Our periods can reveal a whole load of stuff about our health, alerting us to issues as well as serving as a tracker for what’s going on in our vag.Don’t just ignore your period and wait for it to be over. Track their regularity, be mindful of how you’re feeling, and don’t put up with any extreme pain or dismiss serious symptoms as just plain old PMS.
Here are just a few health issues your period can alert you to.
Hormonal issues
Dr Helen Webberley, the dedicated GP for Oxford Online Pharmacy, explained to betty that irregular periods – meaning periods that come as a surprise rather than sticking to a schedule between 21 and 35 days – can be a sign of a hormonal issue.
‘Regular periods are a positive indicator that your body is working as it should,’ said Dr Webberley. ‘For the most part we tend to use the monthly arrival as a measure of fertility but an irregular flow can be a sign of much more.’
A hormonal imbalance may also cause symptoms commonly associated with PMS, such as headaches, mood swings, night sweats, weight gain, and fatigue, so if you’re experiencing these alongside erratic menstruation, it’s worth chatting with your doctor to get your hormone levels checked.
Issues with bone health
Irregular periods can also be a sign that your levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are off. These hormones are essential for healthy bones, so any irregularity could be a sign that your bone function isn’t working properly.
Thyroid problems
If your late periods come with a side of fatigue, weight gain, high cholesterol, and low moods, they could be down to your thyroid not working correctly.
Stress
High levels of stress can stop your period entirely. The immediate pregnancy fears that follow don’t help much.
This is down to the release of adrenalin, which can mess up the body’s hormone levels.
If your periods stop for no apparent reason, look at your general mental and physical health, from your weight to your stress levels.
Try to make healthy life changes and see if your period returns. If not, head to a doctor.
Gynaecological issues
Irregular periods can also be a sign of an injury to the vagina or a problem with the womb or ovaries. If doctors can’t find an immediate cause for irregular periods, they’ll refer you to a gynaecologist to check for any issues.
Uterine fibroids, endometriosis, PCOS, and forms of cancer
Having abnormally heavy periods isn’t something you should ignore or just put up with – it can be a sign of a serious issue with your reproductive system.
Food allergies and insensitivities
Yup. It’s not that common, but having an undiagnosed intolerance to gluten can affect your hormone levels, to the point that your periods may stop or become irregular.
If you’re noticing other symptoms, get a full allergy check.