Typically, a woman's menstruation cycle begins when she hits puberty and continues until menopause. For many women, their monthly period is nothing more than an annoyance; but other women may suffer from cramps, nausea, and migraines.
Symptoms of Menstrual Problems
It is not always easy to separate normal menstruation symptoms from the symptoms of menstrual problems such as dysmenorrhea or menorrhea. Normal menstruation symptoms include digestive problems such bloating and constipation, headaches and muscle pain, and tenderness in the breasts. Premenstrual syndrome is very common and it covers a variety of physical and emotional symptoms that a woman may experience before she has her period. Stress, anxiety, tension, and unhappiness are common Premenstrual syndrome symptoms. On the other hand, the symptoms of menstrual problems generally include a change in menstrual patterns such as the absence of bleeding, or an unusually light flow, or an unusually heavy flow. Sudden pain or cramps can also be a cause for concern and dizzy or fainting spells require medical attention.
Causes of Menstrual Problems
When there are menstrual problems in the cycle, they can be due to any of a number of causes. There can be no periods, too frequent periods, very painful periods, or periods with unpredictable menstrual bleeding. Any one of a host of conditions can cause menstrual irregularities. Amenorrhea is not a disease, but a symptom of another condition which is wider in scope and would call for extensive study. It could be the result of eating disorders, physical or psychological stress, hormonal imbalance or tumors. It is important to see your doctor to identify the cause of your amenorrhea, because treatment will depend on the underlying cause.
Premenstrual Tension and Menstrual Cramps
A few days before menstruation, some women become anxious and irritable. They suffer from depression, headaches, and fullness in the breasts, insomnia, and puffiness in the lower extremities. This may be due to a hormonal disparity. These problems finish within twenty-four hours of the start of the menstrual flow.
Dysmenorrhoea or Painful Menstruation
Painful menstruation, as it is called in medical parlance, is an ordinary condition. The pain may be felt either two or three days before or right away before or during the flow. This may also be due to a hormonal inequity.
Dysmenorrhea is a menstruation problem that induces severe cramps and pain during menstruation. Underlying problems like endometriosis or fibroids are sometimes present, and add to the discomfort.
Amenorrhoea or Stoppage of Menstrual Flow
Amenorrhea is a more serious menstrual problem as it is the delayed onset of menstruation in young girls. Sometimes, women who have had regular menstruation suddenly miss their period for two to three months - this is called amenorrhea. There could be just one cause for amenorrhea or there could be a combination of causes including pregnancy, an imbalance in hormones, or physiological deformities in the reproductive system.
This is natural during pregnancy and at the menopause, but irregular at any other time. It denotes an injured and devitalized condition of the body. The main causes contributing towards this condition are anemia, worry, grief, fright, or other serious touching disturbances like distortion of the womb, tuberculosis, dislodgment of the womb and debility, particularly after a serious illness.
Menorrhagia or Too much Menstrual Flow
This is ordinary in some women. A variety of causes may be responsible for this problem, including fibroids.
Natural and Home Remedies for Menstrual Problems
For Delayed/ Disorder in Menstruation
Radish seeds: If your periods do not go as per schedule you may feel a bit vexed. One of the best home remedies for delayed periods would be to grind radish seeds and consume this powder along with buttermilk on a daily basis. Parsley is another effective herb for menstruation disorders, especially in the case of delayed periods.
Parsley: Parsley is one of the most efficient among the several home remedies in the treatment of menstrual disorders. It increases menstruation and helps in the regularization of the monthly periods. This action is due to the presence of apiol, which is a ingredient of the female sex hormone estrogens. Cramps, which are a consequence of menstrual irregularities, are relieved and regularly corrected entirely by the regular use of parsley juice, particularly in conjunction with beet juice.
In fact the best way treat menstrual problem is to drink parsley juice on a regular basis. You can add a generous amount of fresh parsley to the carrots you juice and have this mixed juice on a daily basis.
