8 Types of Abnormal Menstruation: Many women experience abnormal menstruation, which includes, among other things, painful periods, irregular periods, severe flow, and nonexistent periods. Women can effectively manage their menstrual health by being aware of these disorders, identifying their symptoms, and knowing when to consult a doctor.
The article also highlights diagnostic techniques and stresses how important it is to speak with medical professionals in order to receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
What is Abnormal Menstruation?
When a woman’s menstrual cycle deviates from normal patterns, it may be an indication of underlying health issues. This is known as abnormal menstruation. It is essential for detecting problems in the reproductive system, but it may also indicate more serious health issues. The main types of atypical menstruation include:
- Heavy menstrual bleeding (Menorrhagia)
- Absent menstruation (Amenorrhea)
- Irregular menstruation
- Painful menstruation (Dysmenorrhea)
- Prolonged menstruation
- Spotting between periods
- Severe Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- Menstruation that stops suddenly
Types of Abnormal Menstruation
1. Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (Menorrhagia)
Prolonged or abnormally heavy menstrual cycles are a sign of menorrhagia. In addition to potentially causing anemia and other health problems, it can seriously disrupt a woman’s social, emotional, and physical lives. Important things to be aware of include:
Causes: Menorrhagia may be caused by uterine fibroids, polyps, hormonal abnormalities, or lining diseases. Certain medicines and blood clotting issues are other possible causes.
Symptoms include the need to wear double sanitary protection, menstrual flow for more than a week, or soaking through one or more sanitary pads or tampons every hour for several hours in a row.
When to contact a doctor: To identify the cause and the best course of action, it’s critical to speak with a healthcare provider if your menstrual flow is heavy or persistent.
2. Absent Menstruation (Amenorrhea)
When a woman skips one or more periods, she develops amenorrhea. There are two sorts that women should be aware of:
- When a girl is 15 years old and has not begun menstruation, she is said to have primary amenorrhea.
- When a woman who has previously experienced regular menstrual cycles stops experiencing them for three months or longer, it is known as secondary amenorrhea.
Some women may have late periods, in which their periods come later than expected, in addition to amenorrhea.
Causes: Can range from genetic defects and hormonal imbalances to lifestyle variables like intense exercise, stress, and dramatic weight reduction.
Symptoms: Beyond the absence of menstruation, symptoms could include hair loss, headache, eyesight problems, or facial hair development.
Consult a doctor if you haven’t begun menstruation by the age of 15 or if you have missed three or more consecutive periods.
3. Irregular Menstruation
A range of disorders characterized by irregular menstrual periods are included in the category of irregular menstruation. This could indicate that the cycle’s duration varies significantly from month to month or that periods arrive at random.
Causes: Unusual periods can be brought on by stress, hormonal imbalances, and diseases such polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Significant weight gain or decrease is one example of a lifestyle aspect that may be involved.
Symptoms include irregular menstrual cycles, irregular periods without pregnancy, or periods that occur more frequently than 21 days or less frequently than 35 days.
When to contact a doctor: If your menstrual cycle pattern changes significantly, especially if these changes worry you or interfere with your daily life, you should speak with a healthcare professional.
4. Painful Menstruation (Dysmenorrhea)
Menstrual cramps are an unpleasant and sometimes incapacitating symptom of dysmenorrhea. There are two types of the condition:
- Common menstrual cramps that don’t have an underlying cause are referred to as primary dysmenorrhea. There is no sickness affecting the reproductive organs, and the pain is usually associated with the menstrual cycle.
- A condition affecting the reproductive organs, such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine fibroids, or cervical stenosis, can result in secondary dysmenorrhea. Compared to primary dysmenorrhea, secondary dysmenorrhea discomfort typically begins earlier in the menstrual cycle and lasts longer.
Causes: The overproduction of prostaglandins is usually the cause of primary dysmenorrhea. Conditions including fibroids, adenomyosis, or endometriosis can result in secondary dysmenorrhea.
Symptoms: Lower abdominal throbbing or cramping pains are among the symptoms, which may start just before or at the beginning of the period and last for two to three days. Other symptoms may include headache, dizziness, loose stools, and nausea.
Prevalence: According to data from a Pubmed study, between 16% and 91% of women of reproductive age experience dysmenorrhea, with 2% to 29% of those women reporting severe pain. This large range emphasizes how different women’s menstruation experiences are from one another and how critical it is to solve this problem.
