How Can You Tell Whether Youre Having Period Pain Or Not
It can be hard to tell between period pain and other symptoms for some women, it can be hard to distinguish between period pain and other conditions. One tell-tale sign can be the length of your cramps. For example, during your period you may experience cramping for a couple of days or for the duration of your period. Whereas if youre pregnant for example, you may experience cramping which lasts a few weeks to a few months.
If you do have a positive pregnancy test and cramps it is important to see a doctor to make sure that you do not have something called an ectopic pregnancy.
Symptoms which may indicate other health conditions include:
- Vomiting
- Your periods are heavier or lighter
- High temperature
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Irregular bleeding or bleeding after sex
- Passing urine more often
- A change in vaginal discharge
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms you should consult your doctor.
Timing might be a clue usually, period pain lasts for several days. It normally begins just before or when the bleeding starts and may continue for a few days or for the whole time you bleed. You can also have pain during the middle of your cycle when you ovulate. Teenage girls can sometimes experience more period pain when they first start their periods.
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How To Manage Unexpected Menstrual Symptoms
If you are experiencing period pain but are not expecting your period, the situation can be confusing and alarming. Many women experience pelvic pain, often cramping, but the cause may not always be your period.
There are several other medical conditions which can cause you pain or discomfort like that of your period. You may not be able to tell what the cause of the pain is, but if the pain happens when youre not on or due your period, then this may not be the cause.
Hormone Treatment And Therapy
Estrogen and progesterone therapy
Hormone therapy , or menopausal hormone therapy , consists of estrogens or a combination of estrogens and progesterone . This was formerly referred to as hormone replacement therapy . Hormone therapy controls the symptoms of menopause-related to declining estrogen levels , and HT is still the most effective way to treat these symptoms. But long-term studies of women receiving combined hormone therapy with both estrogen and progesterone were halted when it was discovered that these women had an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer when compared with women who did not receive HT. These risks were most pronounced in women over 60 taking hormone therapy. Later studies of women taking estrogen therapy alone showed that estrogen was associated with an increased risk for stroke, but not for heart attack or breast cancer. Estrogen therapy alone, however, is associated with an increased risk of developing endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women who have not had their uterus surgically removed.
Hormone therapy is available in oral , transdermal forms . Transdermal hormone products are already in their active form without the need for “first pass” metabolism in the liver to be converted to an active form. Since transdermal hormone products do not have effects on the liver, this route of administration has become the preferred form for most women.
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Period Pains But No Period: Could I Be Pregnant
Period symptoms but no period might actually be a sign of pregnancy. This is because when the embryo implants into the uterine lining, cramping may occur. Following this, breast tenderness, headaches, fatigue, and more symptoms occur as the body begins going through various changes to carry the fetus. If you suspect this might be what youre experiencing, watch for these signs of pregnancy.
A pregnancy test can detect pregnancy as early as 10 days after conception. But there are things that can make a positive urine home pregnancy test inaccurate, and here are some of them:
- Not following test instructions or misinterpreting the results
- Medications
- Blood or protein in the urine
It is also possible for a negative home urine test to be wrong:
- Taking a test too early or checking results too quickly
- Diluted urine
- The hook effect, which is something that happens when there are so many hCG molecules in the urine that they prevent the test from working properly. They are simply washed off the test, so the result will be negative.
However, the absence of menstruation doesnt necessarily mean youre pregnant. There are lots of things that can cause period symptoms like cramps without actually having periods.
What To Do If You Get Pregnant With An Iud
What to do if you have an IUD and suspect you may be pregnant Take a home pregnancy test first. Todays tests are well suited to diagnosing early pregnancy. If the test is negative, but youre still concerned, call your doctor, who will answer your questions, perform a test, or perform additional tests as needed.
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You Are Taking Contraceptive Or Inserted Iuds
Did you start any pill to prevent pregnancy? or recently inserted an intrauterine device ?
Contraceptive pill and IUDs can cause no period in women. If pills are taken continuously without a break you will possibly not have to bleed at all.
