Different women's menstrual cycles differ in length and intensity, says Alyssa Dweck, an assistant professor of obstetrics-gynecology and reproductive sciences at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. A normal cycle lasts 21 to 35 days, while periods last 2 to 7 days.
Some have excruciating period pain due to what's called endometriosis, Dweck says, but some may have problems with a normal cycle without having it.
Below are some of the reasons why you may have more or less pain than your friends.
1. Bad diet
"If women have had a poor diet for several months, it can cause more menstrual flow," says Dweck. A study of school-age girls found that girls who eat unhealthy foods also suffer from more premenstrual symptoms. Other studies show that ingredients that are good for health, such as Omega 3s and calcium, reduce period pain.
2. Age can be the cause
"The first few years after periods start, ovulation does not occur, and therefore longer cycles are normal," says Mamta Mamik, assistant professor of obstetrics-gynecology and reproductive sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. As we age, periods become more regular and last less. This happens until the age of 40 or 50. Some women have the most difficult phase of periods during perimenopause, which is the phase before menopause. During this time they have more pain and bleeding.
3. Physical exercises
"Women who don't exercise may have more problematic periods than women who do," says Dweck. But this should not push you to do more exercises. "Excessive exercise can reduce your periods or make them not come at all, which is related to the effect of the hypothalamus," says Mamik. This can even lead to what is called amenorrhea (total lack of periods).
Dweck says that in general, women who are overweight tend to have more irregular and painful periods. Research shows that this is related to hormonal factors such as the amount of insulin and estrogen. "We're going to see women with eating disorders or who are athletes and have a BMI of 18 or 19 who stop having periods," Dweck says. Some theories say that this is nature's way of preventing pregnancy during periods of stress. Then the lack of periods will cause less estrogen to be produced which affects the bones causing osteoporosis.
5. Pills
Doctors can prescribe birth control pills. "Taking oral contraceptives makes periods more manageable and less painful," says Mamik.
6. If it is none of the above
If none of the above explanations apply in your case, this may be the influencing factor. "Periods can be affected by pathological factors in the uterus," says Mamik. Fibroids (some abnormal growths in the uterus) and polyps (a benign growth in the uterus) can make periods more painful than normal. Polycystic ovary syndrome can cause irregular and longer periods and heavier bleeding.
In conclusion: Be careful if you have periods more often than every 3 weeks or less often than every 5 weeks, it's time to make an appointment with your gynecologist. /Telegraph/
