Irregular Periods - Symptom, Treatment And Causes

• The duration between the periods starts changing.
• There is decreased or increased loss of blood during a period.
• The duration of a period is much longer than usual.

• Irregular Menstrual-Bleeding: Bleeding that lasts over 20 days in an individual cycle and extends for more than a year.
• Absent Menstrual-Bleeding: Absence of bleeding for over 90 days.
• Heavy Menstrual-Bleeding: An excess of blood loss that can hamper a woman’s emotional, material, physical and social quality of living and can be independent or may occur along with other symptoms.
• Prolonged and Heavy Menstrual-Bleeding: It is uncommon.
• Light Menstrual-Bleeding- It is dependent on the patient’s complaint.

Irregular periods need to be looked into depending upon the desire of having children later on. Many diverse things can cause irregular periods. Changes in the hormonal levels of progesterone and estrogen might disrupt the usual period patterns. That is the reason young pubescent girls and older women nearing menopause usually are affected by irregular periods.

• Change of birth-control pills
• Change in other medications
• Breastfeeding or pregnancy
• Over exercising
• Use of an IUD
• Stress
• Uterine fibroids
• Hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid
• Uterine lining polyps

Generally, treatment isn’t required for menopause or puberty induced irregular periods, until the time they become bothersome or excessive. Periods also normally stop during pregnancy.

• Correcting or treating underlying disease
• Changing your type of birth control
• Lifestyle changes, including weight loss
• Hormone therapy
• Surgery

Call your doctor if you have had regular, monthly periods and the pattern changes. Your doctor may perform a physical exam and order tests to rule out pregnancy or a health problem.