PMS (Pre Menstrual Syndrome)

Sometimes your periods can be a pain - literally. Most women have to deal with PMS, cramps, or headaches around the time of their period. This problem is usually normal and nothing to worry about.

Here are the facts that the general term problems and normal - and which ones might indicate there is something going on.
What is PMS?

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a term for the physical and emotional symptoms that many girls and women get right before their periods begin each month. If you have PMS, you may experience:

* Acne
* Bloating
* Fatigue
* Back pain
Breast Pain
* Headache
* Constipation
* Diarrhea
* Food cravings
* Depression or feeling blue
* Easily offended
* Mood swings
* Difficult to concentrate
* Difficulty handling stress
* Feeling tense
* Sleep problems

PMS is usually worst during the 1 to 2 weeks before starting a girl's period, and usually disappear when menstruation begins.

Why Do Some Girls Get STDs?

Doctors do not designate the exact cause of PMS, but many believe this is related to changing hormone levels. After a period of a girl, the amount of estrogen and progesterone (female hormones) in improving body. Then about 1 week before the start of menstruation, the hormone levels begin to fall. this thinking is that changing hormone levels can cause PMS symptoms.

It is unclear why some girls develop PMS and others do not. There is a possibility that only those who develop PMS are more sensitive to changes in hormone levels. There are other theories as well. For example, some people believe that what you eat can affect how you feel, especially during the few weeks before menstruation.

Fortunately, you can do some things to relieve symptoms of PMS. Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and cutting back on processed foods like chips and crackers can help. You also may want to reduce salt intake (salt can make you retain water and become more bloated) and, believe it or not, drink more water.

Say no to caffeine (it can make you jittery and anxious) and yes to a lot of sleep. Getting enough calcium and take daily multivitamin can help. In addition, daily exercise and stress-relief techniques like meditation can help some girls.

When it comes to drugs, pain medication over-the-counter such as ibuprofen can relieve pain and head back. But for the pain really serious PMS, see the doctor, who may be able to prescribe a different medicine or birth control pills to help.

Also let your doctor know immediately if you feel very depressed or had thoughts hurt yourself.

Why Do Some Girls Get Cramps?

Many women experience abdominal cramps during the first few days of their period. Cramps most likely caused by prostaglandins (pronounced: pross-tuh-glan-dinz), your body produces chemicals that make the uterine muscles contract. The good news is that cramps usually only last a few days. But if you're sick, drugs like ibuprofen may help.

Exercise also can make you feel better, maybe because it releases endorphins, chemicals in the body that really makes you feel good. Soaking in warm water or put a warm compress on your stomach will not make your cramps disappear but may help your muscles relax a little.

If you experience severe cramping that makes you come home from school or from doing things with your friends, or if the drug without a prescription does not work, visit your doctor for advice.
Why do not I Period Regular?

It can take several years from the time a girl started menstruating for her body to develop a regular cycle. Even then, what is usually varied - the cycle of women 'can range from 21-45 days.

Changing hormone levels a short time may make you one month (such as day 2 or 3) and more drawn out (such as 7 days) the next. You might miss a month, get two periods almost right after each other, have a really heavy, or one so light you hardly notice it. (If you are sexually active and you missed a period, though, you should visit a doctor or clinic for women to make sure you are not pregnant.)

All these deviations can make planning for your period a real hassle. Try to keep track of when your last period started, and guess that about 4 weeks from the day you could be caused by another. If you're worried about wearing a cute dress and suddenly started your period at school, but make sure you pack protection. Bring pad or tampon in your backpack, and wore pantiliner to handle the first wave.

When it comes to periods, every girl's body has a timeline (and unexpected) that are unique to get the song. If your time is still not settled into a relatively predictable pattern after 3 years, or if you experience regular menstruation and then become irregular or have no periods for several months, make an appointment with your doctor to check a possible problem.

Why Did I Not Started My Period Yet?

All people go through puberty at different speeds. Some girls start menstruating as early as age 8 or 9; others did not leave until they are 15 or 16. It all depends on your hormones - and your family.

Want to guess when you will get your periods? Ask when mothers and grandmothers (from both sides of your family) started them. When you start puberty is partly linked to genetics. So even though there is no guarantee that you will follow in their footsteps, your relatives could provide clues about your own future.

One thing that can delay puberty - and your period - is excessive exercising, usually distance running, ballet, or gymnastics, combined with poor diet. For exercise to be excessive, it means more than just playing football several times a week or working out occasionally with video training. To exercise so much that you postpone your time, you will have to train vigorously for several hours a day, day of week, and not getting enough calories, vitamins, and minerals.

