Reasons for significant changes in menstrual health

The core reasons for sudden and obvious fluctuations in menstrual health can be summarized into three categories: "disruption of hormone homeostasis, organic changes in the reproductive system, and shifts in general health status." There is no single absolute trigger, individual differences are huge, and even the triggering factors for the same person at different ages may be completely different.

To be honest, I have been in gynecology clinics for almost 8 years, and I have met too many girls who first scare themselves when they find out that their aunt is not correct and their dysmenorrhea suddenly worsens, either because they think they are seriously ill, or because they blame themselves for being greedy for iced milk tea a few days ago. In fact, it’s not so absolute. Take the 26-year-old Internet operation girl I met last month. Before, my aunt was sure to set an alarm clock. Last year, she stayed up for 12 consecutive days on Double 11, relying on ice cream every day to keep her spirits up. That month, my aunt postponed it for 10 days. When she came, she was so painful that she squatted in cold sweat at the door of the clinic, and the amount was almost half reduced.

This is the most common situation in which hormone rhythms are disrupted. According to Western medicine, continuous late nights and high stress cause cortisol to soar, which crowds out the secretion space of estrogen and progesterone. The rhythm of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis is disrupted.； According to traditional Chinese medicine, staying up late consumes kidney qi, and drinking ice to cool the uterus will cause pain and low volume due to stasis of qi and blood. The two explanations essentially correspond to the same body reaction, but they come from different angles. There is no right or wrong. During conditioning, whether you choose to have a regular schedule to supplement hormones or drink menstruation-warming traditional Chinese medicine, both will be effective.

Don’t believe it, many people have menstrual problems because they quickly gain weight or lose weight. There was a girl who lost 25 pounds in 2 months in order to take wedding photos. She didn't have menstrual cramps at all, but her aunt stopped for two months during that time. The medical consensus is that when the body fat rate is less than 17%, the body will give priority to supplying energy to the organs necessary for survival such as the heart, brain, and lungs, and automatically suspend reproductive-related functions. After all, staying alive is a higher priority than having a baby, right? Of course, some people in the nutrition community believe that as long as protein and fat intake are sufficient, even a slightly low body fat will not affect menstruation. However, according to the cases I have seen clinically, more than 80% of women who have lost more than 10 pounds in a short period of time will have varying degrees of menstrual disorders. This is a real observation, and there is currently no unified conclusion.

If your menstrual period is different from before for more than three consecutive months, such as the amount suddenly becomes much heavier, the dysmenorrhea is twice as painful as before, or you even bleed during non-menstrual periods, don’t hold on and don’t just drink brown sugar and ginger tea. There is a high probability that there is an organic change in the reproductive system. I have met at least 30 girls. At first, their dysmenorrhea worsened, and they thought they were catching a cold. After drinking ginger tea for half a year, it didn’t help. Then they checked it out. It turned out that they were chocolate cysts or adenomyosis. If they are discovered early, they can actually be controlled by taking some medicine. If it takes a long time, they will need surgery. Of course, there is no need to be too nervous. Common benign problems such as uterine fibroids and polyps can also cause menstrual changes. They are not complicated to deal with. What you are most afraid of is guessing and procrastinating.

Another question that people often ask is, is there a problem if my menstrual period changes after taking the HPV vaccine, taking emergency contraceptive pills, or having an abortion or IUD? Let’s talk about the controversial HPV vaccine first. Current large-scale clinical data clearly shows that it does not affect menstrual health. However, about 10% of women reported that their menstrual periods were delayed and dysmenorrhea worsened within 3 months after vaccination. The current explanation in the academic community is that the individual’s immune response temporarily affects hormone levels. It is not organic damage. It usually recovers on its own in 3-6 months. There is no need to be overly anxious. However, if it has not returned to normal for more than half a year, you must go for a check-up. As for emergency contraceptive pills and uterine cavity manipulation, they will directly affect the endometrium and hormone levels. Short-term menstrual changes are normal, and doctors will generally explain it to you in advance.

Finally, let me talk about a point that many people tend to overlook. The impact of emotions on menstruation is really much greater than you think. There was a 32-year-old girl. Her husband suddenly filed for divorce. During that time, she cried every day and couldn't eat. Her aunt stopped for three months. Hormone tests and B-ultrasounds were all normal. After two months of psychological counseling, she went out for a walk to relax, and her aunt came back on her own. The older generation always says "you just think too much", but now psychosomatic medicine has long confirmed that long-term anxiety, depression, and severe mood swings will directly act on the endocrine system and affect menstrual status. You are not being pretentious.

In fact, after all, menstruation is the "barometer" of the female body. Occasionally, if it is inaccurate or painful, don't take it too seriously. It may be because you have been up too much recently or you just had a fight with your partner. But if it is much different from your previous normal state for more than three months in a row, don’t search blindly on Baidu to find the right one, and don’t randomly buy internet celebrity health products. Go to a regular hospital for a gynecological appointment, check your hormones and do an ultrasound. The cause of most problems can be found and they are easy to fix. After all, it’s your own body and it’s always right to feed yourself some snacks.