Introduction

A woman’s menstrual cycle is a good way to tell how healthy she is overall. For some people, their periods follow a set pattern. For others, heavy bleeding, missed periods, or severe pain can make it hard to go about their daily lives. These problems aren’t just small annoyances; they could be signs of health issues that need to be looked into. Understanding the details of your menstrual health is very important because recognizing abnormal menstruation early can help you manage it better and get treatment on time.

We at Zynova Shalby Multispeciality Hospital believe in giving women expert care for all aspects of their health, including their menstrual health. In this blog, we’ll look at eight common types of abnormal menstruation, what they feel like, what causes them, and how to treat them. With our medical knowledge, we want to give you the tools to spot possible problems early and get the right care. You can take charge of your health and make sure your periods are healthy and easy to deal with if you have the right information.

What is Abnormal Menstruation?

Abnormal menstruation is when the menstrual cycle doesn’t follow its normal pattern. This can mean that periods come more or less often, last longer, or are more or less intense. In terms of health, it can include symptoms like heavy bleeding, missed periods, or very bad pain. Most women have a pretty regular 28-day cycle for their periods, but there can be some variation. But if cycles are very different from what is normal, it could be a sign of a health problem.

A normal menstrual cycle lasts between 21 and 35 days, and the bleeding lasts for about 3 to 7 days. On the other hand, abnormal menstruation could mean cycles that are much shorter or longer, missed periods, or bleeding that is too heavy or too light.

Hormonal imbalances, problems with ovulation, stress, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid problems, and changes in lifestyle are all common causes of irregular cycles. It’s important to know these things so you can recognize unusual periods and get medical help right away.

8 Common Types of Abnormal Menstruation

It’s common for periods to be irregular, but knowing the early signs of abnormal menstruation can help find health problems that may be causing them. There are different kinds of abnormal menstruation, and each one has its own causes and treatments. For example, heavy bleeding and missed periods are two examples. To keep your menstrual health, you need to know about these differences. We will look at 8 common types of abnormal menstruation, their symptoms, causes, and how to deal with them below.

A. Menorrhagia (Heavy Menstrual Bleeding)

What does Menorrhagia mean?

Menorrhagia is when you have very heavy periods that last for several hours and soak through pads or tampons every hour. It is diagnosed when periods last more than 7 days or when you lose more than 80 milliliters of blood each cycle.

Common Reasons

• Fibroids in the uterus
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
• Problems with the thyroid
• Endometriosis

Signs and Symptoms 

• Symptoms: Frequently soaking through pads, having big blood clots, or feeling tired from losing blood.
• Treatment: Hormonal therapy or iron supplements are two types of medications that can help. In very bad cases, surgery may be needed to remove fibroids or the uterus.

B. Oligomenorrhea (Periods that don’t happen often)

What does “infrequent” mean?

People with oligomenorrhea have periods less than six times a year, and their cycles are usually longer than 35 days.

Common Reason

• Stress
• Extreme loss or gain of weight
• PCOS
• Problems with the thyroid

Signs and Symptoms

• Symptoms: Long gaps between periods and light bleeding when they do happen.
• Hormonal therapy or changes to your lifestyle, such as managing stress and changing your diet, can help.

C. Amenorrhea (not having periods)

There are two types of Amenorrhea primary and secondary amenorrhea

• Primary Amenorrhea – Primary Amenorrhea: When a girl doesn’t have her period by the time she turns 16.
• Secondary Amenorrhea – Secondary Amenorrhea is when a woman who used to have regular periods misses three cycles in a row.

Common reasons of not having periods

• Being pregnant
• Menopause
• Problems with the pituitary gland
• A lot of weight loss or exercise

Signs and Symptoms 

• Missed periods for a few months are a sign.

Treatment
Depending on the cause, treatment may include hormonal therapy, lifestyle changes, or treating the underlying condition (like thyroid disorders).

D. Dysmenorrhea (Painful Periods)

Dysmenorrhea refers to painful periods, which can be either:

• Primary dysmenorrhea is when you have painful periods that don’t have a medical cause. They usually start a few days before or during your period.
• Secondary dysmenorrhea is pain that is caused by another condition, like endometriosis, fibroids, or pelvic inflammatory disease.

Symptoms

1. Severe abdominal cramps, often starting a day or two before menstruation.
2. Lower back pain, headaches, and fatigue during menstruation.
   

Treatment 

• NSAIDs: Painkillers you can buy without a prescription, such as ibuprofen, can help.
• Hormonal birth control: to help with pain and keep periods regular.
• Surgery: If you have severe endometriosis or fibroids, you may need surgery to remove the affected tissue.

E. Polymenorrhea (Frequent Periods) : Polymenorrhea refers to menstrual cycles that are shorter than 21 days, resulting in frequent periods.

