You’re Having Sporadic Pain
Back pain that comes on suddenly and severelyand without an apparent causeshould be examined to rule out the rare but painful conditions of pregnancy-association osteoporosis and arthritis. Also, if you experience back pain following a physical trauma, such as a fall or a car accident, contact your doctor immediately to rule out any serious injury to yourself or the baby.
Home Pregnancy Test Accuracy
If used correctly and at the right time, home pregnancy tests are fairly accurate at detecting pregnancy. Used correctly means that you read the directions and follow them. Each test has slightly different directions, so if using different brands, its important to read the directions. Also, using the test at the right time makes a difference in accuracy. Women who test too early will get inaccurate results.
The absolute best time to take any pregnancy test is a few days after a missed period. This is when the hormone hCG, the pregnancy hormone produced by the growing balls of cells if there is indeed a pregnancy, is most easily detected by home pregnancy tests. Too soon before that and you may get a false negative as your body has not produced enough hCG.
Some tests do claim that they can get you early results, meaning results before your next expected period. If you truly read their statements, however, youll find that the early results are only possible for a small percentage of women, not every woman. Its most likely a marketing ploy to encourage you to take more tests and hence spend more money.
I have had three different experiences with home pregnancy tests. With my first pregnancy, I saw a positive result on the day of my expected period. With my second pregnancy, I didnt get a positive result until almost my sixth week of pregnancy . With my third, I was able to test two days before my expected period and get a positive result.
Why Is My Period 7 Days Late
Period 7 days late could be a good thing or a problem depending if youre pregnant or not.
Did you have unprotected intercourse weeks ago with symptoms like breast swelling, fatigue, nausea and breast pain?
If your period is 7 days late, youre likely pregnant. However, stress, eating problems and severe weight loss could very well hold off period when due.
This article points out factors that delay your period for seven days.
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Tummy Twinges Pulling And Pinching
These are some of the terms our mums use in our forum when describing the sometimes curious feelings many of us have in our stomachs in early pregnancy.
It might feel like your muscles are being stretched or even pinched from inside, and can seem to be on either side, as forum mum Louis2 who is 5 weeks pregnant, describes. “For the past few days,” she says, “I have been having a few lower abdominal twinges, often on one side, but occasionally on the other.”
“I had abdominal twinges at approx 5 weeks and panicked,” adds xxmrsjohnstonexx. But the doctor said it was just everything stretching and changing and not to worry.
Fatigue And General Tiredness
Feeling exhausted, needing to nap more than usual or feeling like you just cant keep your eyes open? If this comes after unprotected sex, it could be a sign that you may be pregnant and your body is working overtime due to changing hormones. Additionally, changes to your hormones may cause your body temperature to rise slightly, which brings on more fatigue.
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A Late Period Under 16
Many teenagers want to know why their period is late. For many, the first few years of menstruation involve irregular periods.
The body is still developing in this stage of life, and a teens ovaries do not always release an egg monthly. This may result in irregular cycles fewer than 20 or more than 45 days. A typical cycle for teenagers lasts between 21 and 45 days.
Having fluctuating periods for two years or less during adolescence is likely nothing to worry about. Your health care provider can conduct a physical exam to make sure everythings healthy. Teens cycles start to regulate as their hormone levels stabilize, although some will still have irregular cycles on an ongoing basis.
Continue monitoring your body. When your period comes, use Flo to log the date and your symptoms. The app can help you better predict your period, even if you have an irregular cycle.
Causes Of Lower Back Pain During Your Period
Though the exact causes of lower back pain during periods arent yet fully understood, its usually associated with hormonal changes and their effect on ligaments in the spine. Researchers found that hormonal changes may influence collagen production, which can lead to ligament laxity, or loose ligaments. Loose ligaments can cause spinal instability and are sometimes accompanied by pain in the lower back.
Prostaglandins may also play a role. Prostaglandins are chemicals that cause many of the symptoms associated with menstrual discomfort. They are synthesized by many tissues in the body, including the endometrium . They stimulate contraction of the uterine muscles to shed the uterine lining during menstruation. Prostaglandins also cause cramps. Heavy contractions can lead to low-back pain, as the pain can radiate from the lower abdomen into the lower back.
People with increased prostaglandin activity may experience severe menstrual cramps and back pain during their period. Prostaglandins can also cause symptoms such as vomiting, headaches, and diarrhea that accompany painful menstruation .
Lower back pain can also be a symptom of early pregnancy. During pregnancy, the ligaments in the body naturally become softer and stretch to prepare for labor. This can put a strain on the joints of the lower back and pelvis, which can cause back pain.
