Poor he alth before menstruation is noted by many women. Most often it is associated with premenstrual syndrome, but in some cases it may indicate some violations in the body. What are the causes and symptoms of feeling unwell before your period?
Features of the female body
The structure of women is very different from men. In particular, this difference is noticeable in the reproductive system. The body of a woman is set up for bearing and giving birth to children. Between the ages of 11 and 16, girls begin their first period, which means that the body is ready for pregnancy. Every month, in the absence of fertilization, the egg is released along with the endometrium of the uterus. At this time, menstrual bleeding is observed.
This period is quite difficult for some women. They feel weakness, as well as other unpleasant symptoms. In addition, a few days before the start of monthly bleeding, a woman may feel their approach. About this alsoevidence of poor he alth and other accompanying symptoms.
What is PMS?
Feeling really bad before your period could be due to premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. This term refers to a complex of unpleasant symptoms that usually occur before menstruation and are its harbingers. Their duration varies from 2 to 10 days, depending on the individual characteristics of the woman's body.
With premenstrual syndrome, disturbances in the work of the endocrine system are possible, metabolism is disturbed, and the work of the nervous system is also activated. Modern research proves that the older a woman becomes, the more prone she is to PMS. There are also studies that prove that those representatives of the beautiful half of humanity are more susceptible to this condition, whose work is related to mental activity or communication with people.
Causes of occurrence
The exact prerequisites for the occurrence of poor he alth before menstruation are unknown. At the same time, doctors identify such factors that may play an important role in the occurrence of premenstrual syndrome:
- Irregularity in the ratio of the hormone estrogen and progesterone, which affects the emotional state of a woman.
- Increase in the amount of prolactin. This also explains the soreness and swelling of the mammary glands before menstruation.
- Some diseases of the thyroid gland that provoke a violation of its functionality.
- Violation of the water-s alt balance.
- Severe shortage of suchvital vitamins like B, C, E as well as magnesium, calcium and zinc.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Psychogenic factors, which include a negative situation within the family, at work, frequent stressful situations.
- Some infectious diseases can also cause you to feel unwell before your period at 40 or any other age. At the same time, signs of poor he alth at the age of 40 are most often felt more acutely than at an earlier age.
- Lack of regular physical activity, as well as obesity of any stage.
- Abuse of coffee and other caffeinated drinks.
Also, with the onset of pregnancy and the birth of a child, the hormonal background of a woman changes significantly, which can cause unpleasant symptoms of PMS. The reason for feeling unwell before menstruation can also be abortions previously made by a woman.
Symptoms
Premenstrual syndrome is characterized by such unpleasant manifestations:
- weight gain;
- sleep disorders;
- irritability;
- frequent mood swings;
- abdominal enlargement;
- headaches;
- pain in the lower abdomen and in the lumbar region;
- breast pain, especially nipples, when touched;
- abundant clear or white vaginal discharge;
- increased blood pressure;
- swelling of the face and limbs;
- fastfatigue;
- an increase in body temperature up to 37 degrees, which is most often observed in the evening;
- appearance of acne on the skin of the face, chest and back;
- dizziness;
- Cravings for certain foods;
- feeling hot or chilly in the evening;
- nausea, sometimes vomiting;
- diarrhea.
Why do you feel bad before your period? Most often, the unpleasant manifestations of premenstrual syndrome are associated with a lack of certain vitamins and minerals, as well as hormonal disorders.
PMS stages
Depending on the severity of the observed symptoms, the following stages of development of the pathological condition are distinguished:
- Compensated stage, in which the symptoms are mild and do not affect the woman's daily life. Such manifestations do not progress with age, and with the onset of the first day of menstruation completely and completely disappear.
- Subcompensated stage, which is characterized by an acute manifestation of symptoms, which significantly worsen the quality of life of a woman. With the onset of menstruation, the symptoms completely disappear.
- The decompensated stage is characterized by severe manifestations of PMS, in which a woman may experience symptoms even for several days after the end of menstruation. Such manifestations with age can increasingly interfere with normal life.
Unfortunately, many women who experience tachycardia and feel unwell before their period rarely seekmedical assistance, considering this condition normal. To date, it is in the power of competent doctors to reduce the manifestations of the syndrome and return the woman to a normal life even during this period.
Diagnosis
In order to draw the right conclusions about the condition of a woman, it is important to conduct examinations and examinations on the gynecological chair. Premenstrual syndrome is one of those rare pathologies where a woman's oral information about the symptoms she is experiencing can provide much more information needed to make a diagnosis than an armchair examination. At the same time, there is a clear cyclical nature of symptoms, that is, they always occur a few days before the onset of menstruation.
Also useful for diagnosing the syndrome are the following studies:
- Blood test for hormones such as prolactin, progesterone, estradiol. It is important to perform it in both phases of the cycle in order to see the difference between the fluctuations in their levels.
- Mammography or ultrasound for chest pain to rule out breast cancer or disease.
- Electroencephalography for frequent headaches to study the state of cerebral vessels.
- Measurement of daily diuresis with significant swelling of the face and limbs.
- Blood pressure measurement.
Also, a woman may need to consult such specialists as a therapist, mammologist, neuropathologist, psychiatrist, endocrinologist.
Medication assistance
Often feeling sick and nausea before your period can be alleviated with medication. The need for medication is considered by the attending physician based on the symptoms that were clarified during the history taking. The most commonly prescribed medications are:
- Neuroleptics or other psychotropic drugs for the treatment of psychiatric disorders that may be associated with premenstrual syndrome.
- Sedative drugs to suppress depression and irritability.
- Phytopreparations with a sedative effect on the nervous system.
- Vitamin complexes and preparations containing calcium, magnesium and other trace elements to compensate for their deficiency. They also have a positive effect on the endocrine system.
This assistance may be required for women with severe PMS. Most often, at the initial stage, the body can deal with unpleasant symptoms on its own.
Hormone Therapy
The reasons for feeling unwell before menstruation at 45 years old can be associated with hormonal imbalance and a lack of certain hormones in the body at this stage of the menstrual cycle. In this case, hormone therapy can be selected individually for a woman, which will include the missing hormones. These can be hormones such as progesterone, estrogen, bromocriptine.
Non-drug treatment
BIn some cases, a woman may be offered spa treatment. In addition to carrying out standard physiotherapy procedures, it will help relieve mental stress. Also, folk methods are sometimes used to treat poor he alth before menstruation. Among them, herbal treatment, which has a slight calming effect, is very popular. These can be infusions of mint, lemon balm, valerian.
Prevention
What to do if you feel unwell before your period? There are factors that cannot be predicted. However, it is possible to alleviate the course of premenstrual syndrome or reduce pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation if you follow these recommendations from experienced gynecologists:
- Coffee and strong tea should be limited as they contain caffeine.
- It is also recommended to follow a diet that consists in reducing the amount of s alt consumed, as it can provoke water retention in the body, and, as a result, swelling. Include lean fish, meats, legumes, seeds, dairy products, and dark dark chocolate in your diet.
- Regular exercise also has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole.
- Reducing stress at work and at home is also important.
- One of the ways to prevent premenstrual syndrome is also considered to be taking oral contraceptives. However, before starting the reception, you need to consult with the attending gynecologist, as well as pass some tests forhormones.
To reduce symptoms in the period before the onset of menstruation, it is recommended to have a regular sex life. It is noted that women who have a regular sexual partner are less likely to feel unwell before menstruation.
Conclusion
Feeling unwell before menstruation is a fairly common phenomenon that affects about 30% of women. This number may increase with age. Fortunately, modern medicine has long found ways to solve this problem.
