Menstrual disorders are abnormalities that occur in the menstrual cycle. There are variety Menstrual disorders that can be experienced by women, ranging from menstrual blood that is too little or too much, menstrual pain, to depression before menstruation or premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Come on, Get to know the symptoms and causes in the following review!
A normal menstrual cycle occurs every 21-35 days, with a menstrual period of about 4-7 days. But sometimes, this menstrual cycle can be disrupted.
Menstrual disorders can be in the form of menstrual bleeding that is too much or too little, irregular menstrual cycles, menstruation that occurs more than 7 days, no menstruation for more than 3 months, or even never having menstruation at all.
Menstrual disorders can also be accompanied by severe complaints, such as severe pain and cramps, to depression before menstruation.
Types of Menstrual Disorders You Need to Watch Out for
Besides being able to interfere with daily activities, certain types of menstrual disorders need to be watched out for because they can increase the risk of fertility problems. Menstrual disorders that commonly occur can be divided into five types, namely:
1. Amenorrhea
Amenorrhea is divided into two, namely primary and secondary amenorrhea. Primary amenorrhea is a condition in which a woman has not had her period at all for up to 16 years.
While secondary amenorrhea is a condition in which a woman of childbearing age who is not pregnant and has had menstruation before, stops getting her periods for 3 months or more.
These two types of amenorrhoea have different causes. Primary amenorrhea can be caused by genetic disorders, disorders of the brain that regulate menstrual hormones, or problems with the ovaries or uterus.
While the causes of secondary amenorrhea are:
- Pregnancy.
- Breast-feed.
- Menopause.
- Excessive weight loss.
- Certain diseases, such as thyroid disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and brain tumors in the pituitary or pituitary gland.
- Uterine disorders, such as fibroids or polyps in the uterus.
- Severe stress.
- Side effects of drugs, such as chemotherapy, menstrual delay drugs, and antidepressants.
- Use of contraception, such as birth control pills, injectable contraceptives, and IUDs.
In addition, malnutrition or malnutrition and excessive exercise can also cause women to experience amenorrhea.
2. Dysmenorrhea
Dysmenorrhea is a condition in which women experience pain during menstruation, generally on the first and second day of menstruation. Symptoms include pain or cramping in the lower abdomen that persists, and sometimes radiates to the lower back and thighs. The pain can also be accompanied by headaches, nausea, and vomiting.
Dysmenorrhea can occur due to high levels of the hormone prostaglandin on the first day of menstruation. After a few days, this hormone will decrease in levels so that it can make menstrual pain subside. Menstrual pain of this type will usually begin to decrease with age or after giving birth.
In addition to the hormone prostaglandin, dysmenorrhea can also occur due to abnormalities in the female reproductive system, such as:
- Endometriosis
- Myoma uterus
- Cysts or tumors in the uterus
- Pelvic inflammation
- Use of an intrauterine device (IUD)
In contrast to normal dysmenorrhea that occurs due to an increase in the hormone prostaglandin, dysmenorrhea due to certain diseases usually lasts longer and gets worse with age.
3. Menorrhagia
Menorrhagia Menstrual disorders are menstrual bleeding in the form of excessive or excessive amounts of menstrual blood, thus interfering with daily activities. This includes the duration of menstruation that lasts longer than normal menstruation, which is more than 5-7 days.
Women with menstrual disorders menorrhagia will experience the following complaints:
- Too much blood coming out of the vagina, so you have to change pads every hour.
- Have to use two pads to contain the bleeding.
- Have to get up to change pads while sleeping.
- Have symptoms of anemia, such as weakness, paleness, or shortness of breath.
- Passing blood clots for more than a day.
Menorrhagia It can be caused by various things, ranging from changes in diet, frequent exercise, hormonal disorders, infection or inflammation in the vagina and cervix, thyroid disorders, fibroids and polyps in the uterus, blood clotting disorders, to uterine cancer or cervical cancer.
4. Oligomenorrhea
Oligomenorrhea is a condition when a woman rarely experiences menstruation, that is, if her menstrual cycle is more than 35-90 days or she gets menstruation less than 8-9 times in a year.
Oligomenorrhea is often experienced by adolescents who have just entered puberty and women who enter menopause. This menstrual disorder is the result of unstable hormone activity in these phases.
Besides that, there are several other things that might be the cause oligomenorrhea, that is:
- Use of hormonal contraceptives, such as birth control pills or injectable birth control.
- Frequent exercise or strenuous physical activity.
- Ovulation disorders.
- Certain diseases, such as diabetes, thyroid disease, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
- Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia.
- Psychological problems, such as stress and depression.
- Side effects of certain medications, such as antipsychotics and antiepileptic drugs.
5. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
Prior to menstruation, many women experience mild abdominal pain or cramps, headaches, and psychological complaints, such as mood changes, feeling anxious, restless, and easily emotional. Symptoms that appear near the time of the month are called PMS or PMS premenstrual syndrome.
However, if the PMS symptoms are severe enough to interfere with daily activities, then this condition is called PMDD. In addition to menstrual pain accompanied by headaches, PMDD symptoms can include excessive sadness (dysphoria), restlessness, insomnia, overeating, difficulty concentrating, depression, feeling weak and lack of energy, to the idea or desire to commit suicide.
The exact cause of PMDD and PMS is not known, but it is thought to be due to a chemical abnormality in the brain that regulates mood. One of these chemicals is serotonin.
In addition, there are several things that are suspected to play a role in the emergence of this condition, such as:
- heredity
- Overweight
- Rarely exercise
- Thyroid disease
- Alcohol consumption and use of illegal drugs
To determine the cause of menstrual disorders, a series of examinations by a doctor are needed. This examination includes a review of menstrual history, physical examination, as well as supporting tests in the form of blood tests, to ultrasound, hysterosalpingography, and MRI.
Some other tests that may be done to find the cause of menstrual disorders are: PAP smear, uterine biopsy, and hysteroscopy.
Treatment for each type of menstrual disorder is different, depending on the cause. Therefore, you are advised to consult a doctor to get the appropriate treatment. Handling menstrual disorders can be in the form of giving drugs to surgery.
Menstrual disorders that occur only occasionally are usually considered normal and nothing to worry about. However, if the symptoms appear frequently and have been going on for a long time, you are advised to immediately consult a doctor.