How Do I Fix My On And Off Period
Periods that keep coming and going have many causes, but mostly are just a sign that your body and hormones need a little extra support. The cause of your stop-start period will determine the best treatment to restore a normal bleed. Below are some suggestions for a healthy period to try:
-
Restore blood flow to the pelvic area: in the days leading up to your period and once you start bleeding, use a hot water bottle over your pelvis to encourage healthy blood flow
-
Consider seeking out a Maya Abdominal Massage Therapist, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner or acupuncturist
-
Explore potential hormone imbalances and correct them naturally through diet changes and supplements
-
Explore your emotional connection to your cycle. Is there anything you are holding on to that you need to let go of? Menstruation is the perfect time to go inwards and reflect on the previous month. What worked for you? What didnt? Where would you like to focus your energy in the upcoming month? Learn more about living in sync with the seasons of your cycle in this guest blog I wrote on Nicole Jardims website
Causes For Bleeding Between Periods
There are many causes for bleeding between periods. Some of these reasons are:
- Functional
- Related to medication use
When spotting occurs at the beginning or near the end of a womans reproductive years, such as puberty or near menopause, it may be related to hormones.
During a womans late reproductive years, such as in a womans 40s, the bleeding can be due to a benign growth, such as a polyp, fibroid, or growth on the cervix, vulva or vagina.
Other possible causes for spotting are bleeding disorders, pregnancy, cigarette smoking, infection or trauma. Rarely, bleeding between periods is due to cancer of the female genitalia or reproductive system.
Questions The Doctor Might Ask
Its very natural to be nervous about seeking medical advice. But its also smart to remember that a doctor may be able to quickly resolve a concern thats causing you much stress and many sleepless nights, especially if they have all of the information that they need.
So, if theres anything about your cycle thats causing you concern , we recommend biting the bullet and booking that doctors appointment.
Also Check: 90 Day Probationary Period Form
Living With Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
Abnormal uterine bleeding can impact your life in a negative way. Not being able to predict when bleeding will begin can cause you to be anxious all the time. Also, heavy menstrual bleeding may limit your daily activities during your period. For some women, it even prevents them from leaving the house.
If you have heavy menstrual bleeding, try taking ibuprofen during your period . Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug . NSAIDs can work to reduce the bleeding during your period.
You also should make sure that you are getting enough iron in your diet. Your doctor may prescribe an iron supplement to ensure that you dont become anemic.
Consequences Of Ignoring Vaginal Bleeding Between Periods
In some cases, this kind of abnormal bleeding will resolve on its own. However, for some women, the underlying cause requires treatment. Ignoring the problem and failing to see a doctor can lead to a worsening of the problem. If the cause of the bleeding is an infection, cancer, or another serious disorder, the consequences could be life-threatening.
Recommended Reading: Donating Blood While Menstruating
This Is When Bleeding Happens Between Menstrual Periods Sometimes This Can Be Normal But In Other Cases It Can Be A Sign Of A Problem
The majority of women will at some point experience bleeding in the middle of the menstrual cycle. This is called intermenstrual bleeding, or spotting. As with other variations from normal bleeding, sometimes spotting is not something you need to worry about, and other times it can be a sign of a problem.
How Is Heavy Bleeding Diagnosed
After a thorough history and clinical examination including a cervical screening test and swabs your doctor might order blood tests and/or a pelvic ultrasound to eliminate some of the possible causes listed previously. The gold standard is to perform a hysteroscopy and curette in all women over 35 years of age to rule out endometrial hyperplasia or cancer. This is where the lining of the womb is viewed with a telescope the hysteroscope and is then lightly scraped away and a biopsy taken for examination.
Don’t Miss: 90 Probationary Period Employment Form
What Can Cause Bleeding Between Periods
There are several things that could cause bleeding between periods, such as changes to your hormones levels, use of hormonal contraception or contraceptive devices, an infection, or an injury.
Other causes of bleeding between periods may include:
What Does It Mean When Your Period Stops Early
Bleeding for less than 3 days can be normal for some women, particularly if you have always had periods that lasted 2 days. If however, you have had a change from longer periods to shorter bleeds, it can be a sign of a hormonal imbalance. Most commonly this change in period length is contributed to a decline in estrogen – the hormone responsible for building up the lining of our uterus which is shed at menstruation. Lower levels of estrogen mean that your body struggles to build a thick, healthy lining in preparation for the potential implantation of an embryo if you were to fall pregnant that cycle.