Unless compulsive exercise to delay menstruation, there is nothing you can do yourself hurrying things along. If you have not started menstruating by the time you're 16, consult with your doctor. He will examine you, and can perform a pelvic examination and take blood tests to determine hormone levels in your body. Different treatments are available depending on what is causing the delay period.

Menstrual Problems

Even if it seems strange to you, most of the things that are in line with the period perfectly normal girl. But some conditions can be more serious. If you suspect you have this problem, see your doctor for advice.
No Period

Amenorrhea is the medical term used for the absence period. The girls who have not started their period when they might be 16 primary amenorrhea, usually caused by hormone imbalance or developmental problems.

There is also a condition called secondary amenorrhea, when a girl who had normal menstrual period stopped for 3 months. Low levels of gonadotropin-releasing (pronounced: go-nad-uh-troe-pin) hormone (GnRH), which controls ovulation and the menstrual cycle, frequently bring on amenorrhea.

Stress, anorexia, weight loss or gain, stopping birth control pills, thyroid conditions, and ovarian cysts are examples of things that can throw your hormones out of whack. To get everything back in position, the doctor may use hormone therapy.

If a medical condition that affects your monthly cycle, the treatment conditions will help to solve the problem. As mentioned earlier, a lot of strenuous exercise combined with poor diet can also cause amenorrhea. Cutting back exercise and eating a balanced diet with more calories will help correct this problem, but be sure to talk with your doctor as well.
Heavy Periods

Menorrhagia (pronounced: men-uh-ray-jee-uh) is the term used for physicians who are very heavy, long time. Menorrhagia is more than just 1 or 2 days the flow is heavier than average. Girls who have menorrhagia soak through at least a pad or tampon an hour for several consecutive hours or a period of more than 7 days long.

The most frequent cause of menorrhagia is an imbalance between the amount of estrogen and progesterone in the body. Because of this imbalance, the endometrium (pronounced: en-doh-mee-tree-um), which is the lining of the uterus, continues to build. Then when the body eliminates the endometrium during the period, very heavy bleeding.

Many women hormonal imbalances during puberty, so it is not uncommon experience menorrhagia during the teen years. other possible causes of heavy bleeding include thyroid conditions, blood diseases, or inflammation or infection in the vagina or cervix.

To help determine the cause of abnormal bleeding, the doctor may do a pelvic exam, Pap smear, and blood tests. If you have menorrhagia, can be treated with hormones, other drugs, or removal of any extra tissue in the uterus that can cause excessive bleeding.

Very Painful Periods

Dysmenorrhea (pronounced: dis-men-uh-ree-uh) is the medical term for very painful periods. Primary dysmenorrhea - painful periods that are not caused by disease or other condition - are more common in teens than secondary dysmenorrhea (painful periods caused by disease or condition).

Culprit in primary dysmenorrhoea is the prostaglandins, natural chemicals that cause cramping same. Sometimes, prostaglandin can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, backache, diarrhea, and severe cramps when you have your period.

Fortunately, these symptoms usually only last for one or two days. Doctors usually prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs for treating primary dysmenorrhea. As with cramps, exercise, hot water bottles, and birth control pills can also bring some relief.

Some of the more common conditions that can cause secondary dysmenorrhea include:

* Endometriosis, a condition in which tissue normally found only in the uterus begin growing outside the uterus
* Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), the type of bacterial infection usually caused by sexually transmitted diseases
* Fibroids or growth outside, inside, or in the uterine wall

All these conditions require that a doctor diagnose the problem and then treat you right.
What to do if you suspect problems

If you have questions about your period or anything else related to your development, talk with your doctor. This is especially true if you notice a change in your menstrual cycle. Although most period problems turn into not worry, it's ways better to be safe.

Meet your doctor if:

* You feel very depressed or hopeless, or thinking about hurting yourself. A severe form of PMS can cause this, and you should get help immediately.
* You have not started your period when you are 16. Your doctor can evaluate you to find out why you have not gotten your period yet.
* You stop getting your period or becomes really irregular after it has been routine for several cycles. This could be a sign that you may have a hormone imbalance or problems with nutrition.
* You have periods of very heavy or long, or get your periods more frequently than every 21 days. A lot of blood loss can cause anemia (low blood) and make you feel very weak and tired.
* Your period is really painful. Your doctor can help figure out why your periods painful, and treat you so that you are more comfortable.

Chances are that your painful periods or irregular that do not need to worry. But if something happens, the sooner you get attention, the sooner you'll be on your way to feel good again.