Menstrual cycles can be quite unpredictable, especially for older women. The average length of a menstrual cycle is 28 days, but it can last anywhere from 21 to 35 days. Menstrual cycles typically last between three and seven days. It’s possible for the flow to be strong or weak, to last for a few days or a week, and to return regularly or infrequently.
If you’re stressed out or if something drastic has happened to your routine, you might not get your period at all or it might be late. If you know what’s typical for you and what isn’t, you can take the initiative to report any changes to your doctor.
Once a woman experiences any of these four symptoms during her period, she should see a doctor.
1. Your periods are extremely painful and/or bloody.
Extreme menstrual bleeding, or pain in the lower back and pelvis, can be a sign of a health problem, such as fibroids or endometriosis. Fibroids, in contrast to endometriosis, which manifests in other organs, are noncancerous growths that occur in the uterine muscle. Excessive bleeding is a rarely-seen symptom of uterine cancer.
2. Ongoing pain
The cramps, headache, and mild discomfort you’re experiencing are all signs that your period has begun. Extreme menstrual pain, also known as dysmenorrhea, may be a symptom of a serious underlying condition such as endometriosis or an infection. Pain accompanied by a high temperature could be an indication of a serious bladder or uterine infection, regardless of whether or not it is related to the menstrual cycle.
3. lack of periods.
If it has been longer than three months since your last period, you should make an appointment with your doctor. Many things, including pregnancy, stress, hormonal imbalances, an underactive thyroid, the onset of menopause, and so on, could be to blame. You should tell your doctor.
4. Heavy clots and a sticky flow
Anemia, or a lack of healthy red blood cells, can manifest as a person’s period blood clots occasionally. This is typically caused by a deficiency in iron or vitamin B12 (usually, this comes along with feeling super weak and fatigued, too).
Other causes of monthly clots include pelvic inflammatory disease and uterine fibroids, which are small, frequent, noncancerous growths of the uterus (a common infection that strikes your reproductive organs).
