Menstrual Problems

The menstrual cycle is complex. Many women don’t know or don’t remember how the menstrual cycle works, yet menstrual-related problems are a far too common occurance. Common menstrual complaints are:

PMS: Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, a term used to include all symptoms that occur up to 2 weeks before the start of your period. Symptoms can include: pain, cramping, changes in energy, moods, water retention, breast tenderness or swelling, increased headaches, changes in digestion, increased acne etc etc. While PMS is quite common, it is not a normal part of the menstrual cycle. There are many contributing factors for PMS such as hormonal imbalance, poor diet, lack of exercise, toxin overload, etc.

Dysmenorrhea: Refers to pain during your period. You may or may not have PMS as well. Pain is usually cramping or sharp, abdominal or lower back or down the thighs. This type of pain may be due to fibroids (benign tumours on the uterus wall), ovarian cysts, endometriosis (the growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus) or other anatomical causes.

Irregular cycles: Not every woman naturally follows the 28 day cycle. Cycles can vary from 21 days to 40 days. Cycles for any individual should remain constant within a day or two. Irregular cycles can be seen in newly menstruating girls, after pregnancy and in women nearing menopause. Women coming off of hormone based birth control or after the early termination of a pregnancy often experience irregular cycles. Irregular cycles can also be due to irregular thyroid function and adrenal function (such as times of high stress).

No periods: Also termed amenorrhea. Usually occurs when no ovulation has taken place. Causes of this may be pregnancy, use of hormonal birth control, low body fat (as seen in some athletes and anorexics), high stress, ovarian problems, hormonal imbalances, menopause.

Infertility: Defined as the inability to conceive after 1 year of having sex without the use of birth control methods. It is important to onsider timing of intercourse and to consider the health of both the man and woman before assuming the problem lies in the women’s reproductive health.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome : Also known as PCOS, affects all the endocrine (hormonal) systems. Irregular cycles, infertility, weight gain, blood sugar problems can all be part of this condition. Thus, treatment requires addressing all systems that are involved in order to resolve menstrual concerns.

The Use of Hormonal Birth Control

Hormonal Birth Control (HBC) is commonly used by women for birth control and for controlling menstrual problems. Conventional medicine may explain that HBC helps regulate irregular cycles or painful period. This explanation is not entirely correct.

Yes, HBC controls your cycles and may reduce PMS or dysmenorrhea, but it does not restore or help establish its natural function. In fact, quite the opposite. HBC tricks the body into thinking it is pregnant by giving it inadequate (or in some cases too much) hormone for ovulation to take place. In the standard 28 or 21 day pill package, the week of sugar pills or no pills causes withdrawal bleeding. This is not a period. Newer HBC products give continuous hormones without a time for withdrawal bleeding.

When used in young women (teens or earlier) HBC actually stalls the maturation process of their reproductive cycle, so their body is not able to establish its own cycle of hormones. When these women decide to discontinue the HBC (usually after years from the time they started), very often their bodies are not able to establish a regular cycle.

Therefore, HBC does not “cure” menstrual problems.

What can Naturopathic Medicine do?

Naturopathic medicine can help to restore the natural “rhythm” of your menstrual cycle. Very often nutritional factors play a role and acupuncture can greatly help. Understand that no two women are alike when it comes to their menstrual cycles. Through health history, lifestyle and diet assessment, a treatment is designed to address your individual needs.

Recommended Book: Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler

Interested in natural birth control or family planning? Click here.