Irregular Menstruation: Causes and Handling

Your periods irregular? Do not worry though because usually it does not indicate anything dangerous. Most women never experience it.

However, before stating your menstrual irregularities, let us first agree on what is called irregular. Not all women are the same. There are women who have regular menstrual cycles, such as the "calendar life", there are irregular. The most common cycle is 28 days, but can vary from 21 to 35 days. Early cycle forward or backward 1 to 3 days is normal. Menstrual bleeding usually lasts for 5 days, but the bleeding up to 7 days is considered normal.
Irregular menstruation is called only when not following the normal pattern of your cycle. Anovulation (no egg release) is a major cause of delay menstruation in many women. This condition is considered normal if it occurs only once or twice a year. Menstruation is also irregular in a few months or years after the first menstruation (menarkhe). This is because the hormones that control menstruation takes time to reach equilibrium.

Irregular periods caused by things related to lifestyle or health problems.

1. Lifestyle
Certain lifestyle can disrupt the menstrual cycle, including:

    Increased stress. It is the most common cause. When you experience stress from overwork, pressure from friends or family demands, your periods may become irregular. When you're stressed, the adrenal glands release the hormone cortisol, which has a direct impact on some of the hormones involved in menstruation such as estrogen and progesterone.
    Extreme weight. Although low body weight is a common cause of irregular periods, obesity also can cause menstrual problems. In this situation, the brain can not trigger the right hormones for follicle development, which is needed to make estrogen.
    Breastfeeding. Many women experience menstrual irregularities through breastfeeding.
    Contraception. Birth control pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs) / spiral can cause bleeding between menstrual periods. Mild bleeding is common when a new take on the contraceptive pill. IUD / spiral can even lead to severe bleeding.
    Poor nutrition, medications, smoking, and caffeine in certain cases can disrupt the menstrual cycle.

2. Health Conditions
Some health conditions that can disrupt the menstrual cycle include:

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS occurs when some very small cysts develop in the ovaries. The ovaries produce follicles that produce high levels of estrogen but never release an egg, resulting in irregular menstruation.
    Hormonal imbalance related to perimenopause. Perimenopause is a transitional stage before menopause hormonal. Technically, menopause occurs when you stop menstruation for 12 consecutive months since the last menstrual period. However, few women who menstruate regularly until it suddenly stopped altogether. Much more common are menstrual cycle change for a few years or months before reaching menopause. The disorder is caused by an imbalance of progesterone, a hormone that regulates the amount and length of bleeding. Fluctuations in progesterone makes periods last longer or shorter.
    Androgen hormone imbalance. Some women have irregular periods because they have too much androgen. Male hormone that is normally only slightly in the female body can cause hair growth on the face, chin, chest, and abdomen, and is sometimes associated with excessive weight.
    Thyroid disorders. The thyroid gland produces hormones that keep the body's metabolism. Thyroid function is closely related to all the hormones in your body. Thyroid hormones are not balanced as in hypothyroidism can cause a variety of symptoms such as irregular periods, fatigue, weight gain, and depression.
    Premature ovarian failure. This condition is when you stop menstruating before age 40. Surgery, chemotherapy, and abdominal or pelvic radiation therapy can cause premature ovarian failure.
    Other conditions such as uterine abnormalities (fibroids, cysts, polyps, endometriosis), irritable bowel syndrome, tuberculosis, heart disease, and diabetes can also cause irregular periods, although rare.

Tips for You

Menstrual irregularities stem from hormonal imbalances. Whatever you do to restore hormonal balance will also restore your menstrual cycle.

The following tips may help:

    Reduce stress and improve your nutritional status. Try to relax and enjoy life. Enough rest at night. Change your diet to make it more balanced with the increased intake of complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and water.
    Exercise regularly, but moderate.
    If you're worried cause irregular menstruation is a disease or other conditions, consult your doctor. Ask your doctor the possible causes of your menstrual irregularities. You especially need to see a doctor if your periods are also accompanied by heavy or prolonged bleeding, pain after sex, abdominal pain, excessive hair growth, weight gain for no reason, or smelly discharge.