{"id":1611,"date":"2023-02-07T13:29:10","date_gmt":"2023-02-07T13:29:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/?p=1611"},"modified":"2023-02-10T13:39:59","modified_gmt":"2023-02-10T13:39:59","slug":"irregular-menstrual-cycle-should-you-be-concerned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/irregular-menstrual-cycle-should-you-be-concerned\/","title":{"rendered":"Irregular Menstrual Cycle: Should You Be Concerned?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Women typically have menstrual cycles every 28 (anywhere between 21 and 35 days), and their periods usually last four to seven days. Several things may cause an <\/span><a href=\"\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/pediatric-and-adolescent-gynecology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">irregular menstrual cycle<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, like certain shifts in hormone levels, specific medications, health conditions, stress, and more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On that note, most experts will consider a period regular, even if there are slight inconsistencies from one cycle to the next.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the following article, the expert team at the OB-GYN Specialists of South Miami will aim to uncover the most common causes of abnormal menstruation and discuss when women should be concerned about their periods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Examples of Abnormal Menstruation<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1613\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Examples-of-Abnormal-Menstruation.jpg\" alt=\"Woman Hand Holding Calendar With Question Mark Waiting for Late Blood Period, Amenorrhea, Irregular Periods Concept\" width=\"1000\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Examples-of-Abnormal-Menstruation-200x136.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Examples-of-Abnormal-Menstruation-300x205.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Examples-of-Abnormal-Menstruation-400x273.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Examples-of-Abnormal-Menstruation-600x409.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Examples-of-Abnormal-Menstruation-768x524.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Examples-of-Abnormal-Menstruation-800x546.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Examples-of-Abnormal-Menstruation.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The most prevalent examples of irregular periods are when:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your periods occur fewer than three weeks or more than five weeks apart.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You have missed three or more periods, one after the other.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The bleeding is much lighter or heavier than regularly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your periods last longer than a week.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The time between your cycles varies by more than eight or nine days.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You experience nausea, cramping, and vomiting during painful periods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You get spotting between periods, after sexual intercourse, or even after menopause.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You deal with heavy bleeding and go through several sanitary pads or tampons in less than an hour.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>The Conditions Related to Irregular Menstrual Cycles<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Most women know that their cycles may not always be entirely predictable, which is perfectly normal. Slight variations in length and flow intensity from period to period are acceptable and shouldn\u2019t usually be a cause for concern. Some minor irregularities are relatively common, and women aren\u2019t expected to predict their cycle to be considered entirely normal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Still, the following irregularities are conditions that will most probably need to be medically addressed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Amenorrhea<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is a condition when the patient has completely stopped having their periods for more than 90 days when there\u2019s no pregnancy, and the patient isn\u2019t breastfeeding or going through menopause. Amenorrhea may also be present if the patient is around 15 or 16 years old and has begone breast development but hasn\u2019t started menstruating yet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Dysmenorrhea<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While some discomfort during a menstrual cycle is normal, in the case of dysmenorrhea, the cramping and pain are usually pretty severe during each period.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Oligomenorrhea<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In this condition, menstrual cycles are infrequent, with patients often having only six or eight periods a year or usually going more than 35 days between every period.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Abnormal Uterine Bleeding<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Abnormal uterine bleeding is a condition in which there\u2019s bleeding between monthly periods, extremely heavy periods, or prolonged bleeding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Symptoms and Causes of Abnormal Menstruation<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When exploring the causes of irregular menstrual cycles, experts usually state that there are several factors, from stress to more complex medical conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On that end, the most common medical conditions will usually include the following issues:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Endometriosis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, in which endometrial tissue develops and grows outside the uterus, attaching itself to the fallopian tubes or ovaries, causing cramps, abnormal bleeding, and painful periods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Pelvic inflammatory disease<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is a bacterial infection caused by an STI. The bacteria spread from the vagina to the upper genital tract and uterus, causing heavy vaginal discharge, pelvic pain, and irregular periods.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>PCOS,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or polycystic ovarian syndrome, in which the ovaries produce more androgens than needed. This can lead to ovulation delays and irregular periods. In some cases, it may bring menstruation to a complete halt.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Primary ovarian insufficiency<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> occurs in women under 40 years of age. Their ovaries don\u2019t function as they should, causing irregular and missed periods.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Pituitary gland and thyroid problems <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">like underactive or overactive thyroids and other pituitary gland and thyroid disorders can affect hormones, causing abnormalities in women\u2019s menstrual cycles.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Bleeding disorders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can cause heavy menstrual bleeding.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Cancer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, such as ovarian and uterine malignancies, can affect menstrual periods.