Here are some of the differences between back pain from your period and back pain from pregnancy.
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Spotting Or Light Bleeding
Its not unusual at all to have light spotting or bleeding in early pregnancy in fact, it can occur in around 20% of pregnancies.
Dr Larisa explains the science behind it: “This is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy and is usually associated with ‘implantation bleeding‘ when the fertilized egg or embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus. The embryo usually implants between 6 to 12 days after conception.
“Not all women will get spotting though, so dont worry its not a reflection of how successful the implantation has been!”
Forum mum xFran82x says she had implantation bleeding 8 days after ovulating. “I had some watery pink discharge when I wiped a few times,” she says, “and then found 2 dots of brown blood on my pants. I tested the next afternoon and got a faint positive result.”
And it was similar for BabyGirlsMummy: “I had a regular 28 day cycle and the implantation bleeding was about a week before Id have expected my period. Mine was some pink cervical mucus for a couple of days enough that I needed a panty liner.”
If you do bleed, our expert say you should definitely get anything unusual checked out by your doctor. “In most cases, spotting is nothing to worry about,” says Dr Amin, “but it can be a sign of something more serious like an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage. If you experience any bleeding thats not normal for you, seek immediate medical attention.”
So What Exactly Do We Mean By Lower Back Pain
There are two main areas that are affected by pain in pregnancy. One is in the region known as the lower back, and one is in the pelvic area, and is commonly known as Pelvic Girdle Pain or PGP. Unfortunately, a small percentage of women will be affected by both areas of pain.
For the purposes of this post, were going to focus on lower back pain.
Lower back pain during pregnancy is very similar to that experienced by women who are not pregnant. This means that the pain is located on one or both sides of your spine, and generally does not go into your buttock area, but it can at times refer to the lower leg or foot . It can be recurrent, or it can be continuous, and some of the terms sufferers use to describe it are achey, tight, sharp, stabbing, pulling or dull.
If you think youre actually suffering from Pelvic Girdle Pain and not lower back pain, weve written a stack of information about it, which you can read some of here or here.
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Period 7 Days Late No Pregnancy Symptoms What Does It Mean
If your period is late for 7 days with no pregnancy signs, it could possibly be caused by
- Severe weight loss
- Polycystic ovaries
Still not sure why your period is 7 days late without symptoms? take a pregnancy test to confirm. Some women may get worried due to wrong calculation of their next period date.
How Soon Can You Tell If You Are Pregnant
Most health care providers recommend that you wait until the first day of your missed period to take a pregnancy test, because taking a test too soon after conception can lead to a false-negative result. However, some tests are more sensitive than others and can be taken as soon as 7 to 12 days after conception. The most precise way to determine pregnancy is to take a blood test to measure your level of hCG.
Having a late period might come as a surprise, especially if youre not trying to get pregnant. Should you take a pregnancy test? The truth is, there are many reasons for late periods other than pregnancy. Your health, age, diet, stress, and exercise can all affect the regularity of your menstrual cycle. In this article, well look at the most common late period causes and go over some common questions about delayed menstruation.
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Sour Or Metallic Taste
Forum mum sealeyB says she had a “really metallic taste” in her mouth very soon after ovulation and “it didn’t go for 2 weeks”. And she’s definitely not alone in experiencing this early pregnancy symptom.
“Experiencing strange tastes, known as dysgeusia, is one of the lesser-known but actually quite common early pregnancy signs,” says Dr. Amin Gorgy. And, once again, pregnancy hormones are the culprit.
The metallic taste symptom can vary in its intensity but it’s definitely sour. “Its as if I have sucked 2p pieces!” says forum mum-to-be Deli3.
Other Causes Of White Discharge
If you have white vaginal discharge but no other symptoms, this is most likely part of your normal menstrual cycle.
However, if the vaginal discharge is not normal for you, then you may have an infection such as bacterial vaginosis or a yeast infection. Other symptoms of an infection include:
- A burning sensation when urinating
- Pain during sex
- Vaginal itching or irritation
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Changes In Bathroom And Stomach Habits
In addition to nausea and vomiting, you may experience other stomach problems when you first become pregnantlike constipation, frequent urination and bloating, to name a few.
Constipation is normally characterized by fewer than three bowel movements a week, hard stool, dry stool or stool that is difficult to pass. The progesterone that starts to form from the placenta slows the bowels down, says Brown. Constipation can occur early on in pregnancy, but can come back during the third trimester, too.
Frequent urination is common. Symptoms can start even earlier than your missed period, since the fertilized egg implants itself into the uterus and begins making the pregnancy hormone hCG, prompting you to run to the bathroom more often.
