Spotting Vs Period Symptoms And Signs
Spotting refers to very light vaginal bleeding or brown discharge that occurs between menstrual periods. The menstrual period refers to the monthly vaginal bleeding that is experienced by women of reproductive age . Most women know that their period is approaching.
Similar signs and symptoms of periods and spotting include bloating and cramps in the pelvic area. Signs and symptoms of spotting that are different from periods include slight weight gain and tender breasts. Signs and symptoms of periods that do not occur in spotting include pain and/or burning during sex or while urination and vaginal redness, itching, or discharge.
You’re More Susceptible To Yeast Infections At Certain Points In Your Cycle
During your period or right before, you are more susceptible to yeast infections. So if you are itching or burning down there, or if you’re feeling more vaginal pain than normal, it could be because you’re also suffering from yeast infection symptoms.
Your pH levels change during your period, which can trigger yeast or bacterial infections that can quickly get out of control. If you’re feeling symptoms of a yeast infection, consider making a visit to your gynocologist or investing in some over-the-counter yeast infection remedies to ease your symptoms.
How Long Does A Woman Usually Have Periods
On average, women get a period for about 40 years of their life.6,7 Most women have regular periods until perimenopause, the time when your body begins the change to menopause. Perimenopause, or transition to menopause, may take a few years. During this time, your period may not come regularly. Menopause happens when you have not had a period for 12 months in a row. For most women, this happens between the ages of 45 and 55. The average age of menopause in the United States is 52.
Periods also stop during pregnancy and may not come back right away if you breastfeed.
But if you dont have a period for 90 days , and you are not pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor or nurse. Your doctor will check for pregnancy or a health problem that can cause periods to stop or become irregular.
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When You Have Your Period This Is What Happens To Your Body
Whether you dread your period’s arrival each month or celebrate it and what your menstrual cycle means for your health, it’s a tricky little thing to deal with and keep track of. But no matter how you feel about your period, there are certain physical and emotional effects it has on your body that you just can’t deny.
Most women can remember exactly how old they were, where they were, and how they felt when they got their first period. A lot of times, it can be scary for pre-teens or teens. As explained by the Office on Women’s Health, your period kicks off your menstrual cycle when the lining of your uterus begins to shed. It sounds intense, but there’s actually more happening to your body than just some shedding. In fact, when you have your period, there’s a lot that’s going on in your body. While every menstruating woman’s experience may differ, here’s what can happen when you have your period.
What Is A Normal Amount Of Bleeding During My Period
The average woman loses about two to three tablespoons of blood during her period.8 Your periods may be lighter or heavier than the average amount. What is normal for you may not be the same for someone else. Also, the flow may be lighter or heavier from month to month.
Your periods may also change as you get older. Some women have heavy bleeding during perimenopause, the transition to menopause. Symptoms of heavy menstrual bleeding may include:
- Bleeding through one or more pads or tampons every one to two hours
- Passing blood clots larger than the size of quarters
- Bleeding that often lasts longer than eight days
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How Often Should I Change My Pad Tampon Menstrual Cup Sponge Or Period Panties
Follow the instructions that came with your period product. Try to change or rinse your feminine hygiene product before it becomes soaked through or full.
- Most women change their pads every few hours.
- A tampon should not be worn for more than 8 hours because of the risk of toxic shock syndrome
- Menstrual cups and sponges may only need to be rinsed once or twice a day.
- Period panties can usually last about a day, depending on the style and your flow.
Use a product appropriate in size and absorbency for your menstrual bleeding. The amount of menstrual blood usually changes during a period. Some women use different products on different days of their period, depending on how heavy or light the bleeding is.
Other Ways To Have Sex During A Period
It is also safe to have sex with others during a period, as long as people take precautions against unintended pregnancy and STIs.
Some of the following methods allow someone to continue wearing a tampon or menstrual cup if they would prefer this. However, some may prefer not to. Before engaging in penetrative vaginal sex, remember to remove any menstrual products from the vagina.
If a person or their partner wants to try these options on a bed, it can be helpful to put down some old towels or sheets to avoid staining other fabrics.
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You May Be More Susceptible To Yeast Infections
The pH of your vagina changes before your period and when you start bleeding, explains Dr. Dweck, which makes some women prone to an overgrowth of yeast or bacteria during this time. This can lead to yeast or bacterial infections.
Get relief: If you suffer from recurrent infections around your period, your doc will assume a pH imbalance is the cause and can prescribe hormonal birth control to help level things out. Also be aware that other things besides pH can contribute to a rise in infections, like poor eating habits , and leaving tampons in too long. So can using heavily fragranced feminine washes or soaps. Reminder: You don’t need to wash your vagina, so toss any douches, sprays, or wipes you’ve been using down there.
When Can I Get Pregnant During My Menstrual Cycle
You have the highest chance of getting pregnant on the days leading up to ovulation these are called fertile days.
Ovulation usually happens about 14 days before your period starts but everyones body is different. You may ovulate earlier or later, depending on the length of your menstrual cycle.
Your egg lives for about 1 day after its released from your ovary, and sperm can live in your uterus and fallopian tubes for about 6 days after sex. So you can usually get pregnant for around 6 days of every menstrual cycle: the 5 days before you ovulate, and the day you ovulate. You can also get pregnant a day or so after ovulation, but it’s less likely.
Many people track their menstrual cycles and other fertility signs to help them figure out when theyre ovulating. This is called fertility awareness some people use it to prevent pregnancy, and others use it to try to get pregnant. Check out our app, which makes it easy to chart your cycle and figure out your fertile days.
Some people have very regular cycles, and other peoples cycles vary from month to month. Its really common for young people to have irregular periods. Since your period can be unpredictable, its hard to know for sure when youll ovulate . So if you dont want to get pregnant, use birth control every time you have vaginal sex.