It is very important to let your health professional know about your late period. The reason being that, there are newer generation pills that can delay period for a few months.
However, your 5 days late period while on contraceptives may still be due to pregnancy.
Did you miss your COC pills for days without using other forms of contraception? Do you have signs of pregnancy body fatigue, pain in your breast or spotting before your period?
You have to check for pregnancy to be sure.
Other reasons your period is 5 days late are
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Food And Odor Aversions Or Cravings
Aversions to certain foods or odors are caused by your bodys hormonal changes during the first trimester of pregnancy. You may start to despise the way your favorite dinner smells or tastes, or, on the flip side, you may crave certain snacks, meals, beverages or food combinations.
When it comes to cravings or aversions, listen to your body. Its okay to occasionally indulge in late-night ice cream runsjust dont overdo it. Talk to your OBGYN if youre unable to stomach major food groups like vegetables or whole grains. The two of you can discuss foods that can easily be substituted in.
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How To Tell The Difference Between Period Cramps And Endometriosis
Pelvic pain caused by endometriosis will show up much more often and much earlier than typical menstrual cramps. Not only does it show up earlier, it will last for days after ones period ends. Endometriosis pain does not pair with other PMS symptoms, such as mood swings, breast tenderness, or acne. If you are experiencing pelvic pain before or after your period, without experiencing your bodys common PMS symptoms, theres a chance your pelvic pain and cramps are due to endometriosis, not your menstrual cycle. The good news is the Kaldas Center is here to help. If these symptoms sound familiar, and you think you may be suffering from endometriosis, the Kaldas Center is here to provide you personalized pain management and treatment options.
Can You Feel Like Your Period Is Coming And Be In The Stages Of Early Pregnancy
Yes, you can feel all of the common symptoms of your menstrual cycle and still be in the stages of early pregnancy.
The common complaint is that the majority of the early pregnancy symptoms remind women of the symptoms usually experienced before and during their period . If you suspect that you might be pregnant, make sure to take a pregnancy test right away.
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Causes For Cramps But No Period
For lots of women, cramps and no periods head to head. Actually, it might prove to be rather hard to escape an ordinary dose of cramps at least a couple of times per year. Still, when women experience cramps but not period, they should take a pregnancy test for confirmation.
It might be difficult to tell if the pain is the result of a simple or more severe cause.
Cramps That Arose Recently And Are Severe
Tell your doctor. Regardless of whether you’re having severe cramps without a period or with one, any new, intense pain needs medical attention. It may not be serious, but you wont know until you get it checked out.
- Have vaginal bleeding you werent expecting, in addition to severe pain.
- Have already been diagnosed with a condition that causes pelvic pain, and the pain suddenly changed .
- Have other symptoms in addition to pelvic pain, like nausea, vomiting, or a fever.
- Cystitisinflammation of the bladder caused by a Urinary Tract Infection . You may have a UTI if it hurts when you pee, you have to pee frequently, you feel like you have to pee even when your bladder is empty, or you feel pressure in the lower abdomen.
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases like gonorrhea and chlamydia. They dont always cause symptoms, but possible symptoms include bleeding between periods, pain while peeing, and abnormal vaginal discharge.
- Ectopic Pregnancywhen an embryo implants somewhere outside the uterus and begins to grow. Symptoms include sharp pelvic cramps, vaginal bleeding, nausea, and dizziness.
- Appendicitisor inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms include sharp pain in the lower right part of the torso, vomiting, and a fever.
- Kidney Stonesa build-up of salt and mineral deposits in the bladder or kidneys. Symptoms include pain in the pelvic area and lower back, and blood in the urine.
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease/crohns Disease Or Ulcerative Colitis
When one gets long-term, chronic irritation and swelling in different parts of the digestive tract. In case something goes haywire in the immunity of your body, this disease results. It is not the same as irritable bowel syndrome. Crohns disease can impact different parts of the digestive tract including the mouth. Additionally, ulcerative colitis involves the large intestine or colon. Whatever the cramps feel like, depends on the type of inflammatory bowel disease one has.
