What Causes A Period
A period happens because of changes in in the body. Hormones are chemical messengers. The ovaries release the female hormones and . These hormones cause the lining of the uterus to build up. The built-up lining is ready for a fertilized egg to attach to and start developing. If there is no fertilized egg, the lining breaks down and bleeds. Then the same process happens all over again.
It usually takes about a month for the lining to build up, then break down. That is why most girls and women get their periods around once a month.
The Source Of The Issue
Long periods can be the result of a variety of factors such as health conditions, your age and your lifestyle.
Underlying health conditions that can cause long periods include uterine fibroids, endometrial polyps, adenomyosis, or more rarely, a precancerous or cancerous lesion of the uterus. A long period can also result from hormonal imbalances or a bleeding disorder.
Many women struggle with long and heavy periods for years without knowing there are ways to manage and improve their symptoms. I encourage all patients to seek out medical care if they have questions about their menstrual cycle or other gynecologic issues.
The first step to managing long periods due to a specific condition is to treat it. This can include things like removing an endometrial polyp or correcting hypothyroidism. Hormonal contraceptives are commonly used to help regulate abnormal cycles resulting from a wide variety of causes. Most of these methods take three to six months before youll notice some improvement.
Period Bleeding Thats Cause For Concern
Your daughter probably doesnt want to discuss her periodwith you. But talk to her if you notice that she:
- Is going through a huge stack of pads each month
- Has periods that last longer than 10 days
- Has heavy bleeding throughout her entire period
If she does have a bleeding disorder, you might notice theseother signs as well:
- Blood loss when a baby tooth fell out or whilebrushing teeth
- History of significant bleeding during minorsurgery
- Family history of bleeding disorders or heavyperiods
Some unlucky women just have heavier periods than others. But if you have any concerns, its worth taking your teen to see a doctor even if it means risking some heavy-duty eye rolling.
Read Also: Period Cramps Vs Early Pregnancy Cramps
Treatment For Period Discomfort
During your period, you may experience discomfort, such as cramps or headaches. Getting regular exercise and staying well hydrated may help improve these symptoms. A heating pad can also be used to help with abdominal cramps, along with over-the-counter ibuprofen.
Talk to a parent or nurse if you dont feel good before, during or after your period so you can address any discomfort.
Some girls will experience heavy bleeding, painful and often times debilitating cramps and periods that last longer than one week. Treating cramps with hormone therapy can help alleviate painful periods. Hormone therapy can also help regulate your period if you are experiencing missed periods , long periods or unpredictable bleeding .
Three Phases Of The Menstrual Cycle
The phases of your menstrual cycle are triggered by hormonal changes.
Menstrual period
On Day 1 of your cycle, the thickened lining of the uterus begins to shed. You know this as menstrual bleeding from the vagina. A normal menstrual period can last 4 to 6 days.
Most of your menstrual blood loss happens during the first 3 days. This is also when you might have cramping pain in your pelvis, legs, and back. Cramps can range from mild to severe. The cramping is your uterus contracting, helping the endometrium shed. In general, any premenstrual symptoms that you’ve felt before your period will go away during these first days of your cycle.
Follicular phase
During the follicular phase, an egg follicle on an ovary gets ready to release an egg. Usually, one egg is released each cycle. This process can be short or long and plays the biggest role in how long your cycle is. At the same time, the uterus starts growing a new endometrium to prepare for pregnancy.
The last 5 days of the follicular phase, plus ovulation day, are your fertile window. This is when you are most likely to become pregnant if you have sex without using birth control.
Luteal phase
This phase starts on ovulation day, the day the egg is released from the egg follicle on the ovary. It can happen any time from Day 7 to Day 22 of a normal menstrual cycle. During ovulation, some women have less than a day of red spotting or lower pelvic pain or discomfort . These signs of ovulation are normal.