Causes

• Hormonal Imbalance: When estrogen and progesterone levels are out of whack, it can make cycles shorter.
• Thyroid Problems: Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can change how often you get your period.
• Stress and Changes in Lifestyle: Big changes in your lifestyle or a lot of stress can throw off your period.

Treatment

• Hormonal Therapy: Birth control pills or other treatments that control hormones to keep the menstrual cycle regular.
• Thyroid Treatment: Medicines that fix problems with thyroid hormones.

F. Hypomenorrhea (Light Periods) – Hypomenorrhea is characterized by unusually light bleeding, often lasting less than 3 days.

Causes

• Using birth control pills and IUDs can make your periods lighter.
• Eating Disorders: Eating disorders like anorexia and severely limiting calories can stop or slow down menstruation.
• Hormonal Imbalances: Low levels of estrogen can make your periods very light.

Treatment 

• Hormonal Treatment: Birth control or hormone therapy may help control periods if hormonal imbalances are found.
• Resolving Underlying Conditions: The problem may be resolved by changing the use of contraceptives or receiving treatment for eating disorders.

G. Metrorrhagia (Bleeding Between Periods) – Metrorrhagia refers to irregular bleeding between menstrual cycles, often appearing as spotting.

Causes 

• Infections: Pelvic infections can lead to irregular bleeding.
  
• Uterine Fibroids: Non-cancerous growths can cause intermittent bleeding.
• Hormonal Changes: Birth control or hormonal imbalances can lead to spotting.
  

Treatment

• Treating Infections: Antibiotics for infections or treatment for fibroids.
• Hormonal Therapy: Adjusting or changing birth control methods if they’re causing irregular bleeding.

H. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and PMDD

What is Premenstrual?

A group of physical, emotional, and behavioral signs that happen 1 to 2 weeks before your period. These include bloating, mood swings, irritability, and tiredness.

What is PMDD?

A very bad case of PMS with symptoms that make daily life hard, like extreme mood swings, anxiety, and depression. PMDD is worse than PMS and needs medical help.

Causes of Abnormal Menstruation : 

Hormonal imbalances, lifestyle choices, underlying medical conditions, and birth control use are just a few of the things that can cause abnormal periods. To effectively deal with menstrual irregularities, you need to know what causes them.

1. Hormonal Imbalances – Hormonal imbalance is one of the most common reasons for irregular periods. Hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone control the menstrual cycle. If these hormones are out of balance, you may have irregular periods, heavy bleeding, or missed cycles.
Too many or too few hormones: Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism) can throw off hormone levels, which can cause periods to be irregular.
Hormonal imbalances can also affect ovulation, which can make periods come late or not at all.

2. Lifestyle factors – Some things you do in your daily life can have a big effect on your menstrual cycle. These are:

• Stress: When you are under a lot of stress, your cortisol levels go up, which can mess up the production of reproductive hormones and cause cycles to be irregular.
• Changes in weight: Losing or gaining a lot of weight quickly can change hormone levels and cause problems with your period.
• Eating Habits: Not getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet can mess up your period.

3. Underlying Medical Conditions

Several medical conditions can contribute to abnormal menstruation:

1. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder that makes periods irregular because of cysts in the ovaries.
2. Problems with the thyroid: Both hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) can cause periods that are irregular or don’t happen at all.
3. Uterine fibroids and endometriosis can make your periods heavy, painful, and irregular.

Treatment Options For Abnormal Menstruation

When dealing with abnormal menstruation, treatment options vary depending on the underlying cause of the irregularity. Below are some common approaches to manage and treat menstrual issues:

• Lifestyle changes – Making healthy choices can have a big effect on your menstrual health. Meditation, yoga, and mindfulness are all ways to deal with stress that can help balance hormones and lower stress. A diet high in vitamins, iron, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids helps keep your periods regular. Exercise on a regular basis also helps keep your weight in check, lower stress, and balance hormones, all of which help keep your periods regular.
  
• Hormonal Therapy – Many women find that hormonal therapy and birth control pills help them keep their periods regular. Pills, patches, and injections are some of the birth control methods that can help control heavy or irregular bleeding, stop ovulation, and lessen the symptoms of conditions like PCOS and endometriosis.
  
• Surgical Options – In severe cases, such as large fibroids or endometriosis, surgery may be required. Surgical options include myomectomy, which removes fibroids while preserving the uterus, and hysterectomy, where the uterus is removed to address severe menstrual issues.

Conclusion

It’s important for your overall health to know about your menstrual cycle and be able to spot any problems with it. You can avoid a lot of common problems by living a healthy life, managing stress, and keeping an eye on your menstrual health. It’s important to see a doctor if you notice any strange changes or have periods that aren’t normal. At Zynova Shalby Multispeciality Hospital, we offer expert care and personalized treatment options for menstrual health concerns, including hormonal therapy, lifestyle counseling, and surgical interventions when necessary. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and support when you need it.