Find Best Effective Information for Irregular Periods

What are irregular periods?
Irregular periods are simply those that are not regular. If you suffer from irregular periods, you simply will not know when your period is going to appear. Cycles can vary from 23 to 35 days, but they are classed as regular if your periods occur at roughly the same time each cycle. So, even if your periods are, say, 35 days apart instead of the usual 28, but they always appear at day 35, they would be classified as being 'normal'. Irregular periods can be extremely difficult or even impossible to track.

For the most part, we don't worry at the clinic about a missed period or two over the course of a year. More variation than that may indicate to us the beginning of per menopause or a disruption of the natural chain of hormonal events that controls menstruation. A wide variety of factors can be responsible for irregular periods, among them:

• Significant weight gain or loss
• Over-exercise
• Poor nutrition
• Smoking
• Drug use
• Caffeine
• Excessive alcohol use
• Eating disorders
• Increased stress
• Uterine abnormalities
• Medications
• Chemotherapy
• Recent childbirth, miscarriage
• Breastfeeding

Causes of Irregular Periods: -

Several factors can cause irregular periods, but for women approaching menopause, the most likely cause is fluctuating hormonal levels experienced typically between the ages of 45 and 55. A woman´s menstrual cycle cannot be separated from her hormones, because her hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, drive the process. When hormone production begins to taper off, periods often become irregular.

Irregularity also falls into 2 categories: -

• Long Term Irregularity: - Long term irregularity can be anything from a cycle that varies in length from month to month to the experience of various abnormal symptoms, for example, excessive bleeding, and no cycle for months at a time, very painful periods or ovulation.

To be on the safe side if your are experiencing prolonged bleeding or very painful symptoms it is wise to consult a doctor to find out what is going on.
• Sudden or short term Irregularity: - Short term irregularity can be attributed to any of the causes listed above, and are generally a one off or sporadic occurrence. These cases are probably not a cause for great concern unless you are experiencing pain or just feel as if something is wrong.

Treating Irregular Periods: -

Depending on the cause of your irregular periods, there may or may not be much you can do about them. If you have only been experiencing irregular periods for a short time (less than 7 months), it is likely that your periods will become regular again on their own.

• Reduce your stress levels. Take time to meditate, relax, or just hang out. This may help put your cycle back on track.
• Get help for your eating disorder. If you are anorexic, bulimic, or if you suffer from other types of disordered eating, you must seek help. Not only will these eating disorders interrupt your menstrual cycle, but they can also severely affect your liver, bowel, throat, and heart functions.
• Don't over exercise. While it is important to exercise regularly and keep fit, exercising too much can be problematic. If you are an endurance athlete, try to cut back on your training a little bit, until your irregular periods return to normal.

You may be interested in reading Irregular Periods and Natural Supplements. Also visit more on Irregular Menstruation Treatment