Also Check: Why Am I So Tired Before My Period
Medicine For Menstrual Pain And Bleeding
Try a non-prescription medicine to help relieve your pain and bleeding. Start taking the recommended dose of pain reliever when symptoms begin or 1 day before your menstrual period starts. If you are trying to become pregnant, talk to your doctor before using any medicine. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as ibuprofen , reduce menstrual cramps, pain, and bleeding by lowering the level of the hormone prostaglandin.
- If NSAIDs do not relieve the pain, try acetaminophen, such as Tylenol.
- Take the medicine for as long as the symptoms would normally last if you did not take the medicine.
Be sure to follow all labels and directions. Do not take aspirin if you are younger than 18 because of the risk of Reye syndrome.
When To Get Checked Out
Normal cycles last between 24 to 35 days. Some teens might have shorter cycles of only 21 days, and others might go as long as 45 days between periods. Adults can have a range of between 21 to 35 days. See a doctor if your cycle falls outside of these ranges. Also, if youve been menstruating for more than two years and your period hasnt become regular, visit a healthcare provider.
Being sick or under stress can cause a delayed period or for you to skip it altogether. However, if you miss a period and are sexually active, definitely get checked out for a possible pregnancy. Also, visit a healthcare professional about your period if:
- You havent gotten your first period by age 15
- You dont menstruate for more than 90 days
- Your periods start to be very irregular after having previously been regular
- Your period lasts for more than seven days
Don’t Miss: Can You Have A Period Without Ovulating
What Controls The Menstrual Cycle
Your hormones control your menstrual cycle. During each cycle, your brain’s hypothalamus and pituitary gland send hormone signals back and forth with your ovaries. These signals get the ovaries and uterus ready for a pregnancy.
The hormones estrogen and progesterone play the biggest roles in how the uterus changes during each cycle.
- Estrogen builds up the lining of the uterus.
- Progesterone increases after an ovary releases an egg at the middle of the cycle. This helps the estrogen keep the lining thick and ready for a fertilized egg.
- A drop in progesterone causes the lining to break down. This is when your period starts.
A change in hormone levels can affect your cycle or fertility. For example, teens tend to have low or changing progesterone levels. This is also true for women close to menopause. That is why teens and women in their 40s may have heavy menstrual bleeding and cycles that change in length.
Other things can change your cycle. They include birth control pills, low body fat, losing a lot of weight, or being overweight. Stress or very hard exercise also can change your cycle. Pregnancy is the most common cause of a missed period.
Menarche And The Teenage Menstrual Cycle
Menarche is a girl’s first menstrual period. A first period usually happens after breasts, pubic hair, and underarm hair have begun to grow. Menarche is a sign of growing up and becoming a woman. It can happen as early as about age 9 or up to age 15. The first few periods are usually light and irregular. About 2 out of 3 girls have a regular pattern of menstrual periods within 2 years of menarche.footnote 1 During the teen years, periods may become longer and heavier. For more information, see Menarche.
Recommended Reading: How To Know If Your Period Is Coming
What Is Considered A Long Teenage Relationship
KATHRYN ESPLIN
Maybe you’ve been dating someone for a while and you wonder how long your relationship might last. Generally, how long a teen relationship lasts depends on whether the teens are younger or older than 16, according to Kate Fogarty in the article “Teens and Dating,” on Education.com, because older teens and younger teens are in different developmental stages. “In the early teen years, dating is more superficial — for fun and recreation, status among peers, and exploring attractiveness/sexuality. In the older teen years youth are looking for intimacy, companionship, affection, and social support,” according to Fogarty.
Explore this article
What Are The Signs Of Implantation
Implantation is the process when an embryo attaches itself to the uterine lining. It doesnt always cause symptoms. However, some people report feeling light cramping, headaches, and mood swings around the time of implantation. Implantation bleeding can occur around the date when you expect your period, but its usually lighter and only causes pink or brown spotting or discharge.
Don’t Miss: What Are The Signs Of Starting Your First Period
Breakthrough Covid Infections: How Long Are Vaccinated People Contagious
There has been a lot of confusion about breakthrough COVID-19 infections recently what it means to test positive after being fully vaccinated, what the risk for developing long COVID is and how vaccinated people can spread the coronavirus.