Bloating can happen early on in pregnancy, and may continue throughout your nine months. The progesterone hormone causes your muscle tissues to relax, slowing down digestion. That, in addition to an expanding uterus, can put pressure on your rectum and cause it to feel heavy.
Heres how to keep your stomach happy during pregnancy:
- Aim to get at least 25 grams of fiber a day from foods like leafy greens and whole grains.
- Talk to your OBGYN about any iron supplements youre taking.
- Discuss with your OBGYN whether you need to try over-the-counter medications.
- When you feel the urge, do not hold in bowel movements.
- Take it easy on foods that may upset your stomach, like beans, cabbage and fried items.
Why Am I Not Getting My Period At All
The medical term for absent periods is amenorrhea, and is considered to occur when a woman who has previously had normal periods stops menstruating for six months or more. Many of the causes of amenorrhea are the same as those for a skipped period. Your period can be absent for a number of reasons:
Pregnancy
The most common reason to not get your period is because you are pregnant. A home pregnancy test can quickly tell you if that is the reason.
Menopause
Most women stop getting their periods in their late 40s or early 50s. The average age is 51 years old.
Breastfeeding
If you breastfeed frequently, including at night-time, you may not get a period for many months. Be aware that you will ovulate prior to getting your period back, so birth control is important if you are not ready to be pregnant again.
Stress
While a sudden stressful life event can result in a single missed period, ongoing, high level stress and anxiety can cause your period to stop altogether. Managing stress though self-care, counselling, changing your life circumstances, medication, or other strategies can help you return to having normal periods.
Weight loss
Ongoing, dramatic weight loss, from low intake, excessive exercise, gastric bypass surgery, or eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia can stop your period. This happens because the hormones required for ovulation are not produced.
Underweight
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What Do Early Pregnancy Cramps Feel Like
Rebecca Lee, RN explains, “Pregnancy cramps are more mild and intermittent, occurring on and off for 1-3 days.” If you feel dull pain and have no period, then you might be carrying a baby! However, if you feel sharp lower abdominal pain on one side that feels like a stitch, and the pain radiates to the rest of the abdomen along with bleeding, then you may have an ectopic pregnancy. This is when the embryo implants itself somewhere other than the uterususually in the fallopian tubes.
Note that ectopic pregnancies only occur in 1-2% of pregnant women. Severe cramps may also be a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease. See your doctor right away if the cramps before your period are more intense than usual.
You Have A Fever And A Dull Ache
A fever, when accompanied by a dull ache across your lower back or along the sides of your back between the ribs and hips, could be a sign of a kidney or bladder infection that needs immediate attention and treatment with antibiotics, Dr. Rosser says.
Keep in mind, though, that as the pregnancy advances, the growing uterus puts pressure on the bladder, so frequent or urgent urination is common and normal. But if these symptoms also include painful urination, blood in the urine, chills, or fever, these may be signs of kidney or urinary tract issues, and treatment may be needed. In some cases, bladder infections can cause the uterus to contract, so see your doctor for a prompt diagnosis.
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How To Manage Severe Lower Back Pain During Your Period
The following may be able to help with severe lower back pain during your period:
- Pain medication Taking over-the-counter pain medication or anti-inflammatories a few days before your period may alleviate lower back pain. If your pain doesnt get better with over-the-counter pain medication, consult your health care provider.
Some of these methods may also ease abdominal cramps, which commonly affect lower back pain:
- Heat Applying a warm water bottle or heating pad on the lower back may help reduce back pain during your period.
- Warm shower or bath Taking a warm shower or bath may help you relax and relieve back pain during your period.
- Massage Gently massaging the abdomen and lower back may also relieve back pain.
- Exercise Regular physical activity may help with the pain during your period. Although its easy to be tempted to avoid exercising during your period, physical activity can help reduce lower back pain. Try gentle exercises such as walking, cycling, and swimming. You can talk to a health care provider to determine what physical activity is best for you.
- Relaxation techniques Relaxation activities such as meditation may help distract you from feelings of discomfort and pain.
Some lifestyle changes may also affect pain during your period.
- Maintain a healthy diet and talk to a health care provider about taking nutritional supplements with vitamin B and magnesium.
Tender Or Sore Breasts
If you boobs are sensitive to even the softest touch, then you may have a bun in the oven. Sore breasts can appear as early as two weeks after conception. As soon as the egg is implanted, your body starts making HCG the pregnancy hormone needed to support a pregnancy. The rapid increase of this hormone leads to breast tenderness or fullness.
Some women might mistake this for regular breast pain before a period, but in early pregnancy, your breasts will feel 100 times more sensitive.
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