With Crohns disease, there can be cramps and pain in the middle or lower parts of the belly. This can be severe or mild. If there is ulcerative colitis, cramps emerge on the stomachs lower left side. Other symptoms depend on the specific type of inflammatory bowel disease. These include severe changes in bowel movement such as constipation or diarrhea. There is an urgent need to pass bowel movement as per IBD. Another sensation is if the bowels are not empty after one goes. There is blood in excretion and weight loss as well as fever and fatigue.
Ovarian Rupture And Torsion
An ovarian rupture is a medical emergency. It can cause internal bleeding.
Ovarian torsion is also a medical emergency where a large cyst causes an ovary to twist or move from its original position. This can cut off blood supply to the ovary.
Symptoms of a rupture or torsion may include:
- severe or sharp pelvic pain, sometimes isolated to one side
- fever
- dizziness
- rapid breathing
Always let the hospital staff know if youre pregnant and all your symptoms. You may need an ultrasound or MRI. Your doctor can then determine if surgery is necessary or recommend alternative treatment options.
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Endometriosis: A Common Cause Of Severe Period Pain
Endometriosis is a gynecological condition in which endometrium-like tissue is found outside the uterus on other structures throughout the pelvis, including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, pelvic floor, and in more severe cases, the bowel, diaphragm, liver, lungs, and even the brain.
According to Ken R. Sinervo, MD, the medical director of the Center for Endometriosis Care in Atlanta, We dont really know why endometriosis causes menstrual pain may have to do with where is located and how it presents.
Untreated endometriosis can lead to adhesions, chronic inflammation, chocolate cysts , and internal bleeding all of which can prompt excruciating pelvic pain. Endometriosis pain isnt limited to period pain that goes on 24/7, says Dr. Sinvero. Many women also experience backache and other bowel symptoms, not to be confused with IBS, he added.
What Is Ovarian Cancer What Are The Types Of Ovarian Cancer
The term ovarian cancer includes several different types of cancer that all arise from cells of the ovary. Most commonly, tumors arise from the epithelium, or lining cells, of the ovary. These include epithelial ovarian , fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancers. These are all considered to be one disease process. There is also an entity called ovarian low malignant potential tumor these tumors have some of the microscopic features of cancer but tend not to spread like typical cancers.
There are also fewer common forms of ovarian cancer within the ovary, including germ cell tumors and sex cord-stromal tumors. All of these diseases as well as their treatment will be discussed.
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Treatments For Menstrual Cramps Without A Period
Many of the same pain relievers used to treat strong cramps during your period, such as ibuprofen, can also treat menstrual cramps you may feel without your period. In many cases, this medication may be all that you need.
If your cramps have a deeper underlying cause, such as endometriosis, your treatment will depend on your age, how severe your symptoms are, and how much the disease has progressed. Most therapies will be as noninvasive as possible, but surgical intervention may be needed if your symptoms are serious and persistent.
What Are Menopause Symptoms And Signs
It is important to remember that each woman’s experience is highly individual. Some women may experience few or no symptoms of menopause, while others experience multiple physical and psychological symptoms. The extent and severity of symptoms varies significantly among women. It is also important to remember that symptoms may come and go over an extended period for some women. This, too, is highly individual. These symptoms of menopause and perimenopause are discussed in detail below.
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Why Haven’t I Gotten My Period
10 symptoms of perimenopause
Perimenopause refers to the time period that begins when the ovaries begin to decline in function and continues until menopause . During this time, a woman may exhibit these symptoms that are largely due to abnormal hormonal fluctuations:
- Irregular vaginal bleeding
Sometimes women in the very early stages of pregnancy experience slight cramping, similar to mild menstrual cramps, right around the time that the fertilized egg implants in the uterus. This is termed âimplantation painâ and happens right around the time of the expected period.
- Usually there are no other symptoms at this time other than the absence of a period. Sometimes there is light spotting at the time of implantation.