Recommended Reading: 90 Day Probationary Period Template
Track Your Menstrual Cycle In A Journal Or App
If you suspect youre bleeding at irregular intervals, its a really good idea to start tracking your cycle in a journal or app. This can help you understand the rhythms of your own body and communicate any concerns to your doctor.
But even if your periods are regular, it’s still good practice to track them so you know when your next one is likely to start and when you’re ovulating. Remember, everybody has their own cycle and flow, and it may be affected by many factorsboth internal and external.
What Home Remedies Stop Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding
Make sure that the bleeding is coming from the vagina and is not from the rectum or the urinary tract . You can insert a tampon into your vagina to confirm that the source of your bleeding is coming from the area of your vagina, cervix, and uterus. If you are bleeding heavily, rest in bed. Keep track of the number of pads or tampons you use so that you and your health-care professional can determine the amount of your bleeding. Avoid taking aspirin because it may prolong bleeding.
You May Like: Dark Brown Discharge Instead Of Period
Physical Conditions And Infections
Spotting can also be caused by infections and physical changes in the reproductive tract, or hormonal imbalances. Physical conditions that can cause spotting episodes include fibroids , uterine or cervical polyps and endometriosis .
Pelvic inflammatory disease , which happens when certain pelvic infections go untreated, can also be another culprit for unscheduled spotting. Other symptoms of PID can include pain in the lower abdomen, unusual vaginal discharge, and fever . If you suspect you have spotting and other associated symptoms of PID or of physical pelvic conditions, itâs important to discuss this with your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Urinary tract infections can cause bleeding from the urethra . Pain while urinating, paired with a small amount of blood on the toilet paper, might be signs of a UTI .
Consistently spotting after penetrative vaginal intercourse is not considered normal. Bleeding after sex is often caused by an issue with the cervix or polyps . Some people may experience spotting after their first intercourse experience, which is normal. If youâre noticing spotting after sex, talk to your healthcare provider.
Why Am I Bleeding In The Middle Of My Cycle
Spotting mid-cycle can happen for many reasons and is experienced by most women at some point. The most common reason for spotting is due to hormonal birth control. If you have just started a form of hormonal birth control , spotting is very common in the first few months. If it doesnt taper off after 3 months, see your doctor. Taking your birth control pill at the same time every day can help prevent mid-cycle bleeding even a few hours difference can cause spotting, especially for the progesterone-only pill.
Other reasons you might be spotting include:
Ovulation
Some women experience mild spotting during ovulation. This is likely due to hormonal changes related to ovulation. Estrogen causes the endometrium to thicken, and peaks at ovulation. Progesterone rises at that time to maintain the endometrium. If insufficient progesterone is present at the time the estrogen begins to drop, spotting may result. This spotting usually lasts from 1-3 days and is mid-cycle and is not cause for concern.
Implantation bleeding
If your egg was fertilized, it will usually implant in the endometrium about five to seven days later. This may result in light brown or pink spotting as some of the vessels are disturbed when the fertilized egg attaches to the endometrium.
Ectopic pregnancy
Infection
Cancer or precancerous conditions
You May Like: Usaa New Car Insurance Grace Period
Learn More About What Happens When You Ovulate
The best way to understand whether your bleeding may correspond with ovulation is to track your cycle using an app or diary.
If youre experiencing vagina or uterine bleeding outside of ovulation, there are many other possible causes. Tracking when spotting occurs is important, so you can share these details with your doctor if necessary.
Causes Of Bleeding A Week After Period
1. Old Blood
If you notice brown spotting a week or two after your monthly period, it would often mean that some amount of tissue and menstrual blood were not properly expelled out of your body. Since they could still be inside the uterus, they need to be discharged in a form of spotting even after your period has ended.
2. Infection
Bacterial infections and yeast infections are two of the most common infections that occur in women. These infections often expel colored spotting with foul smell a few days after period. While they are not the main cause, they may have an effect to abnormal bleeding or discharge, which is often mistook as spotting.
