis: Here, tissues grow outside the uterine lining, causing immense pain and many other irregularities.
Lifestyle issues: some issues related to your general health and lifestyle also affect your periods, such as:
- Overweight
- Extensive stress
- Heavy exercises
- Steroids and blood thinners.
⚠️ Warnings
During the 3 months after your periods stopped, you should consult a doctor to discuss pregnancy.
Available Treatments:
Now that you have identified irregularity in your Menstrual Cycles and you know the reasons for developing the same, get to know the available treatments for the same. Knowing these might allow you to restrict the anomaly at the initial stage itself. Hence, keep a focus on them:
- Fixing your thyroid: if the irregularity is caused by thyroid imbalance, start treatment for your thyroid to fix the issue.
- Fertility medications: Birth control pills, progesterone hormonal pills, and metformin for treating PCOS can treat the condition of irregularity in Menstrual Cycles.
- Treatment of fibroid: In case of treating the fibroids, you may have to undergo Myomectomy and endometrial ablation.
- Health management: Manage your excess weight and stress with mild exercises and nutritional support.
The Final Line:
Irregularity in the menstrual cycle is a widely common issue in women’s health. The same can cause major issues in the fertility of a woman and also cause disturbance in their daily life. Hence, the conditions must be diagnosed at an early stage and must be rectified sooner.
From this article, you must have developed the basic idea to identify your irregularity. Once identified, see a doctor fast to get proper treatment for the condition.
FAQs
Q. Can I Face Issues With My Menstrual Cycles At A Young Age?
Issues of irregularity in the Menstrual Cycles are mostly found in females aged 30 to 40 and older. However, in recent years, such cases have increased a lot among the young ladies of age 20 or even less.
Q. How Long Does It Take To Fix Irregularity In The Menstrual Cycles?
If you are diagnosed at the initial stage, it will take hardly 2 -3 cycles to fix the issue. However, if you have already developed fibroids, hormonal issues and PCOS, then it might take more than a year to resolve the irregularity.
Q. May I Have To Undergo Surgery?
In very rare cases, you might have to undergo surgery. Mostly, when you have developed a fibroid and it is in a serious condition, then only surgery is needed.
