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Much like how the temperature of your body tells if you have fever, your period has a lot to tell about your health. Be it the hormonal balance or even the overall reproductive health of a woman, your menstrual cycle does say a lot. So, if you have been wondering what does your menstrual cycle say about your health, keep on reading.
Before we proceed, I would personally like to clarify that periods are as much of a natural process as any other process that is going on in your body. If you feel something off about your period, talk to your family, friend or even the doctor.
It is time we work through the stigma of period and be more vocal about it. With that, let us take a look at what your period says about your health.
What your period says about your health?
Every woman’s body is different. While some are lean, some are overweight. While some have a very balanced hormonal level, some have the complete opposite of that. While some have a regular and problem free menstrual cycle, some have a hard time getting their periods.
This means that your body does play a huge role in determining the kind of menstrual cycle you will have.
There are a lot that your period blood says about your health and that is exactly what we are going to be discussing about.
1. When you witness big gelatinous blood clots
For the women who experience a heavy flow during their periods, witnessing big and jelly like blood clots during the periods is quite normal.
It is a very common factor and shouldn’t be something that you need to be alarmed about.
This is likely going to happen when you are experiencing an extremely heavy flow.
When you have a heavy flow, the anticoagulants in our body which are responsible for keeping your blood in the liquid form are not able to work that fast and efficiently.
What happens is that you end up discharging coagulated, gelatinous form of the blood during your period.
Although this is quite normal, if you notice majority of your discharge in that form, consult your doctor once and get better clarifications.
2. When you witness “black” blood
Now, we all know that blood has a brick red colour, so naturally, when you see a black blood discharge during your periods, you are likely going to be stressed about the same.
Well, don’t be at all.
The “black” blood that you likely witness has a deep brownish colour to it and represents old blood that are taking more time to be excreted out of the body.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that something is wrong with your body, so you don’t necessarily have to panic about the same.
But, if you notice the discharge of the black blood every single month, it could imply an underlying issue with your uterus which is why it is best to see a doctor for the same.
3. When you witness bright red blood
When your period blood is bright red and watery, it is possibly as normal as it can be. The same indicates that your periods are in the initial days.
Experts suggest that the bright red blood is usually the fresh blood that is discharged during the first few days of the cycle.
But, since the consistency of the blood during the initial days of the cycle can be pretty watery, it makes it a lot more prone for you to end up staining your clothes.
It is the reason why it is necessary that you do keep an eye out on the clothes and taken extra precaution to prevent unnecessary staining of your clothes.
It is also important that you change your pads or tampons very frequently during the first few days of the cycle when the consistency of the discharge is extremely runny for your hygiene.
4. When you feel extremely tired with heavy flow
When it comes to answering what does your menstrual cycle says about your health, it is not just the colour of the blood that you need to take into consideration.
It is extremely important that you keep an eye out on your physical well being and how you are feeling during those days.
Often, if you experience heavy flow, it is likely that you will feel extremely tired as well. And, that is very normal.
If you have a heavy flow, you are losing a lot of blood, especially the red blood cells, which can make you anemic, if you don’t take precaution.
Feeling tired and constant shortness of breath comes as a side effect for this condition which is why it is extremely important that you consult a doctor for a remedy for it.
Getting a simple blood test can help point out if there is something wrong and needs any treatment.
5. When your period lasts for a long time
We often have those months when the period starts out with a normal flow but then becomes heavy and doesn’t seem to stop.
There is no standard when it comes to the number of days your menstrual cycle will last for. Some women have their periods for 3 days, some for 7. It depends on their body.
But, the condition of prolonged menstrual cycle, otherwise known as menorrhagia, which causes excessive blood flow and that for a long number of days could be an alarming condition if it keeps on happening every month.
Both the conditions of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism is considered possible reasons behind this condition.
Even medications that cause hormonal imbalance is considered a potent reason behind this condition.
Other than that, the ovarian tumors or uterine fibroids are also considered possible reasons behind this condition. Obesity is also a sign of excessive blood flow and for more days.
All of these conditions have direct impacts on the hormone balance of the body, which is one of the primary reasons why it is important that you keep an eye out on the same. See a endocrine specialist, if you feel the need for it.
6. When you witness brown period blood
Period blood color says a lot about your health. If you notice something off, it is very important that you always take note of the signs and consult a doctor if things become consistent.
Brown discharge signifies old blood. For the most part, there is nothing that you need to worry about. If it is old blood that has been around your uterus for a long time, it is likely had more time to oxidize, thereby imparting the dark brown colour.
