Common Menstrual Problems

Amenorrhea

Amenorrhea is the absence of periods. There are two main types of amenorrhea, primary and secondary. Girls who haven't started their periods by the time they are 16 may have primary amenorrhea. Primary amenorrhea is usually caused by a hormone imbalance or developmental problem.

Secondary amenorrhea is a term used describe when someone who had normal periods stops menstruating for at least 3 months. Some common causes of secondary amenorrhea are: Low levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone, stress, anorexia, weight loss, thyroid conditions, lots of strenuous exercise, stopping birth control pills, and ovarian cysts. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone controls ovulation and the menstrual cycle.

Menorrhagia is the term used to describe extremely heavy, prolonged periods. Menorrhagia is more than just 1 or 2 days of a heavier-than-average flow. Women who have menorrhagia soak through at least a pad an hour for several hours in a row or have periods that are more than 7 days long.

The most frequent cause of menorrhagia is an imbalance between the amounts of estrogen and progesterone in the body. The imbalance of estrogen and progesterone causes the endometrium to continue to build up. Then when the body gets rid of the endometrium during a period, the bleeding is very heavy.

It is not uncommon for girls to have hormone imbalances during puberty and to experience menorrhagia during the teen years. Menorrhagia is also caused by thyroid conditions, blood diseases, or inflammation or infections in the vagina or cervix.

If you have menorrhagia, your doctor can do a pelvic exam, a Pap smear, and blood tests to determine the cause. Menorrhagia can be treated with hormones, medicine, or removal of any growths in the uterus that may be the cause of excessive bleeding.

Dysmenorrhea is a term used to describe very painful periods. There are two main types of dysmenorrhea, primary and secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea are painful periods that are not caused by a disease or other condition. Primary dysmenorrhea is usually treated with anti-inflammatory medicines. Exercise, hot water bottles, and birth control pills might also ease the pain.

Secondary dysmenorrhea are painful periods caused by a disease or condition. Some of the more common conditions that can cause secondary dysmenorrhea include:

• endometriosis
• pelvic inflammatory disease
• fibroids or growths on the inside wall of the uterus

If you suspect you have any of these conditions, see your doctor for advice.