A doctor has issued a warning over four menstrual symptoms that you shouldn’t ignore, as they could indicate something isn’t quite right.
It’s no surprise that periods can be very uncomfortable for many people, and if you know the science behind it, you’ll understand that there are things that happen which are bound to cause a little discomfort.
However, if something feels out of the norm, don’t just put up with it and write it off as hormones or your time of the month.
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Dr Mark Hyman explained that there are four symptoms that make him say, ‘that's not normal’, and he’s urging you to have those things checked out if they occur.
Missed periods
In a video shared to Instagram, the expert explained that the first sign you should never ignore are missed periods.
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He said: "Healthy menstrual cycles are consistent and while it's actually completely normal to have a delay in or to miss a period every once in a while, missing periods frequently is not normal."
The NHS shares that missed or irregular periods can be caused by puberty, the start of menopause, pregnancy, hormonal contraception, losing or gaining a lot of weight, stress and anxiety and exercising too much.
Sometimes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and an underactive thyroid gland can cause irregular periods.
Heavy bleeding
Dr Hyman (which is a fitting name), shared that heavy bleeding should not be ignored, explaining: "When you have to change your tampon every hour, that's not normal."
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The NHS also claims that heavy bleeding can be due to ‘conditions affecting your womb or ovaries, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis and pelvic inflammatory disease’ and more.
Debilitating cramps
If you thought that he was done, he came in with his third symptom which could indicate an underlying condition.
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The medic shared that ‘debilitating cramps that disrupt your quality of life or require excess amounts of pain medication’ and should not be overlooked.
PMS
Finally, the doctor explained that premenstrual syndrome (PMS), even though it’s something that many of us suffer from each month, cannot be left to continue if it ‘shifts your personality and causes strain in your relationships, and makes you feel miserable - that's not normal’.
He added: "These are signs of something bigger that's going wrong, like hormonal imbalances that can result in things like polycystic ovarian syndrome or ovarian insufficiency or fibroids or other hormonal imbalances".
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Because we all are told that anything happening in and around our uterus is just normal period things, we’re more likely to leave it alone and just suffer through it.
But this is something that needs to stop.
The doc urged: "Periods shouldn’t be a mystery, nor should any discomfort or symptom be brushed aside as ‘just part of life'."
So, if you feel any of these four things, it’s best to get checked out just in case.
Topics: Health, Women's Health
Britt Jones