If you have a slower menstrual cycle with a gradual flow, it is likely that it will take the blood to be excreted out your body a little more time than normal.
In such cases, the blood stays in the uterus for a longer time period, enabling it to get a brown color.
The blood can also often be left from your last menstrual cycle.
7. When you have an irregular menstrual cycle
When your periods are irregular, it can mean a lot of thing about your health. For the most part, it signifies an irregular hormonal level in the body.
Aside from the possible underlying health conditions, one of the most common factors is the elevated stress levels.
High stress levels impact the cortisol levels in the body which inhibit the process or ovulation, thus delaying the cycles.
Another one of the common factors that can cause delayed or irregular menstrual cycles is because of the polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) which is becoming quite common in women nowadays.
Women who struggle with PCOS experience irregular ovulation, meaning that they might not ovulate every single month.
This can contribute to irregular menstrual cycles.
Lastly, people who are excessively athletic, the same can contribute to little to no menstruation, causing irregularity in the periods as well.
Every single cause behind the irregularity of the period does require medical attention, so make sure that you do check with your doctors before anything.
8. When you witness spotting
Before you wonder what we are talking about, spotting is a condition which causes light bleeding or spots of blood during your periods.
While spotting or light bleeding during the end of the menstrual cycle is common, the same happening any other time of the month for consecutive days can be an alarming sign.
Apart from the fluctuation hormonal levels, there could be some other reproductive issues that you probably have no idea about.
Make sure that you do keep an eye out on the frequency of the spotting. If it happens every month, consult your doctor to get a proper diagnosis.
Often, fibroids or an infection could be a possible cause, so make sure that you have that sorted out first before it ends up taking a turn for the worse.
9. When you witness pink blood discharge
Another possible scenario that you are likely going to experience is the discharge of pink blood.
A lighter shade of the blood, witnessed during the early days of the period, is not something that you need to worry about. For the most part, the condition is caused by the mixing of the cervical fluid, that make the blood diluted and hence the lighter colour.
Apart from that, a lighter pinkish shade of the discharge during your periods can even indicate lower levels of the estrogen levels.
10. When your periods are accompanied with bad cramps
Another possible scenario that you are likely going to experience during your periods if bad cramping. This is extremely common for some and some don’t experience it.
The impacts of the cramping can be varying for varying women. While some have extremely bad cramps, some experience nothing while some experience mild cramping during the first day or two.
When your uterus is contracting during the menstrual cycle to shed itself off, the contractions often lead to the release of a certain group of hormones, predominantly prostaglandins.
The more the prostaglandins that your body releases, the more likely you are going to experience extremely bad cramps.
For the most part, cramps don’t have a very huge significance during the periods. It is considered quite common.
But, if the same does come along with unbearable cramps and pain, it is likely that you might have a condition called endometriosis. This is a condition that is characterised by the growth of cells and tissues outside the lining of the uterus.
This is one of the reasons why you need to talk to your gynaecologist in case your periods are extremely painful.
11. When you experience regular headaches during periods
With the kind of stress filled life that we lead, experiencing headaches is quite normal. But, if you tend to experience them quite frequently, it can indicate a number of factors, especially with the prospects of imbalance in the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body.
Experiencing headaches, otherwise known as the menstrual migraines is a very common occurrence that you are likely going to experience often during your menstrual cycle, especially if you have a history of irregular hormone levels.
You can either opt for some over the counter anti-inflammatory medications for faster relief.
It is always best that you consult a doctor before it takes a turn for the worse.
12. When you witness greyish blood discharge
There are a lot of scenarios that can happen with your periods, noticing an extremely watery or grey discharge is one of them
Often, the signs of extremely watery discharge with a greyish colour blood could be an early sign of miscarriage. This is something that happens quite rarely when you are pregnant. So, make sure that you do get that tested out.
As for the colour of the blood that is extremely pale and greyish, it is likely because of the additional vaginal discharge that is excreted.
Aside from that, greyish blood is also a possible consequence of infection, so make sure that you get that tested out too because persistent signs of infection can later lead to harmful impacts on your body.
We hope this answers all your queries regarding what does your menstrual cycle says about your health. It is extremely important that you ensure better hygiene and better health for yourself. If you see something amiss with your periods, focus on getting the necessary help that you need from a doctor. Don’t delay the same. It is important that you do get regular checkups from time to time to ensure the best of your health without any questions asked.