For Heavy Bleeding Menstruation
Banana Flower: Women who wish to avoid pharmaceutical drugs can try several home remedies for heavy menstrual bleeding or menorrhagia or excessive menstruation.. The banana flower is used in cases of heavy bleeding. One banana flower should be cooked and consumed with one cup of curd. This will increase the quantity of progesterone and decrease the bleeding.
Gooseberry: The gooseberry has a high content of vitamin C and so it is effective for heavy bleeding.
Coriander Seeds: Coriander seeds are also helpful in the treatment of excessive menstruation. Six grams of these seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water and this decoction should be taken off the fire when only half the water left. Add sugar to it and the patient should drink it when it is still warm.
Mango Bark: The juice of the fresh mango bark is one more valuable remedy for heavy bleeding during menstruation. The juice is given with the addition of white of an egg or some mucilage- a type of vegetable glue gets from a plant, and a small quantity of the kernel of a poppy. As an option, a mixture of 10 ml of a fluid extract of the bark, and 120 ml of water may be given in doses of one teaspoon every hour or two.
Ashoka: The bark of the Ashoka tree is a helpful remedy for
excessive blood loss during the monthly period which happens due to uterine fibroids and other causes. It should be given in the form of decoction in treating this situation. About 90 gm of the bark should be boiled in 30 ml of milk and 360 ml of water till the total quantity is decreased to about 90 gm. This quantity must be given in one day, in two or three doses. The treatment should begin from the fourth day of the monthly period and should be continued till the bleeding is checked.
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| Ashoka plant flower |
Indian Barbery: The herb Indian barberry is helpful in case of excessive bleeding. It should be given in doses of thirteen to twenty-five grams every day.
Rough Chaff: The herb rough chaff is also precious in excessive menstruation. An infusion of the herb should be made by steeping 15 gm of rough chaff in 250 ml of water and used for treating this condition.
For Irregular Menstruation
Papaya: An effective home remedy for menstrual irregularities would be to eat unripe or raw papaya. The raw papaya contains an enzyme called Papain which helps the contractions of the muscle fibres of the uterus ensures a proper menstrual flow. It is also effective for women whose menstruation has been adversely affected by stress and tension.
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| Hemp plants |
Hemp: can be effectively used when menses do not start at the scheduled time. Five large heads of hemps should be boiled in half a litre of water till the water is decreased to half. It should then be strained and drunk before going to sleep for two or three nights.
For Cramp and Painful Menstruation
Ginger: The use of ginger is an useful home remedy for menstrual disorders, especially in cases of painful menstruation and stoppage of menstrual flow. A piece of fresh ginger must be pounded and boiled in a cup of water for some minutes. The infusion, sweetened with sugar, should be used three times daily after meals as a medicine for treating this condition.
Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds are precious in Menstruation. Half a
teaspoon of powder of these seeds, taken with hot water two times daily, acts brilliantly in reducing spasmodic pain during menstruation in young, unmarried anaemic girls. Its usual use, two days prior to the expected periods, treats scanty menstruation. A warm hip bath containing a handful of crushed sesame seeds should be concurrently taken along with this recipe.
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| Sesame Seeds and Plant |
Bengal Gram: A bath prepared by putting whole Bengal gram plant in hot water is beneficial in painful menstruation. The plant can be used for a sitting steam bath.
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| Hermal |
Hermal: The herb hermal is useful in regulating the menstrual periods. It is particularly beneficial in painful and difficult menstruation. Two tablespoons of the seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water, till it is decreased by one - third. This decoction should be prearranged in 15 to 30ml doses.
Marigold: The herb Marigold, named after the Virgin Mary, is helpful in allaying any pain during menstruation and smooths the progress of menstrual flow. An infusion of the herb must be given in doses of one tablespoon two times everyday for the treatment of these disorders.
Few more home remedies
Sip chamomile tea every morning during your menstrual cycle. This is an effective home remedy for menstrual cramps and pain.
Recline in your favourite chair with a hot water bottle on your stomach. Relax and unwind with a magazine or your favourite book and you will notice that the severity of your cramps will reduce almost immediately.
