What Causes Light Periods in Women?

Light periods refer to menstrual periods that have very light flow and are characterized by a lesser number of days than usual. Although the menstrual cycles vary from a woman to another, the duration for a normal period is around every 28 days. Each period lasts for approximately four to seven days. The amount of blood loss in a normal period is around 20 ml to 80 ml. However, loss of blood below 20 ml can be considered as light periods.

The causes of light periods can vary for different woman. Some of them are:

- An imbalance in hormone levels in the body like PCOD (polycystic ovarian disease).

- Light periods are most common in women who are approaching menopause. This is because, at this time, women tend to produce less estrogen, a hormone responsible for regulating menstrual periods.

- Light periods can be common in girls who have just started to menstruate.

- Excessive bouts of exercise, a thyroid condition or an eating disorder can be also responsible for light periods in women.

- Women who use hormonal or oral contraceptives may also have a chance of experiencing light periods.

- An important cause of scanty menses is implantation bleeding. That means sometimes, despite being pregnant, little amount of bleeding can happen at the expected time of menses in the first three months of Pregnancy. So it's important to rule out pregnancy at the earliest.

Certain symptoms usually follow light periods. These symptoms vary according to the underlying causes of this condition.

Some of the common symptoms which accompany light periods are:

- Abdominal pain
- Frequent infections, namely yeast and other fungal infections
- Painful sexual intercourse
- Missed periods

In some cases, light periods might turn out to be a sign of a fatal condition that should be immediately administered to. An example of such would be an ectopic pregnancy, which can cause light or heavy bleeding. Although light periods are rarely due to serious diseases, neglect can lead to heightened complications and irreversible damage.

Some of the complications can are:

- Serious discomfort and pain
- Difficulty in conception or infertility
- Osteoporosis and osteopenia



What causes light periods in women?

Have you been trying hard to conceive, but in vain. Then here are 3 things you can do increase your chance of getting pregnant:

Keeping track of the ovulation period: Even though regular sex throughout the month is advised, it is certainly more fruitful to know your cycle. You can only get pregnant when the sperm meets the egg, and the egg is only released around the 14th day in your cycle. This egg lives only for a day or two, so you have a limited window when you can actually get pregnant. Typically this window is approximately of 6 days, so it's best to have sex in this period. But it's important not get obsessive and put too much pressure to have sex on these days as the stress can reduce sperm quality. So be mindful of it and still enjoy the activity rather than being obsessive. There are several free apps that you can download to help you track your cycle.
Have missionary sex at least once every 2-3 days: The key is to have regular unprotected sex for over a year. The success rate for this is 84%. It is advised that you have sex every two to three days in every month of the year, and it's not necessary to stick to only those days for having sex when the woman is ovulating. Further, a spiced up sex life can increase your chances of the girl getting pregnant. As for the position, the missionary position works best as it helps the sperm on travelling through the cervix, which in any other position proves to be difficult. You can make the path of the sperm even easier by placing a cushion under the woman as it tilts the uterus, allowing the sperm to travel through more easily.
Try de-stressing: Psychological preparedness is as important as physical preparedness to maximise your chances of getting pregnant. These days couples lead very hectic and stressful lifestyles in which trying to get pregnant can only add to their stress levels. Increased stress lowers egg passage in women. Besides, trying too hard to get pregnant and the stress that it creates is the reason behind 30% of all infertility problems. In such cases, destressing by exercising, yoga, meditation or acupuncture is a good idea.

3 Ways You Can Increase Your Chance of Getting Pregnant

Painful menstruation or menstrual cramp is termed as Dysmenorrhoea and refers to the discomfort or pain associated with menstruation. In 80% cases, cramps are an integral part of the preliminary dysmenorrhoea syndrome. Though this symptom is not deemed as a very serious clinical problem, the pain and its associated symptoms are acute enough to keep an affected woman from normal functioning for the first one or two days. These symptoms may take over one or two days prior to menses, reach their pinnacle on the first day and subside slowly with the passage of time. The pain can be typically depicted as being ached, cramping of the stomach and often reaching to the lower back portion.

There is probably no woman across the world, who has not undergone the painful menstrual cramps. But don't fret! Homeopathy treatment has a range of remedies to relieve you off this unease.