When to visit a doctor: If your menstrual pain has begun later in life and is becoming worse over time, or if it is severe enough to interfere with your everyday activities, you should consult a doctor.
5. Prolonged Menstruation
Menstrual bleeding that continues for longer than seven days is referred to as menometrorrhagia, or prolonged menstruation. Hormonal imbalances or other underlying medical conditions may be indicated by this.
Causes: Conditions include adenomyosis, polyps, hormone imbalances, and uterine fibroids are possible causes. The length of menstrual bleeding can occasionally be prolonged by the use of specific drugs or birth control procedures.
Symptom: The primary symptom is bleeding that continues for more than a week, but other symptoms including weakness, cramps, or exhaustion may also be present.
When to see a doctor: It’s crucial to get evaluated by a doctor if you frequently have periods longer than seven days in order to explore potential therapies and find any underlying problems.
6. Spotting Between Periods
Spotting refers to light bleeding that happens outside of your usual periods. In certain situations, it may be natural, but it may also be a sign of health problems.
Causes: Spotting can be brought on by hormonal changes, beginning or discontinuing birth control, certain drugs, stress, or illnesses including endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Symptoms: Spots or light bleeding that doesn’t occur during your normal menstrual cycle. This can be pink, crimson, or brown, among other colors.
When to visit a doctor: If spotting starts to happen frequently or if you’re worried, it’s a good idea to contact a doctor because it could indicate hormone imbalances or other disorders that need to be treated.
7. Severe Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
A woman’s emotional and physical well-being is impacted by premenstrual syndrome (PMS) during specific stages of the menstrual cycle, usually before to the onset of menstruation. Daily living can be greatly impacted by severe PMS.
Causes: Although the precise reason is uncertain, serotonin and hormone fluctuations may be involved. The intensity of symptoms may also be influenced by genetics.
Symptoms: Mood swings, melancholy, irritability, headaches, bloating, and changes in food or sleep patterns are just a few of the symptoms that make up severe PMS.
When to contact a doctor: If PMS symptoms seriously disrupt your life, making daily tasks difficult, speaking with a healthcare expert is necessary. They can provide methods or remedies to aid with symptom management.
8. Menstruation That Stops Suddenly
When not brought on by pregnancy, menopause, or contraceptive techniques, an abrupt cessation of menstruation might be alarming and should be looked into.
Causes: Stress, drastic weight reduction, strenuous exercise, or health issues including thyroid abnormalities or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) can all lead to abrupt cessation.
Symptoms: The main symptom is the abrupt cessation of menstruation for three months or longer.
When to see a doctor: It’s crucial to get medical help to find out why your periods stopped abruptly if you know you’re not pregnant.
Health depends on identifying symptoms early and comprehending their possible causes. A useful first step if you’re noticing any symptoms of irregular menstruation is to use an internet tool such as the Docs Symptom Checker.
Diagnosing Abnormal Menstruation
A physical examination, diagnostic testing, and an assessment of the patient’s medical history are usually used to diagnose irregular menstruation. To diagnose the illness, medical experts may employ the following techniques:
- Medical History: This includes talking about your symptoms, menstrual cycle, and any additional health conditions.
- Physical Examination: A thorough assessment to look for any anomalies, occasionally including a pelvic exam.
- Blood Tests: These can check for hormonal imbalances, thyroid function, and signs of anemia or other health conditions.
- Ultrasound: To get a detailed view of the uterus, ovaries, and pelvis, looking for any abnormalities that could affect menstruation.
- Endometrial Biopsy: A procedure to take a small sample of the uterine lining for testing, used in cases where abnormal uterine bleeding is suspected.
- Hysteroscopy: A procedure that includes introducing a tiny, illuminated device through the vagina and cervix into the uterus, which allows the doctor to search for abnormalities.
Summary
Abnormal menstruation encompasses a range of conditions, including heavy bleeding, absence of menstruation, irregular cycles, and painful periods. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of abnormal menstruation early can lead to better outcomes and management of any underlying health issues.
Consultation with a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and treatment is crucial if you experience any form of abnormal menstruation. Diagnostic methods for abnormal menstruation include medical history, physical exams, blood tests, ultrasound, endometrial biopsy, and hysteroscopy.
