Knowing the type of menstrual problem you have can help you find the right remedy. Here are the symptoms and solutions of the four most common menstrual problems for women.

Menstrual cramps, unpredictable periods, and heavy bleeding doesn’t just affect your daily life – it can even affect your fertility levels.

First, you need to change your perspective of menstruation! Check this out:

“In man, the shedding of blood is always associated with injury, disease, or death,” said Estelle Ramey, who was an endocrinologist at Georgetown University. “Only the female half of humanity was seen to have the magical ability to bleed profusely and still rise phoenix-like each month from the gore.”

If you’re not rising phoenix-like each month – magic! - then you’re not alone. Most women cope with some type of menstruation problem or PMS.

One of the best tips for menstrual cramps is a hot water bottle or Thermacare Heat Wraps for Menstrual Cramp Relief for your abdomen – the heat helps with blood flow. If you can get the blood flowing smoothly, your menstruation might be less problematic.

4 Types of Menstrual Problems – Symptoms and Solutions

1. Painful periods or dysmenorrhea. “Primary dysmenorrhea is linked to a rise of natural chemicals in the body at ovulation, which can cause pain,” writes Mary Jane Minkin, MD, in Women’s Health For Life. “Secondary dysmenorrhea is a sign of an underlying disorder.” Secondary dysmenorrhea affects women who’ve never menstruated before.

A reproductive disorder, endometriosis, or fibroids could cause painful periods – and the only way to know for sure is to get it checked out. Symptoms of dysmenorrhea include aching in your lower back or legs, cramps in your abdomen, or a dragging sensation in your pelvis. This menstrual problem could lead to infertility or problems conceiving; the sooner you know what you’re coping with, the better!

2. Heavy periods or menorrhagia. Hormonal imbalances or uterus disorders could cause heavy periods, but Dr Minkin says the cause isn’t always obvious. If you’re bleeding for seven or more days and it’s not controlled by sanitary napkins or tampons, then you may have menorrhagia. Some blood clots are normal – but large blood clots are a sign of heavy periods.

Menorrhagia could lead to anemia, so make sure you eat plenty of iron! Lean meat, leafy green veggies, some cereals, oatmeal, boiled soybeans, molasses, and various beans are good sources of iron. You may need prescription medication to treat heavy periods or anemia – but make sure to tell the doctor you’re trying to get pregnant (if you are).

3. Irregular periods or oligomenorrhea. Unpredictable periods are normal the first year of menstruation, and during perimenpause (the years leading up to menopause). Hormone imbalances or disorders can also cause irregular periods, which can affect fertility levels and your chances of conceiving a baby.

Dr Minkin recommends keeping track of your periods, to see if the irregularity is normal for you (because what’s normal for one woman can be abnormal for another). She also says, “Fortunately, most menstrual problems are minor and easily treatable.”

Want regular periods? Read 8 Natural Ways to Regulate Your Period – The Crimson Tide.

4. No periods or amenorrhea. If you’ve missed three periods, then you may be dealing with amenorrhea (or a pregnancy! Or perimenopause or menopause). “The most common cause of absent periods is pregnancy,” writes Dr Minkin. “Amenorrhea can also be a side effect of illness, stress, overexercising, or extreme weight loss.”

If you’re not getting your period, then you’re not ovulating or releasing an egg each month…and if you’re not ovulating, then you’ll have problems getting pregnant! See your doctor for help diagnosing and treating amenorrhea – and avoid excessive dieting or exercise.

For more info about menstruation, read How Your Period Affects Your Libido and Mood.

If you suffer from PMS, read PMS Treatments – Natural Remedies for PMS Symptoms.

Do you suffer from one of these menstruation problems – and what are your symptoms and solutions? I welcome your comments below…