1. Cimicifuga: Normally menstruation cramps indicate a pain that flows across the pelvic region from one side to the other. This remedy will particularly be helpful in neuralgic and rheumatic cases as well as congestive cases where it works effectively with Veratrum Viride and Belladonna. It is also very efficient in combating headaches preceding menses, acute pains across abdomen, labor like pains and scanty flow.

2. Caulophyllum: This remedy is great for treating spasms and pain that flow downwards. The spasmodic periodic pains that need to be treated with Caulophyllum are mostly concentrated around the groin and radiate to other surrounding parts. Gelsemium can also be taken for treating neuralgic as well as congestive dysmenorrhoea when the pain bears down. The pains are often labor-like and spasmodic with flow of pale urine. In order to get faster relief, it can be taken along with hot bag press.

3. Belladonna: If you are afflicted with the congestive forms of menstrual cramps, then you may take Belladonna. In most cases, a pain and discomfort is felt prior to the flow and a feeling of something heavy around the vulva can be relieved if you sit up straight. This pain occurs and subsides all of a sudden making the flow clotted and restricted. This kind of dysmenorrhoea is extremely painful and makes the genital dry. In case the pain gets severe and cuts through the pelvis, then Veratrum viride can also be administered.

4. Zanthoxylum: This remedy is very effective in fighting dysmenorrhoea and uterine spasms. It is very effective when the pain is burning, agonising and extending down through the thighs making the limbs paralysed and numb. You can take this measure when the pain is affecting your ovaries as this medicine works closely for neuralgic form of menstrual cramps. Women with delicate nervous temperament can also take this remedy as it relieves from headache and eye pain caused from 
Menstruation.

Homeopathy has a huge range of medicines and it becomes difficult for a commoner to select an ideal one. Therefore, when you are deeply affected with menstrual cramps, you can always consult an expert before administering any medicine.

Pain During Menstruation

If your teenager finds out that she is pregnant, and will be having a baby soon, it is a very difficult situation to cope with. Teenage pregnancy is associated with intense stress and trauma in both the girl and her parents, and family. It is important for you to realise that teenage pregnancy can be okay, based on good and wise decisions. You should seek all options at hand, and discuss them with people you trust. There are several coping methods for dealing with the stress, trauma, and difficulty of teenage pregnancy. They are as follows:

Keep in mind that it is okay to be overwhelmed

A flood of emotions is likely to flow through your body on finding out that your teenage daughter is pregnant.
Your mind has to be set for facing several challenges which lie ahead. You have to go ahead.
It is okay to feel upset, but avoid showing it in front of your daughter.
Be supportive

You might be upset and angry, but you need to realise that your daughter is scared and alone.
She needs you by her side during this phase more than ever. Your child s health has to remain relaxed both physically and mentally during pregnancy.
Do not make your daughter feel shameful as it will worsen the trauma. You need to make her understand that you are with her to figure out some kind of solution.
Ask your daughter what she wants

It is important for you to ask your pregnant teenage daughter about what she wants, and you should respect her wishes.
Your daughter has to be comfortable with the choices you make regarding the pregnancy.
Give her advice and help her in exploring options

Instead of forcing your opinions and views on your daughter, you need to lead her to beneficial resources and support centres.
It is important for your daughter to make the best decision, without a lot of influence over what has been decided.
Explore the available options with her and point out the various pros and cons.
Teach your daughter the skills required to become independent

While you have to help your teenage daughter emotionally, financially and in many other ways, you should also teach her the ways of becoming an independent self sufficient adult.
If she decides on having the baby, it is very important for her to learn to take care of the baby and deal with all the issues that are likely to be faced.
It is also recommended for you to take your pregnant teenage daughter for therapy and proper counselling. These are also important for her to cope with the trauma and make the best decisions.

Teenage Pregnancy - How To Deal With Stress And Trauma?

The tissue that lines the uterus is known as the endometrium. In some cases, it can grow outside the uterus. This is known as endometriosis. Endometriosis usually involves organs in the pelvic cavity such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel and lining of the pelvic cavity. In rare cases, it may involve the vagina, cervix and bladder as well.