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What Do I Need To Know About My Period
Menstruation is when blood from your uterus drips out of your vagina for a few days every month. You start getting your period during puberty, usually when youre around 12-15 years old.
Your menstrual cycle is what makes your period come every month. Its controlled by hormones in your body. The purpose of the menstrual cycle is to help your body get ready for pregnancy. Your menstrual cycle = the time from the 1st day of your period to the 1st day of your next period. Learn more about how your menstrual cycle works.
Most people get their period every 21-35 days around once a month . The bleeding lasts for 2-7 days its different for everyone. Your period might not always come at the same time each month, especially when you first start getting it. It can take a few years for your period to settle into its natural rhythm, and some people never get regular periods throughout their lives.
Missing your period can be a sign of pregnancy if youve had penis-in-vagina sex without using birth control. But there are other reasons your period might be late, too. Learn more about what to do if you miss your period.
There are lots of ways to deal with the blood that comes out of your vagina when you have your period. You can use pads, tampons, period underwear, or a menstrual cup to collect the blood, so it doesnt get on your clothes. Learn more about using tampons, period underwear, pads, and cups.
Yes Yes But Why Exactly Does A Period Happen
Your cycle uses hormonal signals as cues for what to do next. In the first part of your cycle, one of your ovaries prepares to release an egg. It also produces an increasing amount of the hormone estrogen. This estrogen helps grow and prepare the lining of your uterus for a potential pregnancy .
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After your ovary releases an egg , it produces the hormone progesterone. Progesterone also helps prepare the uterus for a possible pregnancy, and keeps the endometrium âstableâ in your uterus, ready to receive a fertilized egg . If an egg is fertilized, it then travels to the uterus over the next several days, implants in the uterine wall, and starts growing a hormone-producing placenta. If, by then, your body doesnât receive a hormonal signal that a pregnancy is in-progress, levels of estrogen and progesterone drop. This drop in hormones prepares your endometrium to shed, and triggers the production of hormone-like prostaglandins, which cause your uterus to contract, causing your period . And the cycle starts again.
In addition to the bleeding that happens during a period, some people also experience light, mid-cycle ovulation spotting.
Fun fact: For some people, prostaglandins also cause cramps, and loose stools and/or diarrhea around the end/start of each cycle .
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What Helps A Girl With Period Pains
Home treatment
- Put a heating pad or a hot water bottle on your belly, or take a warm bath. Heat improves blood flow and may ease the pain.
- Lie down and put a pillow under your knees, or lie on your side and bring your knees up to your chest. …
- Use pads instead of tampons. …
- Get regular exercise.
Tips On Having Sex During Your Period
Here are a few tips to make period sex a more comfortable and less messy experience:
- Be open and honest with your partner. Tell them how you feel about having sex during your period, and ask how they feel about it. If either of you is hesitant, talk about the reasons behind the discomfort.
- If you have a tampon in, remove it before you start fooling around.
- Spread a dark-colored towel on the bed to catch any blood leaks. Or, have sex in the shower or bath to avoid the mess entirely.
- Keep a wet washcloth or wet wipes by the bed to clean up afterward.
- Have your partner wear a latex condom. It will protect against pregnancy and STIs.
- If your usual sexual position is uncomfortable, try something different. For example, you may want to try lying on your side with your partner behind you.
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As You Wait For Your First Period You May Have Lots Of Questions About What Will Happen What Will It Feel Like What Do I Need To Do To Prepare How Do I Use A Tampon
Getting your first period is an important milestone in a young womans life. It signals the beginning of a long phase of life that you may be fertile. This means that if you have sexual contact, you might get pregnant. While you may have learned about menstruation in school, you probably have questions about what to expect. This section is designed to provide you with all the information you need as you approach getting your period for the first time.
Explore Your First Period:
You’re More Sensitive To Pain During Your Period
You may notice that during or right before your period, you are much more sensitive to pain everywhere. Pain is caused by the lowering of your estrogen levels right before your period starts, and according to an article published by The National Center for Biotechnology Information, “Changes in hormones can affect various body responses,” including pain tolerance.
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Breakthrough Bleeding Can Happen
Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first: The main problem with skipping your period is breakthrough bleeding, according to a review by the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. That means you might bleed or have spotting at unpredictable times, which can be a huge inconvenience if you’re out on a date, or anywhere you don’t have access to liners or pads.
Fortunately, that might not be an enduring problem, because according to the Mayo Clinic it’s more common to experience breakthrough bleeding during the first few months of menstrual suppression. After that, you shouldn’t have to worry about it as much.
Other than breakthrough bleeding, neither site lists any known disadvantages to skipping your period, other than the side effects you would experience on hormonal birth control anyway. The Mayo Clinic, however, notes that not all doctors think it’s a good idea to skip periods. The Cleveland Clinic researchers acknowledge the same, though they note that that’s due to enduring myths and misperceptions about menstrual suppression.
No More Intimacy Anxiety
Even if you don’t suffer from painful headaches or horrible cramps, your period can still be an unwelcome, unexpected visitor at the most inopportune times. What if you’re planning a weekend getaway with your sweetie, and don’t want to have to deal with your period while away? What if you’re heading to spring break, and you don’t want to stress at the beach? What if your honeymoon is coming up, and you don’t want to be menstruating during the most romantic trip of your life?
You can skip your period for that, too, according to the Cleveland Clinic and it’s totally safe for your body. Dr. Mercer affirmed this, telling me, “Different women may have different goals or reasons why they want to suppress their periods. For some, not having a period is simply convenient and easy .”
So it can make a huge difference to leave the period stress at home.
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