The most common menstruation problems include symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, cramping, and irregularities in the menstrual cycles. Some women may also experience nausea, headaches, and lower back pain at the time of their periods. A less common menstruation problem, but still experienced by many women, is heavy bleeding during the period. This may be to the point that it leads to anemia or causes undue fatigue.
Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, known more commonly as PMS, are the most common menstruation problems. The symptoms of PMS are usually noticeable about seven days before the start of menstruation and begin to resolve shortly after the period starts. Common symptoms include acne, bloating, and irritability. Some women may also feel depressed, have difficulty concentrating, or feel abnormally stressed. Additional physical symptoms of PMS include backaches, diarrhea, and sore breasts.
Abdominal cramping, one of the most common menstruation problems, is caused by contractions in the uterus. The contractions take place to break down the lining of the uterus that thickened to prepare for pregnancy when the egg was released. The contractions then push this broken-down lining from the body.
The common menstruation problems that create the most worry for women are irregularities in the menstrual cycle. These may include changes in timing, flow, and length of the period from month to month. About one-third of women will experience irregularities in their menstrual cycles at some point.
A regular menstrual cycle is considered to be 28 days. Doctors often advise women, however, to track their own cycles to determine the length of cycle that is regular for them. This means some women have regular 20-day cycles, and some women have regular 35-day cycles. What some women experience, however, are cycles that may be 20 days one month and 30 days the following month.
Some women see changes in the length and flow of the period from month to month as menstruation problems. A period normally lasts three to seven days, but some women may experience significantly longer periods of bleeding. Some women may also have periods when there seems to be significantly more bleeding than other months.
Stress, diet, and amounts of exercise are often the cause for these irregularities. Cycle irregularities are also more common when a girl first starts her period and as women approach menopause. The use of birth control that contains hormones may also affect the length, flow, and cycle of menstruation.