Depending on the location and extent of endometrial tissue, it can be classified into four stages ranging from minimal to severe. Most cases of endometriosis fall into the minimal or mild category which involves mild scarring and superficial tissue implants. Moderate or severe endometriosis can cause cysts and severe scarring. Infertility is also commonly associated with severe endometriosis.

Pain in the pelvic area just before and during menstruation is one of the most characteristic symptoms of this disorder. This is because the overgrown endometrial tissue acts like normal endometrial tissue and is shed during menstruation. The only difference is that since there is no exit for this overgrown tissue, it is trapped in the pelvic cavity. The location of the implantation of endometrial tissue also plays a role in the amount of pain experienced. The deeper the implant, more the pain. Implants near areas with high nerve density are also more likely to be painful than implants in areas with low nerve density.  These implants may also release substances into the blood stream that can cause pain.

Other symptoms associated with this disorder are:
  Painful intercourse
  Painful urination
  Pain during bowel movements
  Infertility

These symptoms especially the pelvic pain can vary from month to month in terms of duration and intensity.

A few simple changes in your diet can help manage the symptoms associated with this disorder and in some cases, prevent it as well. Avoid processed food and foods that are high in sodium content. You should also avoid high-fat dairy and food that is rich in arachidonic acid. Instead, increase your consumption of carbs and green leafy vegetables. You could also add two tablespoons of walnut oil a day to your diet to help combat inflammation and the other effects of arachidonic acid.

Early stages of this disease can be treated with hormone therapy, but if it has progressed to the later stages, surgery may be needed. This surgery is performed laparoscopically and aims at removing all the implanted tissue from outside the uterus. However, in cases where the anatomy of the pelvic organs has been distorted by the implants, a hysterectomy may be required. This option, however, it usually considered only in cases where a woman does not have any plans of conceiving more children. 

Endometriosis - How It Is Affecting Your Life?

PMS is often treated as a joke but for many women, it is a monthly nightmare. Muscle cramps, headaches, bloating, breast tenderness, anxiety and depression are common symptoms of PMS. Though there is no set cure for PMS here are a few tips that will help you deal with it. 

Set yourself an exercise routine

Exercising not only helps you maintain weight but also helps dealing with PMS. You only need to set aside 30 minutes a day for a brisk walk, jog, swim or even dance. Aerobic exercises improve blood circulation, ease stress and help the brain release happy hormones. 

Change your diet

If you are feeling bloated and depressed, cut back on simple carbohydrates like sugar and fat and increase your consumption of complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Do not attempt a low carb diet to lose weight if you suffer from PMS. Reducing the simple carbohydrates in the body and increasing the complex carbohydrates keeps you body feeling full for longer and increases the serotonin levels in the body.
 
Quit alcohol and caffeine

Drinking a glass of wine or a cup of coffee may give you temporary relief from PMS symptoms but in the long run they aggravate your PMS symptoms such as headaches, breast tenderness and mood swings. Alcohol may also contribute towards lowering the magnesium levels in your body and thereby make you feel bloated. 

Relax

One of the effects of PMS is to make you feel anxious and tense. The easiest way to address this is by learning to relax. Try meditation or yoga for half an hour every morning. This will improve your overall health as well as soothe muscle pains. 

Take a few supplements

Research says that certain fatty acids like Omega 3 and linoleic acid can lower irritability and body aches associated with PMS. Calcium is also known to help ease PMS symptoms. Getting these nutrients in the required levels may not be possible only through your daily meals. Hence, you can also consider supplements to ease your pains. 

Use Birth control pills

Birth control pills with the drospirenone hormone can help ease symptoms of severe PMS. Menstruation
is often accompanied by a drop in estrogen levels that can lead to migraines. Birth control pills also regulates your hormones and hence avoids these fluctuations. It also keeps your ovaries from releasing eggs every month and hence reduces the intensity of the associated cramps. 

Talk to people

You are not alone when it comes to PMS. Instead of keeping quiet about your discomfort, talk to people who may be experiencing something similar. Sharing your problems will introduce you to new ways of dealing with it. You could also get online support through various discussion groups.

7 Ways To Deal With PMS

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