A Better Understanding of the Menstrual Cycle
Menstrual cycle symptoms
Menstruation is a stage in a girl’s life that indicates that she is becoming sexually mature. It is characterized with a monthly cycle where a menstrual fluid is released following an elimination of a thickened lining of the uterine wall, in form of blood through the vagina. The menstrual cycle begins from the age of 9 to thirteen and lasts between 3 to 7 days depending on an individual. The cycle also varies from one cycle to the other. Some women have steady cycles that commence after 28 days from the last cycle while in others, it can commence earlier or after 28 days. This is attributed to the fact that there are certain factors that influence a woman’s menstrual cycle including:
-Hormonal changes
-Food
-Change of environment
-Stress and anxiety
-Exercises among other factors
Menstruation is additionally characterized with a number of symptoms and they vary from one individual to the other. During the menstrual cycle, one can have a headache, abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea fatigue, bloating and sweating. Some women have painful periods and will feel unwell especially during the first days of the cycle. It is important to keep warm especially around the abdomen, exercise, relax and avoid caffeinated drinks to relieve these symptoms.
PMDD symptoms
During the last week of the menstrual cycle, a woman experiences PMDD symptoms. They can be severe or mild. The symptoms also improve when a period commences and they include:
Anxiety, insomnia, hypersomnia, headache, bloating and food craving
Panic attack and problems when concentrating
Mood swings and lack of interest in normal activities
During the menstrual cycle some women can also experience severe and extreme PMDD symptoms and will feel hopeless, have suicidal thoughts and sadness. It is however important to seek medical assistance when suffering from these symptoms because it is considered a biological condition.
PMS premenopausal symptom
Just before a menstruation cycle stops, a woman can have a PMS premenopausal symptom. Changes occur and are characterized with emotional and physical symptoms due to decreased functions of the ovaries. Additionally, any PMS premenopausal symptom can occur as a result of hormonal changes in the body. The symptom is often mistaken for other medical conditions and it is always important to seek medical advice so as to rule out other medical problems. It could be frequent urination, extreme sweating, muscle ache, vaginal dryness, a headache and hot flashes. Treatment of these symptoms includes the use birth control pills to balance hormone levels in the body.