3. Deep Penetration During Intercourse
Deeper penetration during a vigorous or rough sexual contact could lead to very light bleeding and may sometimes create physical injury. It can cause bruises to the cervix which is usually accompanied with pain.
4. Unregulated Menstrual Cycle
Untimely bleeding or bleeding a week after period often happens to teenage girls while their bodies try to get accustomed to their menstruation. It may last for a couple of months or years until they are able to adjust to their menstrual pattern.
5. Oral Contraceptives
6. Polyps
Polyps are non-cancerous cells that grow in the uterus. Sometimes, some of these polyps burst and lead to bleeding or spotting.
7. Uterine Fibroids
You May Like: Can You Donate Plasma On Your Period
Risk Factors For Bleeding After Sex
You may have a higher chance of bleeding after sex if you:
- Have cancer of the cervix, vagina, or uterus
- Are going through menopause or perimenopause
- Had a baby not long ago or are breastfeeding
- Arenât fully aroused before vaginal penetration
- Use douche products a lot
- Have an infected cervix
- Have a sexually transmitted disease or sexually transmitted infection
Bleeding After Sex Diagnosis
Your doctorâs first step will probably be to ask you some questions to see if thereâs an obvious cause for the bleeding, like breakthrough bleeding after you just start to take a birth control pill.
Theyâll also want to know if youâre having pain during sex, which can be a sign of dryness or infection, depending on when it happens.
The doctor will give you a pelvic exam and look for any source of the bleeding, like vaginal tears or lesions, signs of pelvic organ prolapse, cervical polyps, or inflammation. If you have polyps, they might be able to remove them in the office and send them to a lab for testing. Or you might need a later appointment to have them surgically removed. You could also get a:
- Pap test
- Test for a sexually transmitted disease or sexually transmitted infection
During a Pap test, the doctor can swab your cervix to test for sexually transmitted infections like chlamydia and gonorrhea, which can cause bleeding after sex and are treated with antibiotics. The Pap test also detects any sign of abnormal, precancerous growths or cancer cells.
Don’t Miss: 90 Day Probationary Period Letter
Is It Normal For My Period To Stop At Night
Is it normal for my period to stop at night? My pad hardly has anything on it in the morning. Serena*
It might seem like your period stops at night, but what you’re noticing is probably gravity at work. When a girl is standing up, gravity helps blood flow out the vagina. But if she’s lying down, blood doesn’t flow out as easily, especially on lighter flow days. It’s like when you hold a bottle of water upside down: Gravity makes the water pour out much faster than it does when you hold the bottle on its side.
If you notice a pad has barely any blood on it when you get up in the morning, that’s most likely what’s going on. Your flow will start up again as gravity plays its part.
On days when you bleed a lot, night flow can be heavy too. So protect yourself by wearing a high-absorbancy nighttime pad, just in case.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
What If You Are Bleeding While You Are Pregnant
In women of childbearing age , the most common cause of abnormal uterine bleeding is pregnancy and its complications, such as ectopic pregnancies or miscarriages. Anovulation can be a cause of bleeding in women of childbearing age. However, anovulation occurs in fewer than 20% of women in this category, so all other causes, including pelvic inflammatory disease and uterine fibroids, must be ruled out.
Many women experience some degree of vaginal bleeding during the first trimester of pregnancy and go on to have a healthy baby. However, vaginal bleeding can also be a sign of miscarriage or pregnancy complications, so vaginal bleeding during pregnancy should always be evaluated by a health-care professional.
Don’t Miss: 90 Day Probation Period Template
When To Seek Medical Advice: Signs & Symptoms
If experiencing persistent spotting or heavy bleeding outside of your period and/or your bleeding is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, it warrants getting some medical advice from your doctor or a qualified health professional. Heavy vaginal or uterine bleeding may increase the risk of other conditions such as anemia, which can negatively impact your health, so its wise to closely monitor how much youre bleeding.
Keep track of the number of pads or tampons used and saturated when youre bleeding. Abnormal blood loss can be estimated by tracking the number of pads or tampons used and how quickly they become soaked. Soaking a pad or a tampon within 1 hour indicates heavy menstrual or uterine bleeding at a concerning rate.