Regular monthly bleeding or menstruation occurs in all women from adolescence to the end of the menopausal change of life. Just before menstruation some women become nervous and irritable and suffer from depression, headaches, fullness in the breasts, and swelling in the lower extremities. This may be due to increased hormone activity from the adrenal glands during the latter part of the menstrual cycle, causing retention of sodium and water in the tissues.
Some mild discomfort is to be expected at the beginning of menstruation. If there is severe pain it might be due to some abnormality that should be corrected. Certain infections, such as syphilis, gonorrhea or tuberculosis may sometimes cause pelvic pain, which may be aggravated during menstruation. Abnormal positions of the uterus may also lead to menstrual pain or discomfort. Other causes for menstrual pain may be endometriosis and fibroids.
During menstruation there is an imbalance in hormones and brain activity, and it is thought that too much estrogen, uneven levels of progesterone and an inability to fight with hormone changes are main causes of premenstrual syndrome.
Some women also have a slight show of blood on the day of ovulation, midway between the regular menstrual periods. This is not abnormal. Malignant tumors of the uterus and cervix may also result in vaginal bleeding. Intermittent spotting may be due to cervical polyp, which is common in women over forty years of age. Endometriosis may also cause heavy or painful bleeding.
Amenorrhoea or stoppage of menstrual flow is natural during pregnancy and at the menopause, but abnormal at any other time. It denotes a debilitated and devitalized condition of the body. The main causes for this condition are anemia, worry, grief, fright, or other serious emotional disturbances; malformation of the womb; tuberculosis; displacement of the womb; and debility, especially after a serious illness.
Irregular periods can occur in several conditions like thyroid problems, obesity, iron deficiency, diabetes, drastic weight loss, excessive exercising or stress. Changing contraceptive pills, and low dose pills may also interfere with the normal menstrual pattern. Irregular periods can also delay in conceiving.
HOME REMEDIES FOR MENSTRUATION
Goldenseal with a very small amount of mistletoe is an effective remedy to reduce blood flow. To relieve menstrual cramps quickly and easily, wrap a hot, wet towel around mid-section and lay in the fetal position. Chamomile, parsley, safflower, and squaw vine is useful in cases of amenorrhoea. Boil a teaspoon of saffron in a half cup of water until it reduces to a tablespoon. Divide into three portions and take three times during the day. This gives relief to cramps. Make a paste of six or eight almonds and mix with a cup of milk, an egg yolk, a half-teaspoon sesame powder, and a teaspoon honey. Take a couple of times a day to relieve cramps. Drink a glass of milk with a half-teaspoon cinnamon every night to relieve cramps. Place a pinch of dried ground ginger in a cup of hot boiling water for a tea (no sugar), and let steep for 5 minutes. Drink this tea. It will give relief to the cramps. Dissolve 2 aspirins, 1/2 tsp. of sugar and 1/2 tsp. of honey into 1/2 cup of water. Drink this solution if you are missing periods. This is very effective home remedy for menstruation and will lead to regular menstrual cycle. Take a teaspoon ground dried mint leaf and a teaspoon of honey twice a day to relieve cramps. Drink parsley, beet, carrot, and cucumber juices on a regular basis to relieve cramps. Dissolve half-teaspoon sesame seeds in hot water. Drink this twice daily to relieve spasmodic pain. Eat 5 raw adzuki beans (also called aduki, or azuki) will help to stop the heavy bleeding. Boil 1 cup of black beans in 5 cups of water and drink the juice half cup before your 3 meals this will help regulate menstruation. Mix half a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in a cup of hot water and leave for half an hour; then drink (eat the seeds as well). Do this every morning with an empty stomach. This will give strength to the uterus. Most of the problems in women arise due to undue stress of life. Reducing stress may help resolve the disorder in some women. Being either over- or underweight is a contributor to menstrual disorders. Women should make every effort to maintain a normal weight. Agnus castus fruit, also known as chaste tree berry (Vitex), helps alleviate symptoms of PMS. Black cohosh (Remidfemin) has been used for amenorrhea and symptoms of menopause. Low-fat vegetarian diet during menstrual cycles leads to less pain and bloating and a shorter duration of premenstrual symptoms than those who ate meat. Reducing caffeine, sugar, and alcohol intake during menstruation may be beneficial. Massage lobelia extract into any area that is cramped. Drink a tea of red raspberry leaves to prevent and reduce the severity of menstrual cramps. Drink a tea of comfrey leaves and alfalfa to lessen the pain of muscle cramps. Drink 1 or 2 glasses of tomato juice, every day. It will give significant improvement in your flow, and fewer cramps in your next period. This is also very effective home remedy for menstruation. Parsley is one of the most effective among the several home remedies in the treatment of menstrual disorders. It increases menstruation and assists in the regularization of the monthly periods. The unripe papaya helps the contractions of the muscle fibres of the uterus and is very effective in maintaining a proper menstrual flow. Put an entire Bengal gram plant in hot water. Take a bath to get relief from painful menstruation. The herb Marigold, named after the Virgin Mary, is useful in alleviating any pain during menstruation and facilitating menstrual flow. One tablespoon of the herb should be taken twice daily for the treatment of these disorders. The use of banana flower is one of the most effective home remedies in the treatment of menorrhagia or excessive menstruation. One banana flower should be cooked and eaten with one cup of curd. Coriander seeds are also effective in the treatment of excessive menstruation. Six grams of these seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water. Boil the mixture till only half the water remains. Sugar candy should be added to it and the patient should drink it when it is still warm. The juice of the fresh mango bark is another valuable remedy for heavy bleeding during menstruation. The juice can be taken along with white of an egg or some mucilage- a kind of vegetable glue obtained from a plant, and a small quantity of the kernel of a poppy. The bark of the Ashoka tree is an effective remedy for excessive blood loss during the monthly period, which occurs due to uterine fibroids and other causes. About 90 gm of the bark should be boiled in 30 ml of milk and 360 ml of water till the total quantity is reduced to about 90 gm. This quantity should be given in one day, in two or three doses. The treatment should commence from the fourth day of the monthly period and should be continued till the bleeding is stopped. A fresh decoction should be made for use each day. The herb Indian barberry is also useful in case of excessive bleeding. It should be given in doses of thirteen to twenty-five grams daily. The herb rough chaff is also valuable in excessive menstruation. Prepare a solution by heating 15 gm of rough chaff in 250 ml of water and use for treating this condition. The herb hermal is useful in regulating the menstrual periods. It is especially beneficial in painful and difficult menstruation. Two tablespoons of the seeds should be boiled in half a litre of water, till it is reduced by one - third. This mixture should be given in 15 to 30ml doses. Hemp can be successfully used when menses do not start at the scheduled time. Five large heads of hemps should be boiled in half a litre of water till the water is reduced to half. It should then be strained and drunk before going to bed for two or three nights.