Menstrual Problems

A lot of women find that they suffer menstrual problems without the added complication of Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but for some reason both these conditions can cause the symptoms to be more severe.

 

Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) is largely considered to be the result of fluctuating hormones and hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle.  It can cause low mood, headaches, irritability, bloating and breast tenderness.  It can also have other psychological effects including a loss of confidence, mood swings and lethargy.

 

Scarily, about one in three women say that PMS significantly affects their life and there are actually over 100 symptoms of PMS.  I must admit I used to find myself becoming completely irrational once a month!  I would get really irritable, nothing would please me, and I hated it because I couldn’t control it.  After the birth of my second son I started experiencing depression and weepiness – for no particular reason – as part of my monthly cycle.  It was really scary as I’d feel really depressed but not know why.  Then I’d suddenly realise that it was due to the time of the month.  Just horrible.

 

Women clearly suffer with fluctuating hormones, but the actual cause of PMS is unclear.  It has been linked, though, to low serotonin levels.  A key supplement to try is Evening Primrose Oil; it is one of the most well-known supplements for balancing hormones, and is believed to help calm the symptoms of PMS and help alleviate breast pain.

 

I also found out that low levels of calcium have been linked to heavier, more painful periods, and low magnesium has been linked to hormonal imbalances and PMS, so increasing your intake of these is crucial if you don’t already consume enough.

 

Dysmenorrhoea is the name given to the discomfort and pain of a period, and the pain will be felt in the lower abdomen and/or pelvis and will sometimes radiate into the back and the legs.  Headaches, nausea and diarrhoea can also be present at the same time.  For some women the pain can be so extreme that it will interfere with their daily lives.  If you find that the pain is very severe it’s advisable to get checked out for any other underlying problem, such as endometriosis or fibroids.  

 

Alternatively you could contact your local Family Planning Clinic or Well-Woman Clinic for more help and advice.

 

For many women simple changes to diet and lifestyle can be enough to reduce menstrual problems, with alcohol and caffeine being the two main culprits to eliminate from your diet.  Vitamin B6 is linked to mood swings and irritability so, again, make sure your diet incorporates plenty of the B-vitamins too.