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lifestyle factors may also contribute to abnormalities in your periods:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Stress and anxiety<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Significant weight loss<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Significant weight gain<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Rigorous exercise<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that results in very low bodyfat levels<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Viruses<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lastly, certain medications, breastfeeding, and pregnancy complications may also contribute to irregular periods. These \u201cother\u201d causes may include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Going on and off birth control pills <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">as these can alter the hormonal balance in the female body.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Medications <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">like blood thinners and steroids.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Scarring, blockages, or surgery<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the ovaries, uterus, or fallopian tubes.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Diagnosing an Irregular Menstrual Cycle\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Women are often advised to track every change to their menstrual cycle, especially when this becomes more prevalent. Symptoms like bleeding between periods, clamping, and passing large clots should all be shared with your healthcare provider.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Diagnosing menstrual abnormalities involves an appointment where you and your healthcare expert discuss your medical history and menstrual cycle. You might also get a physical examination along with a pelvic exam. Specific tests may also be ordered, such as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pelvic ultrasound<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hysteroscopy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Endometrial biopsy<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Treatment Options<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1614\" src=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Treatment-Options-4.jpg\" alt=\"A Model of the Female Reproductive System in the Background Is a Girl in a Doctor S Office With Irregular Periods.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Treatment-Options-4-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Treatment-Options-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Treatment-Options-4-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Treatment-Options-4-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Treatment-Options-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Treatment-Options-4-800x534.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/202\/2023\/02\/Treatment-Options-4.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Typically, the most suitable treatment for menstrual abnormalities will depend on the underlying causes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That said, medications are usually the first option, which may include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Hormonal birth control<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can manage PCOS, endometriosis, or fibroids. These drugs can help regulate the menstrual cycle.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Pain relievers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can help with pain and cramping symptoms.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Tranexamic acid<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can help with heavy menstrual bleeding.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Antibiotics <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">can help if the irregularities are caused by infection.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Homoney therapy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> may also be helpful if the irregularities are due to perimenopause. HRT can also help with menopausal problems, such as vaginal dryness and hot flashes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Gonadotrpin-releasing hormone agonists <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">that shrink the size of uterine fibroids and help control heavy bleeding. On the other hand, they also temporarily stop your cycles.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In other cases, depending on your condition, surgical treatment may be needed. These include the following procedures:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Myomectomy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> removes uterine fibroids, which leads to irregular bleeding.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Endometrial ablation <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">uses cold or heat to destroy the tissue lining the uterus, decreasing the menstrual flow during your period.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Hysterectomy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is the surgical removal of the uterus as a last resort if the excess endometrial tissue has caused severe damage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Uterine artery embolization<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> cuts off the uterus\u2019 blood supply and stops uterine fibroids from growing.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Aiming For Prevention and Expert Care\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For the most part, women can implement healthy lifestyle changes such as eating well and exercising moderately to help avoid any problems that may lead to menstrual abnormalities. Maintaining a healthy weight is also essential. However, too rigorous, low-calorie diets can be harmful. Stress management is also pivotal, along with using birth control methods as directed. Good <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org\/hometown-health\/speaking-of-health\/you-dont-need-fancy-products-for-good-feminine-hygiene\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">vaginal hygiene<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and adequate rest are also crucial to keeping your periods regular. Lastly, visiting your healthcare provider for regular checkups is also vital.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On that end, if you are experiencing severe cramping, unusually heavy bleeding, or prolonged or irregular periods, feel free to contact our experts in <\/span><a href=\"\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">obstetrics and gynecology in South Miami, Florida<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Together, we can discover the underlying causes that concern you and find the appropriate treatment plan that suits your needs and preferences.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Women typically have menstrual cycles every 28 (anywhere between 21 and 35 days), and their periods usually last four to seven days. Several things may cause an irregular menstrual cycle, like certain shifts in hormone levels, specific medications, health conditions, stress, and more.\u00a0 On that note, most experts will consider a period regular, even if  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1612,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[344,347,345,346,343],"class_list":["post-1611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gynecology","tag-abnormal-menstruation","tag-abnormal-uterine-bleeding","tag-amenorrhea","tag-dysmenorrhea","tag-irregular-menstrual-cycle"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/obgyn-specialists-of-south-miami\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}