A low-intensity work-out can help to ease muscle cramps and body aches. Discuss your workout schedule with your doctor and ask him/her to suggest a few exercises for menstrual pain.
Yoga breathing exercises can help to eliminate the emotional problems such as anxiety, stress, and tension that are associated with PMS. Set aside a few minutes each day for these exercises and if it is possible, try to schedule a morning session as well as an evening session.
Diet for Menstrual Problems
Foods that are high in calcium, magnesium and zinc can reduce pain and menstrual cramps. Women who have a heavy menstrual flow may simply have a deficit of manganese in their daily diet. Studies clearly indicate that women who have a low level of manganese have about 50% higher menstrual flow than women who have a normal level.
In order to increase your intake of manganese, you must ensure that you consume pineapples, green leafy vegetables, avocados, nuts, dried fruits, wheat bran, as they are all rich in manganese.
Your diet during menstruation should focus on veggies, fruits, nuts, and dates as this will help to ease your discomfort. You can opt for a cleansing diet before your menstrual cycle as this can help to fortify your system.
The various disorders connecting to menstrual flow, being systemic in origin, can be tackled only by treating the system as a whole, so as to get rid of the toxicity from the body and build up the general health level of the sufferer. To commence such a scheme of all-round, health-building treatment, the sufferer should begin with an all-fruit diet for about five days, taking three meals a day of fresh, juicy fruits. After the all fruit diet, the patient should adopt a well-balanced diet, with stress on fresh fruits, raw vegetables, and wholegrain cereals. Though, if there is too much weight loss during the all-fruit diet, those already underweight may add a glass of milk to each fruit meal.
Avoid all products of white flour, sugar, tinned or sealed foods, confectionery, rich cakes, pastries, sweets, refined cereals, greasy foods, and strong tea or coffee. Menstrual cramps, muscle aches, backaches, headaches, and mood swings are closely tied in with what women eat before and during their menstrual periods. For a very long it has been believed that carbohydrates increase PMS symptoms, but recent studies prove the opposite.
Detailed research has shown that carbohydrates in sugar and chocolates, which are a craving for many women during their periods, will lower their symptoms not increase them. Bread, pasta, and potatoes were found to have the same effect. Most importantly it is necessary to consume foods that are high in calcium. These foods help to lessen the mood swings among women during their menstruation cycle.
Here are a few diet tips for menstrual problems
You can treat yourself to delicious yogurt smoothies and homemade yogurt popsicles on a daily basis to include dairy products in your diet plan.
Follow a regular meal schedule and make sure that you do not skip your meals, even if you do not have much of an appetite.
Cold buttermilk can help to prevent gas and bloating and so you can have a small glass of chilled buttermilk with your meals.
Avoid red meats and fried foods as far as possible and have a light but nutritious dinner. A bowl of hot soup or broth will help to ease cramps and nausea and since it is easy to digest, it will prevent bloating.
Have healthy snacks throughout your day - banana bread, zucchini muffins, hummus with salt-free crackers, and whole grain waffle sticks...'healthy' does not have to be boring!
Suggestions for Menstrual Problems
Menstrual problems can be indicative of more serious problems such as polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS. Premature Ovarian Failure (POF) is the loss of ovarian function before the age of 40. These women may have ceased to have periods, or may have them off and on. Menstrual problems can have a significant impact on a woman's fertility levels. Women who have PCOS or POF may have problems conceiving and if your Ob/Gyn has made a definite diagnosis, you should discuss your options with a fertility expert. PCOS is often associated with obesity and weight problems and so your doctor may suggest a weight loss diet to help you achieve and sustain weight loss. In some cases, insulin resistance may be the underlying cause of PCOS and so medications to lower insulin levels may be necessary. POF can cause serious health problems such as osteoporosis and so you will need to start hormone replacement therapy once the diagnosis of POF is confirmed. Women with POF who wish to have children may require donor eggs with In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) as there are no fertility drugs that can increase fertility levels of women with POF.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor.