The truth is that scientists are still learning about post-vaccination infections and are still digging for answers to these questions, including how long people with breakthrough infections are contagious. But given the data available so far, most infectious disease specialist agree it is most certainly less than unvaccinated people who get COVID-19.
Numerous studies have found that vaccinated people who test positive generally clear the virus out much faster than unvaccinated people who are infected, suggesting that those with breakthrough cases are most likely contagious for a shorter period of time.
Some evidence suggests that vaccinated people, on average, clear the virus out within five to six days, whereas it generally takes unvaccinated people seven to 10 days. According to infectious disease specialists, this adds up vaccination teaches the immune system how to deal with COVID, so if youre exposed, your body can get a head start on attacking the virus and clearing it out quicker.
Causes Of Irregular Periods In Teens
In most cases, it is normal for teenagers to have irregular periods as part of bodily changes, and they resolve as they get older.
The following are the reasons for irregular menstruation in a teen :
Heavy menstrual bleeding and abnormal uterine bleeding may occur in teens due to conditions such as blood coagulation disorders, ovarian problems, or hormonal variations.
Note: Amenorrhea or missed periods can be caused by the above-listed factors. Seek medical help if your teen has menstrual irregularities or missed menstruation.
You May Like: What Is The Gestation Period Of An Elephant
How Does Ovulation Relate To Periods
Ovulation is the release of an egg from the ovaries. The same hormones that cause the uterus lining to build up also cause an egg to leave one of the ovaries. The egg travels through a thin tube called a fallopian tube to the uterus.
If the egg is fertilized by a sperm cell, it attaches to the wall of the uterus, where over time it develops into a baby. If the egg is not fertilized, the uterus lining breaks down and bleeds, causing a period.
Will You Have A Period For The Rest Of Your Life
No. A woman will no longer be able to reproduce once she reaches menopause. Menopause occurs around the age of 50. Menopause means that a woman is no longer ovulating and therefore can no longer become pregnant. Like menstruation, menopause can vary from woman to woman and may take several years to occur.
Don’t Miss: Can You Have Regular Periods And Not Ovulate
Managing Menstrual Cycle Symptoms And Bleeding
Keep a calendar and mark the day you start your menstrual period each month. If your cycle is regular, it can help you predict when you’ll have your next period.
If you’re trying to figure out whether you have a pattern of premenstrual symptoms, it may be helpful to keep a premenstrual daily symptom diary .
You can improve your body’s ability to handle menstrual changes by getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol and caffeine intake, and reducing stress. Non-prescription pain relievers can also help reduce some symptoms.
Am I Old Enough For Tampons
If you are having your menstrual period, your body is mature enough for using tampons. While many girls get their first periods between age 12 and 14, you may have your first period at a younger or older age. Whether to use tampons or not is a personal decision, there is no age restriction. You will need to learn how to insert a tampon, which can be tricky when you are new to using one.
You must be sure to change it every four to six hours to lessen the risk of toxic shock syndrome. Use the lowest absorbency available and start with those that have a smooth plastic applicator with a rounded tip . You may want to also use a pantyliner in case there is a leak. If you’re active or want to be able to swim during your period, then tampons may be a good choice. You can also consider different kinds of underwear for that time of the month.
You May Like: How To Help Bad Period Cramps
Why Having A Period Might Stop
The absence of a menstrual period is called amenorrhea. This condition describes women who have not had a period in their teenage years or women who used to have a regular period that has stopped. There are several causes of amenorrhea.
Pregnancy is the most common reason for a woman to stop having her menstrual period. There’s also breastfeeding and extreme weight loss caused by serious illness, eating disorders or excessive exercising.
Gland problems and reproductive problems may also have this effect. If your period has not started by the age of 16, or if you have stopped having your period, while you are still young, contact your healthcare provider.